I have just completed a MOOC (massive open online course) at
the University of California at San Diego entitled “Our Energy Future.” It was a 10-week course of video lectures,
quizzes, exams and homework assignments.
The idea behind the course was to teach the student about all aspects of
energy – sources and uses, fuel types, politics, economics, social issues and
climate change. It was an excellent
overview of energy and how it impacts our lives today and into the future. I would encourage any of you reading this to
tell your friends and let UCSD know to replay the MOOC – it is that informative. The video lectures varied in length from 15
to 20 minutes, with 8 or so per week with the intention of informing the
student about people’s impacts on energy use without the scientific mumbo jumbo. There was the right amount of technical,
economic, chemical, physics, engineering, politics, etc., for specialists in
those fields, but wanted to learn more about the interconnections of other
disciplines.
While the course clearly fell on the side of reducing carbon
emissions, it did so with the knowledge that the US is endowed with resources
that made this country what it is. Here
was the schedule by week:
Week 1 – Introduction to Energy
Week 2 – Physical Energy Sources 1 – wind, nuclear power
Week 3 – Physical Energy Sources 2 – photovoltaic, smart
grid, electric cars
Week 4 – Introduction to Biological Energy Sources and Plant
Biofuel
Week 5 – Algae Biofuel
Week 6 – Biofuel Production and Downstream Processing 1 –
biodiesel chemistry
Week 7 – Biofuel Production and Downstream Processing 2 -
biofuel
Week 8 – Social Issues, Economics, and Politics 1 –
economics of energy, etc.
Week 9 – Social Issues, Economics, and Politics 2 –
lifecycle assessment, etc.
Week 10 – Climate Change
There were LIVE Thursday or Friday office hours (1 hour)
hosted by Dr. Stephen Mayfield, director of the program. Students could ask questions on-line. The students would then rank the questions and
Dr. Mayfield and his guest would answer the highest ranked questions over the hour.
The first homework assignment was to measure your carbon
footprint with a calculator – click here => carbon footprint
calculator. There was a peer review
and the ability to see students from around the world and see how you
compare. It was very much an
eye-opener.
Please take the time to calculate your carbon footprint and see where it might take you.
