Course Description

With the sea to the west, coral reefs to the south, waterfalls in the north and a freshwater system throughout, Israel's environment is deeply affected by issues of water use and conservation. Water supply, marine conservation, river rehabilitation and coastal management are only some of the water-related issues that have huge implications for the country's already fragile environment. Moreover, water in the Middle East is no longer just an environmental concern but also a fraught political issue, as allocation of water resources and wastewater treatment develop into additional sources of conflict between Israel and its neighboring countries.

The Porter School's summer course in Environmental Studies offers 6 academic credits to participating students. Three weeks of classes and field trips to the Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Galilee, Dead Sea, Ein Gedi and the Red Sea in Eilat will give participants a thorough introduction to the state of Israel's environment with an emphasis on its freshwater and marine water systems. The course will be interdisciplinary in nature, taking students through the various elements (including, amongst others, ecological, ethical, political, and legal) that form the backdrop to environmental tensions in the region.

The Israel Summer Course is organized by the Porter School of Environmental Studies (PSES) at Tel Aviv University together with the Overseas Program at TAU. PSES is Israel's only interdisciplinary environmental graduate school, running masters, doctoral and post-doctoral programs aimed at advancing excellence in environmental teaching and research through the diversity of disciplines that impact on the environment.

Amongst the classes being offered are:

• Environment and Health
• The Climate Crisis and the Middle East: a view from the social sciences
• Plants, Water and Salt
• Geographic Information Systems and their Applications in Environmental Management
• Wastewater Engineering: Characteristics, treatment, reuse and concerns
• The Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee: Geology and Global Climate Change
• Water Contamination in Israel
• Water Law Around the World and in Israel
• Energy for a Sustainable Future
• The Tragedy of the Commons: A View on Water
• The Northern Red Sea Reefs: An ecosystem at the edge of global coral distribution
• Point Source Pollution: Effects on the Mediterranean stream ecosystem

Pre-requisites: Students pursuing an undergraduate degree who have completed at least an introductory course in environmental studies are welcome to apply. Credit will be given through the Tel Aviv University Overseas Program.

*Please note the tentative program schedule is subject to change.