SCI 93 — A View from Space: How Satellites Reveal a Changing Earth
Quarter: Winter
Instructor(s): Amber Liang
Date(s): Jan 21—Feb 25
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Thursdays
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:30 pm (PT)
Tuition: $380
Refund Deadline: Jan 23
Unit(s): 0
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Winter
Day: Thursdays
Duration: 6 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:30 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jan 21—Feb 25
Unit(s): 0
Tuition: $380
Refund Deadline: Jan 23
Instructor(s): Amber Liang
Grade Restriction: NGR only; no credit/letter grade
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Nov 30, 8:30 am (PT)
From the iconic Blue Marble photograph captured by Apollo 17 in 1972 to today's network of Earth-observing satellites, remote sensing has transformed how we see our planet. Satellites track wildfires and drought, measure glacier loss, and map cities and crops, revealing environmental shifts across nearly every corner of the globe.
This introductory course explores how satellites "see" the Earth and what different sensors measure, teaching students to interpret satellite images as tools for understanding environmental change. Through hands-on labs, we'll follow case studies—from post-wildfire forest recovery to decades of glacier retreat—drawing on examples from conservation, agriculture, and land use. Students will work directly with NASA's free, open-access data to visualize change themselves and learn how artificial intelligence helps scientists detect patterns like deforestation or urban sprawl across vast amounts of satellite imagery. You'll come to see satellite images not just as pictures from space but as evidence for understanding and responding to a planet in flux.
This introductory course explores how satellites "see" the Earth and what different sensors measure, teaching students to interpret satellite images as tools for understanding environmental change. Through hands-on labs, we'll follow case studies—from post-wildfire forest recovery to decades of glacier retreat—drawing on examples from conservation, agriculture, and land use. Students will work directly with NASA's free, open-access data to visualize change themselves and learn how artificial intelligence helps scientists detect patterns like deforestation or urban sprawl across vast amounts of satellite imagery. You'll come to see satellite images not just as pictures from space but as evidence for understanding and responding to a planet in flux.
No prior background in mathematics, coding, or remote sensing is required. The course is designed as an accessible introduction for students from all backgrounds.