Teaching environmental risk analysis
Öberg, T.
Presentation at the 14th SRA Europe Annual Meeting in Como, Italy, September
12-14, 2005
Abstract
The environmental science program at the University of Kalmar lead to the degree of B.Sc. (3.5 years), or to the degree of M.Sc. (4 years). The program prepares students for employment within public administration, national and private companies within trade and industry and other business sectors as well as for the open international labor market. It provides environmental scientific expertise in the natural sciences and focuses on environmental protection and environmental preservation questions as well as on the development of a long-term sustainable society.
One of the profiles to select is environmental risk analysis. The first two years are devoted to basic courses in chemistry, geosciences and biology. The specialization comes during the last two years, with courses in environmental chemistry, ecotoxicology, hydrogeology, natural resource management, and environmental risk analysis together with a master thesis work. My paper will outline the last part, three courses in environmental risk analysis (6 months) and the thesis work (another 6 months).
Environmental Risk Analysis, Basic Course (15 ECTS points) The objective for this course is to provide knowledge about risk analysis and risk management of chemical substances and products, with a focus on risks to environment and health. The course introduces a quantitative approach including statistical methods. The purpose is also to provide a basis for further studies in environmental risk analysis.
Environmental Risk Analysis, Advanced Course (7.5 ECTS points) The objective for this course is to provide advanced knowledge in environmental risk analysis. The course emphasizes the subject areas of exposure assessment, probabilistic methods and contaminated soil. The purpose is to provide a basis for a professional career within research, environmental and health protection.
Environmental Risk Communication (7.5 ECTS points) The objective for this course is to develop an advanced knowledge in risk communication, with a focus on chemical risks to the environment and the communication of results from advanced risk analyses. The course also introduces concepts and theories and describes the role of media in communicative processes. The purpose is to provide a basis for a professional career within research, environmental and health protection.
The teaching consisted of a series of formal lectures, seminars and practical exercises. The basic and risk communication courses also included project assignments tailored to the participant's own interests. The advanced course instead had computer laboratory work on probabilistic methods.
This series of courses were taught with much less formal lectures than is usual and the centerpiece of the work was to solve a large number of practical problems in risk assessment. The students were initially skeptical to this new and more independent teaching approach, but it worked out well as demonstrated later during the oral and written examinations. The graduate level teaching approach was also an efficient preparation for the thesis work that is now underway. Two of these are within risk assessment of contaminated land and will be covered further in my presentation, as well as the parallel development of our research within the field of environmental risk analysis.
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