Achievement

During Spring 2012, most Trainees enrolled in Principles of Biogeochemistry, the first of three required courses for Trainees. The other two courses, in Observational Methods and Quantitative Methods, will be offered in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013, respectively, following their development during year 1 of the IGERT award. In Principles of Biogeochemistry, students from disciplines spanning microbiology to engineering to ecology to earth science together studied core biogeochemical principles of stoichiometry and mass balance through lecture, discussion, problem sets and exams. Their work culminated in an interdisciplinary course project focused on earth’s methane budget. Depending on their interests and expertise, individual students compiled information on methane sources from termites to sewage and from rice paddies to deep sea methane hydrates. Together, they produced a new synthesis of earth’s methane budget, and worked together to improve understanding of the broader system.