MOOC COURSE: Our Global FEWture: Cultivating Food-Energy-Water Solutions

Access the course here.

At a glance

• Sustainable Solutions: Bioenergy, aquaponics, food forests, rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment and reuse, drip irrigation, AI and satellite monitoring 
• Global Perpectives: from USA, East Africa, the Middle East and South Asia
• Available via: Coursera 
• Offered by: The University of Maryland, College Park
• Course Instructor: Heidi Scott

Course content

This course focuses on the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) nexus as an example of integrated systems thinking in science that can resolve resource gaps and help communities plan for the future. Through a series of four modules, learners will view lectures on the nexus approach, the challenges of climate change to FEW resources, specific challenges and programs from four global locations, and a survey of diverse technologies and solutions that are essential to providing enough food, energy, and water for current and future generations. 

Learners will complete short multiple choice content quizzes, and short answer reflective essays on the topics, all with an aim to educate and empower learners to pursue FEW nexus solutions in their own communities.

• Module 1: Exploring the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus 
• Module 2: Climate change impacts on FEW systems and human health
• Module 3: Global perspectives on the FEW Nexus: Site-Specific Insights
• Module 4: FEW systems solutions and technologies

This course if offered by The University of Maryland, College Park - the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,700 students, 14,000 faculty and staff, and nearly 400,000 alumni. The university’s faculty includes two Nobel laureates, 10 Pulitzer Prize winners, 69 members of the national academies and scores of Fulbright scholars. Located just outside Washington, D.C., the University of Maryland is committed to social entrepreneurship as the nation’s first “Do Good” campus, and discovers and shares new knowledge every day through research and programs in academics, the arts, and athletics.