Course Description
CDS DS 795: Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health: From Research to Policy prepares graduate students to address urban environmental challenges through hands-on training in a semester-long internship with the government, non-governmental organization (NGO), and/or the private sector, to learn how cities are tackling environmental challenges, including but not limited to mitigation and adaptation to climate change, protecting vulnerable populations from environmental stressors, and forming or adopting relevant policies and strategies.
Download Syllabus
How to Register for the Course
If you are a GRS student:
- In MyBU, register for CDS DS 795: Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health: From Research to Policy. Unless otherwise instructed, sign up for 2 course credits if you are devoting 6-11 hours/week to your internship, or sign up for 4 course credits if you are devoting 12 or more hours/week. (If your internship is more than 12 hours/week but for fewer than 6 weeks, consult with the instructor.)
- Students can sign up for CDS DS 796 if they want to take the course for 0 credits (typically for financial reasons). Students needing CPT (Curricular Practical Training) for their internship should take the course for credit (and should not sign up for DS 796).
If you are an SPH student:
- If you are in the first two years of your PhD, register for CDS DS 795: Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health: From Research to Policy. Unless instructed otherwise, sign up for 2 course credits if you are devoting 6-11 hours/week to your internship, or sign up for 4 course credits if you are devoting 12 or more hours/week.
- If you are in the third year or later of your PhD, you will take the internship course as an independent study for 1 credit. Please complete the form linked here and email it to Jon Levy (jonlevy@bu.edu), Kevin Lane (klane@bu.edu), and the URBAN Program Manager (urban@bu.edu). You do not have to fill out the Project Proposal section.
If you are unable to register for the course directly, contact your departmental administrator.
Course Materials
Please note that sessions are subject to change, and you will be notified of any changes made.
Session 1: Course Introduction
- Review syllabus and course expectations
- Share internship and course goals
- Networks and informational interviews
Assignment(s) for next class:
- Complete pre-internship assessment.
- Read one or more of the papers below and be prepared to discuss:
-
- Egerer, M., et al. (2021). “Urban change as an untapped opportunity for climate adaptation.” Nature Partner Journals, 1(22). pdf
- Harman, B.P., et al. (2015). “Urban partnerships and climate adaptation: challenges and opportunities.” Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 12: 74-79. pdf
- Ramaswami, A., et al. (2016). “Meta-principles for developing smart, sustainable, and healthy cities.” Science, 352(6288), 940-943. pdf
- Templer, P., et al. (2024). “Strengthening graduate education and addressing environmental challenges through solutions-oriented partnerships and interdisciplinary training.” Sustainable Earth Reviews, 7(3). pdf
Session 2: Big Picture - Tackling Urban Environmental Challenges
- How do public-private partnerships contribute to sustainable and healthy cities?
- How can you engage relevant community members and stakeholders in your work?
Assignment(s) for next class:
Read at least 2 policy briefs and/or white papers. Resources are shared below, but please feel free to find examples relevant to your own research to read instead.
Policy Brief Resources
White Paper Resources
- White Papers Overview from the Writing Center at George Mason University
- “Eight lessons on how to influence policy with evidence” Brief Summary
- “Using Evidence to Influence Policy: Oxfam’s Experience,” Nature, 2018. Full Article on which the summary above is based
- Smith, I., et al. (2022). “On the use of ‘cool roofs’ to reduce residential heat exposure disparities in Boston, MA.” pdf
- Smith, I., et al. (2023). “Urban green space and albedo impacts on surface temperature across seven United States cities.” Science of the Total Environment, 8(3), 1-12. link to pdf (Full article on which the white paper above is based)
Session 3: Policy Briefs and White Papers
- Discuss purpose and structure of policy briefs
- Compare white papers and policy briefs
Assignment(s) for next class:
- Find an example of a policy brief or white paper that is relevant to your field (or internship); and email a copy/link to the groupat least two full days before next meeting
- Skim over the policy briefs/white papers shared by your colleagues – for each one, imagine you are a legislative staffer: if something piques your interest, read more; otherwise, take 2-minutes per brief/paper
Session 4: Policy Briefs and White Papers Follow-Up
- Evaluate the policy briefs and white papers that were shared (your own included)
- What could you achieve with a policy brief or white paper based on your own work?
Assignment(s) for next class:
Start drafting an outline of “Problem, Action, Impact” for the Internship Write-Up and Lightning Talk (neither assignment is due next class, just start crafting the message that represents the work of your internship)
Session 5: Internship Impacts
- Communicating the work of your internship
- Internship Write-Up Assignment
- Lightning Talk Overview
Assignment(s) for next class:
- Complete an Internship Write-Up and email it to urban@bu.edu before the next class session.
- Complete your slides for the Stakeholder Presentation/lightning talk and practice (tips for lightning talks). We will be presenting (and recording) the talks next session. The recording of your talk will ultimately be public – posted on the URBAN website and our YouTube channel. Plan accordingly. If there are things you can’t share publicly yet, aim for something higher-level that still explains the problem and the general outline of what you worked on. If you’d like feedback on the slides, please email them to urban@bu.edu prior the next class session.
Session 6: Stakeholder Presentations
Assignment(s) left to complete:
- Complete the Post-Internship Assessment (if internship work is completed; if not, please complete within one week of completing your internship)
- Please complete the Course Evaluation Form (below)
- If you want to re-do and re-record your presentation, please send the updated recording to urban@bu.edu as soon as possible