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Drivers of Global Change


EFI
Enrollment in this course is by invitation only

About This Course

Developed by the Environic Foundation International, SSJRB examines Virginia’s James River basin, an ideal geographic region to study American social, economic and environmental sustainability because the basin transects the a coastal state from sparsely populated, wooded mountain areas, through agricultural lands in the center to more densely-populated, industrialized, urban areas and an extensive coastal tidewater area.

Sustainable Societies James River Basin explores the most critical social, economic and environmental sustainability challenges in the region and examines strategies to address these challenges and the opportunities such challenges create. The issues are viewed in global context using EFI’s internationally peer-reviewed methodology. Students develop the ability to apply their new knowledge to better serve their careers and their communities.

Regardless of your degree track, during the Sustainable Societies-James River BasinTM (SS-JRB) course you will learn to see your future and the region in which you live, differently. This course will expose you to many different opportunities to use your interests, talents, and abilities, as well as what you are learning in your academic field of study, to do something that interests you and can make a real, positive difference in your community. It may even lead to a rewarding career. Sustainable Societies James River Basin uses a learner-centered approach and a combination of face-to-face and online delivery.

Requirements

No pre-requisites for this course.

Course Staff

Course Staff Image #1

Dr. Brian Toibin

Dr. Toibin has recently obtained his PhD in the Public Policy and Administration program at the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Toibin holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and Education from James Madison University and a Master’s in Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina. His current research focuses on the cross-ideological political coalitions that are forming to promote solar energy adoption in different political venues. This subject highlights how information, education, economics and public policy must correctly intersect in order to bring particular sustainability issues forward on the public policy agenda. This type of public policy research is applicable to many of the sustainability issues that the this course strives to address.

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