Instructional Environmental Science Computer Lab

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The Romberg Tiburon Center for Environment Studies (RTC) is a rapidly growing off-campus teaching and research center of San Francisco State University. Undergraduate presence at the center is increasing due to greater interest from faculty, and improved curriculum and teaching facilities, both at RTC and on the main campus 35 minutes away. While RTC has much state-of-the-art research equipment, the center lacked an appropriate computer technology component needed to implement both traditional and newly available environmental science curricula. In order to correct this problem, our project develops and supports an up-to-date Instructional Environmental Science Computer Lab, and creates new curricula that makes use of the Lab. New curricula being implemented includes ecological and environmental modeling and analysis modules employing Structural Thinking, Experiential Learning Laboratory with Animation (STELLA), MATLab, and SYSTAT statistics software plus the ERDAS Imagine image-processing system. Combined with current RTC equipment this support provides RTC with a modern computer lab with 123 computers plus essential peripherals. The project is adapted from elements of STELLA software and from the problem-solving text, "Consider a Spherical Cow" by John Harte.