GSVS 4559

I don't think I would have enjoyed this class if it wasn't taught by Dr. Phillips. Dr. Phillips is kind and friendly, and he doesn't have this distance about him that some other professors have. The course focused on ecosystem services, or how nature performs functions (ex: storm water management, soil waste cycling, air purification, etc.) that are very costly to replace, or even impossible to replicate given how soil or a tree, etc. can perform various functions simultaneously or at specific times of the year. Given how one aspect of nature can perform so many functions, it was challenging to complete an assignment that asked us to not only enumerate those functions in Excel but also apply a dollar value to them. The economics/Excel side of our assignments seemed beyond my grasp but the work was group-work so having partners to go back and forth with helped. Dr. Phillips is also truly willing to help you during office hours, just don't wait until the last minute. He doesn't make you feel like a bother for going in and needing help. Homework is assigned syllabus readings (studies discussing ecosystem services) and group work on a project doing an ecosystem system analysis for a particular area. The readings are a tad dry and ecosystem services prove how our economic system is untenable, so the reason I wouldn't have enjoyed this class if it weren't for how pleasant Dr. Phillips is is because it's surreal to simultaneously see the obvious conclusion and yet many of your classmates aren't even ready to think critically about the c word (our economic system).