Environmental Assessment --- This course provides students the opportunity to apply the tools of natural and social sciences in support of environmental management and policy development at local, national and international levels.  Students will evaluate how goals of enhancing development, natural resources protection, provision of energy services, poverty alleviation, and combating global environmental change interact.  During the course, we will work to develop sound options to promote sustainable development at different scales and in different cultural contexts.  The course is designed as interdisciplinary and in addition to Dean Bierbaum, the principal Professor, experts from the international Finance Corporation, the state of Michigan, the Congress, several Executive Branch agencies, the World Bank, the industrial sector and scientific community will discuss case studies of integrated problem solving.  There will be ample opportunity for the students to tackle issues related to ecology, diplomacy, economics, technology, equity and innovation, depending on individual interests.  The 2010 World Development Report will serve as the primary resource text for this course, supplemented by weekly readings.