IES Curriculum Overview

	Institute of Environmental Sciences

PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Service / Research / Applied

The Institute of Environmental Sciences (IES) serves the local, regional and national environmental community by its monitoring, service, and research projects. IES extends academic endeavors via applied, service-learning activities including its year-long Public Service Projects required of the M.En., and its professional internships summer workshop experiences.



Butler County Stream Monitoring

      The Butler County Stream Team is a volunteer organization that depends on community members to monitor water quality in the streams of Butler County by collecting and analyzing water samples. The Stream Team exists through the collaborative effort of Butler County resident volunteers, the Institute of Environmental Sciences at Miami University, the Butler County Storm Water District, and the Butler Soil and Water Conservation District. The goals of the Stream Team are to educate residents about stormwater runoff and its affects on stream health and to provide quality data on stream habitat conditions that meets EPA reporting standards.

Weather Station and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring
    This Miami University station has operated continuously since the late 1970s. It currently includes a Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET ) and National Dry Deposition Network (NDDN) site ( site identifier - OX-122) that monitors dry deposition and hourly weather conditions. It is also part of the National Atmospheric Deposition Programs / National Trends Network (NADP/NTN) that monitors wet deposition of major ions and nutrients (site identifier – OH-09). The station is monitored daily.



Myaamia Landscape Project

The goal of this project is to increase the capacity of the Miami Nation of Oklahoma to manage its natural and cultural resources in a sustainable manner via a long term collaboration between the Nation and IES. This collaboration will include annual environmental assessments of properties within the Tribe’s Jurisdiction Area and the development of culturally-appropriate access plans for Tribal use.



Wetland Construction and Water Quality Assessment (e.g. Beckett Ridge Restoration)

      The IES provides monthly chemical measurement of water samples and seasonal measurements of stream habitat integrity as part of a wetland restoration project headed by the Butler County Soil and Water District (and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). This project is the site of several summer workshops.



Dry-Weather Outfall Monitoring – Butler County

The CSS of IES is contracted by the Butler County Storm Water District to monitor the stormwater outfalls to Butler County Streams. This project includes visually inspecting the 400 mapped outfalls, selectively selectively sampling a third of them each year, and collecting and analyzing 400 outfalls for the Butler County Storm Water District.

U.S. E.P.A. Testing and Evaluation Center

      The IES is links academic professionals to the needs of the U.S. E.P.A. facility (operated by Shaw Environmental).

Watershed Coodinator – Twin Creek Watershed

      The Watershed Coordinator for the Twin Creek Watershed is part of the IES via the CSS. This three-year project is part of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) effort to improve the quality of watersheds in Ohio. Ms. Monica Rakovan is the Watershed Coordinator and is the person responsible for organizing watershed planning, education, and implementation for the protection and restoration of local water resources.



Public Service Projects

      Year-long professional service projects are required of each IES student as part of the professional masters degree. These team projects are supervised by IES professionals and draw on the expertise at Miami University: Some recent projects include:  

06-Flood Risk Perception and Outreach (ODNR)

06-Native Warm-Season Grass Restoration (Pheasants Forever)

06-Oxford Deer Project (City of Oxford)

06-Over the Rhine – Community Greening

07-Daylighting Crawford Creek (City of Hamilton)
07-Phase II Stormwater- Good Housekeeping (Warren County)
07-Environmental Assessments (Miami Indian Nation – OK)

07-Union County Parks Assessment (Union County, IN)



Bull Run Creek Erosion

      IES is assessing patterns and causes of erosion in the Bull Run Creek at the request of the City of Oxford. For several years residents have complained of erosion or built protective armoring along this urban stream that cuts diagonally through the city. IES is completing an environmental assessment addressing concerns of this stream.

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