Taught by

Kathleen Saul

energy resources, sustainable/renewable energy, energy policy, nuclear power industry, social implications of technology choices, political ecology

Course Description

Developmental pathways and technological changes, especially those taking place beyond Europe and the United States, are transforming societies and energy systems. Indigenous innovations in renewable energy are more often appropriate and practical than pathways and technologies imported from more "developed" countries. Moreover, they might also serve as models for making all energy systems more sustainable. This elective will explore the current social, economic, and energy status of several countries around the globe and will try to better understand their unique contributions to a less fossil fuel intensive, more renewable energy focused future.

Faculty Biography
Kathleen M. Saul, M.A., M.E.S., received her BA in French and BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and MA in Management from the Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania) before turning her attention to environmental issues and eventually joining the MES program at Evergreen.  After completing her degree in 2009, she taught Statistics in the Evening and Weekend studies program and Qualitative Methods, an Energy elective and gCORE in the Graduate Program on the Environment. Kathleen then moved to the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy at the University of Delaware to pursue her PhD. Her dissertation research focuses on the displacement of people that results from large scale technology projects, with a focus those involving nuclear technology.  While at Delaware, she participated in research projects looking into the energy policy implications of the Fukushima nuclear disaster as well as alternative administrative forms for organizations devoted to energy conservation, efficiency, and sustainable energy options. She also taught in the undergraduate Introduction to Energy Policy and Sustainable Energy Policy and Planning courses.  Her engineering acumen, business sense, and environmental awareness all come together in understanding modern energy systems and the green energy economy.

Quarters

Location and Schedule

Campus Location

Olympia

Time Offered

Advertised Schedule