BIO 478T, GRG 476T, BIO 384K: Natural Resource Management

 

Instructor: R. H. (Dick) Richardson
Spring 2007, Writing Seminar
Meets MWF, 7:00 - 8:00 PM
http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/resource

This course is about "management" that contrasts with "research" in several ways. While understanding a system may be gained from "research" in formal ways, any particular project or business objective is unique. Research gives a general understanding of the system being managed, but lacks specific detail about any particular job at any particular time. Metaphorically, consider how you ride a bicycle. Could you maintain balance riding in a straight line if you could not move the handle bar? Could you avoid a collision if you could only guide your path by an initial plan of your route? Clearly not. Balance is a dynamic skill learned early in riding a bicycle. Changing the route details adapts to your need proceeding from point A to point B. The more unpredictable the path or nature of the surface, the more actively you change the details of your "management of the bicycle." Furthermore, you do not need to know academic physics to balance and guide the bicycle, although "knowing the physics terminology" allows you to describe the experience more easily to a technically sophisticated individual. "Management" is a human activity and is shared with other animals from birds to bees.

In this class you will learn how to scientifically manage your natural resources and also from "experience." You have been managing natural resources for all of your life. You know when to hold your breath in swimming, avoid a hot stove, open and pass through a door, and much more. As you manage a more complex "environment," you learn new skills and new ways of monitoring the results of your actions. Management is a skillful manipulation of certain variables you can access in such a way as to control the functions and results of the system. Many of the systems you manage are necessary for your survival -- driving a car, crossing the street, exploring your surroundings to enjoy your life, and much more. You did not learn many of these things in school, but by experience. Experience includes trial and error corrections and imitation of what you observe others do. In order to make this course as "practical" (generally useful in all aspects of your life) you will work in a team (learning planning and collaboration skills), on a project involving natural resources (air, water, ecosystems in space and time). You will make mistakes, which are called "learning opportunities" and require "practice" to perfect your "skill and knowledge."

Since humans are social animals, and our culture organizes the social "rules," you will work in a team composed of other students with different experiences and interests. The choice of project objectives, location and context, "rules," and timing are determined by several people other than your team, such as a land owner of the project site, an organization that sets rules and to which you agree with respect to access to the site and use of certain tools and limitations on behavior. You must seek to achieve certain objectives of this owner or supervisor, and you must collaborate in your team to achieve an effective level of teamwork. You will consider your responsibilities in the project similar to a "job" equivalent to employment after graduation. You are expected to gain specific skills needed for success, take initiative to do accomplish what is required in ways that build respect and confidence in you by your partners and others that are affected by your efforts. In formal ways, this is called "Service Learning" instead of "classroom learning." You must gain proficiency in whatever you need to know, generally by your own recognition and not by a "syllabus" or "rules" you are given. This is expected performance for "Life After Graduation." You will be a success or failure by acting responsibly. Previous experience in this class shows that rewards are high. You will demonstrate initiative to learn needed skills, work with high integrity and self reliance, show personal dedication to quality results, maintain a cooperative work ethic, show enthusiasm to learn. A good job in this class will qualify you for a recommendation that is taken seriously by potential employers, including access to graduate programs.

For more info visit: http://www.sbs.utexas.edu/resource/

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Instructor: R. H. (Dick) Richardson
Office: BioLab 114AA
Phone: 512-471-4128
E-Mail Address: d.richardson@mail.utexas.edu