Sustainability in Academics at OIT
Oregon Tech faculty
encourages environmentally responsible citizenship by incorporating
sustainability concepts into regular coursework across all disciplines
while programs such as Manufacturing, Civil and Renewable Energy
Engineering, Environmental Sciences, and Business Management address
sustainable practices directly. Many courses are offered at OIT
that focus specifically on different sustainability issues.
Students work with faculty in the Oregon Renewable Energy laboratory  |
In
2005, Oregon Tech furthered its commitment to sustainable power by
introducing the first Bachelor of Science in Renewable
Energy Systems in North America (now known as Renewable Energy
Engineering or REE). Oregon Tech's renewable energy program
establishes the engineering principles graduates will need to develop,
promote, and implement sustainable energy technologies.
Sustainability
is incorporated into many aspects of the Civil Engineering Program at
OIT. Students are exposed to new alternatives in
infrastructure design such as pervious pavements,
efficient and recycled/recyclable steel structures, wastewater
treatment innovations, and low-impact foundation technology.
Students learn the details of the LEED for New Construction design
criteria as well as integrated design procedures in project planning
that emphasize collaborative engagement. Students apply this
knowledge in their senior design project where sustainability is
emphasized in planning and engineering a commercial or
residential development project.
Inside the tower of a wind turbine at the Horizon Wind Energy Farm  |
The
hands-on Environmental Sciences program at Oregon Tech integrates field and
laboratory work into the curriculum. Graduates are highly skilled in the
methodology and practice of environmental assessment and have been
actively recruited by a diverse group of firms and government agencies.
The Oregon Tech Environmental Sciences degree offers an interdisciplinary
Sustainable Technologies emphasis offering courses on life cycle
analysis, renewable energy, biofuels, ocean renewable energy, green
house gas emissions inventories, and fuel cells.
Renewable Energy Engineering students work on a solar concentrator  |
Oregon Tech offers numerous courses related to sustainability. The following are just a sample:
Renewable Energy Engineering:
- REE 201 Introduction to Renewable Energy
- CHE 260 Electrochemistry for Renewable Energy Applications
- REE 331 Fuel Cells
- REE 463 Energy Systems Instrumentation and Control
- REE 412 Photovoltaic Systems
- REE 439 Energy Systems Management & Auditing
- REE 455 Energy-Efficient Building Design
- REE 407 Green House Gas Emissions Accounting
Civil Engineering:
- CIV 315 Principles of Environmental Engineering
- CIV 371 Introduction to Transportation Engineering
- CIV 362 Hydrology and Surface Water Management
Environmental Sciences:
- BIO 111 Introduction to Environmental Sciences
- BIO 225 Riparian Assessment Methods
- CHE 231 & 232 Streamwater Chemistry & Sampling
- BIO 485 Klamath Bioregional Studies
- CHE 315 Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
- BUS 415 Environmental Regulation
- CHE 465 Fate and Transport of Pollutants
Manufacturing Engineering:
- MET 160 Materials I (Life Cycle Analysis)
- MET 360 Materials II (Life Cycle Analysis)
Social Sciences:
- ANTH 335 The Built Environment
- HIS 356 A History Of Energy