318 ((new)): Sdde
University‑Level Course Overview & Study Guide
In a world where climate extremes are the new normal, engineers who can fuse sustainability with disaster resilience will shape the built environment of tomorrow.
Human societies are increasingly exposed to climate‑driven hazards—floods, wildfires, landslides, and storms—while simultaneously striving to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). equips engineers with the interdisciplinary tools to design, assess, and manage infrastructure that both reduces disaster risk and advances sustainability . sdde 318
| Item | Details | |------|---------| | | SDDE 318 | | Title | Sustainable Development & Disaster Engineering | | Credits | 3 (lecture) + 1 (lab) | | Prerequisites | SDDE 101 (Introduction to Sustainable Development) or equivalent; basic calculus & physics | | Delivery Mode | Hybrid (twice‑weekly lectures + weekly hands‑on lab) | | Instructor | Prof. Maya K. Alvarez, Ph.D. (Center for Resilient Infrastructure) | | Term | Fall 2026 (Sept 4 – Dec 16) | | Location | Building C, Room 214 (lecture) / Engineering Lab 5 (lab) | | Contact | email: mkalvarez@univ.edu • office hrs: Tue 2–4 pm, Wed 10–11 am |
“Resilience is not just about surviving a shock; it’s about thriving afterwards.” – Prof. Alvarez University‑Level Course Overview & Study Guide In a
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
Once I have a better understanding of your needs, I'll do my best to assist you with your paper! | Item | Details | |------|---------| | |
| Week | Theme | Core Topics | Deliverables | |------|-------|-------------|--------------| | 1 | | Overview of SDGs & DRR; introduction to the risk triangle (hazard‑exposure‑vulnerability) | Syllabus quiz | | 2 | Hazard Identification | Climate extremes, seismicity, geotechnical hazards; data sources (USGS, NOAA, Copernicus) | Data‑sourcing worksheet | | 3 | Vulnerability Modelling | Social‑economic indicators, structural fragility curves, community resilience metrics | Mini‑report (1 page) | | 4 | Risk Quantification | Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), Monte‑Carlo simulation, risk maps | Lab 1: GIS‑based risk map | | 5 | Sustainable Design Principles | Circular economy, low‑carbon materials, ecosystem services | Discussion board post | | 6 | Nature‑Based Solutions (NBS) | Wetland restoration, mangrove buffers, urban greening | Lab 2: NBS design sketch | | 7 | Infrastructure Resilience | Performance‑based design, redundancy, modular construction | Guest lecture (municipal planner) | | 8 | Midterm Review & Exam | Integrated case analysis | Midterm Exam | | 9 | Life‑Cycle Assessment (LCA) | Goal‑definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, interpretation | Lab 3: LCA of a storm‑water system | | 10 | Economic Evaluation | Cost‑Benefit Analysis (CBA), discounting, multi‑criteria decision analysis (MCDA) | Assignment: CBA of a flood barrier | | 11 | Policy & Governance | International frameworks (Sendai, Paris Accord), local ordinances, stakeholder engagement | Policy brief (2 pages) | | 12 | Emerging Tech | Remote sensing, AI‑driven hazard forecasting, smart‑grid resilience | Demo: AI‑based flood prediction | | 13 | Integrated Design Project (IDP) Workshop | Group work: select a vulnerable community, develop a sustainable, resilient solution | Project proposal due | | 14 | Project Presentations | Oral presentation + poster session | Final Project (report + presentation) | | 15 | Course Wrap‑up | Lessons learned, future research directions, career pathways | Reflection essay |