James E. Saiers
Professor of Hydrology
Teaching Statement
Overview
Hydrology is the study of the processes that control the circulation of water and waterborne chemicals between the land, atmosphere, and oceans. My teaching focuses on theoretical and applied aspects of hydrology and is designed to provide students with knowledge required to address key water-quality and water-supply issues that face today’s research scientists and environmental professionals. When taken collectively, my courses cover elements of physical and chemical hydrology and emphasize connections between hydrology and other disciplines, including microbial ecology, atmospheric science, aquatic chemistry, and atmospheric science. I have taught or co-taught five different courses while at Yale, with Environmental Hydrology and Hydrologic Modeling serving as my principal lecture-based courses.
Environmental Hydrology (F&ES 540)
Environmental Hydrology provides an introductory-level treatment of surface-water and groundwater hydrology and explores anthropogenic effects on the earth’s hydrologic cycle. During the past five years, this offering has evolved from a traditional hydrology course, typical of those taught in engineering departments that focus almost exclusively on theory, to one in which description of hydrologic theories and application of these theories are given equal attention.
Hydrologic Modeling (F&ES 541)
Mathematical models play a central role in hydrologic research by providing a means to test proposed theories, and they are indispensable to applied problems that involve predicting the effects of human-induced perturbations on hydrologic functioning. In Hydrologic Modeling, students use mathematical models to examine problems related to the flow of water and the transport of chemicals (e.g., contaminants, nutrients) in subsurface and surface environments. All aspects of the modeling process are covered, including model selection, design, and execution and critical evaluation of model output. During the course, students gain exposure to mathematical models used by governmental agencies and environmental consulting firms, as well as state-of-the-art models used in research that account for coupled hydrologic, geochemical, and microbiological processes.
Hydrology is the study of the processes that control the circulation of water and waterborne chemicals between the land, atmosphere, and oceans. My teaching focuses on theoretical and applied aspects of hydrology and is designed to provide students with knowledge required to address key water-quality and water-supply issues that face today’s research scientists and environmental professionals. When taken collectively, my courses cover elements of physical and chemical hydrology and emphasize connections between hydrology and other disciplines, including microbial ecology, atmospheric science, aquatic chemistry, and atmospheric science. I have taught or co-taught five different courses while at Yale, with Environmental Hydrology and Hydrologic Modeling serving as my principal lecture-based courses.
Environmental Hydrology (F&ES 540)
Environmental Hydrology provides an introductory-level treatment of surface-water and groundwater hydrology and explores anthropogenic effects on the earth’s hydrologic cycle. During the past five years, this offering has evolved from a traditional hydrology course, typical of those taught in engineering departments that focus almost exclusively on theory, to one in which description of hydrologic theories and application of these theories are given equal attention.
Hydrologic Modeling (F&ES 541)
Mathematical models play a central role in hydrologic research by providing a means to test proposed theories, and they are indispensable to applied problems that involve predicting the effects of human-induced perturbations on hydrologic functioning. In Hydrologic Modeling, students use mathematical models to examine problems related to the flow of water and the transport of chemicals (e.g., contaminants, nutrients) in subsurface and surface environments. All aspects of the modeling process are covered, including model selection, design, and execution and critical evaluation of model output. During the course, students gain exposure to mathematical models used by governmental agencies and environmental consulting firms, as well as state-of-the-art models used in research that account for coupled hydrologic, geochemical, and microbiological processes.
