Course Description
This course focuses on applying reproducible data analysis workflows to real-world natural resource decision-making. Students work with authentic datasets from forestry, wildlife, fisheries, hydrology, and human dimensions to produce management-ready analyses and automated reports using R and Quarto.
Athena Title
Applied Data Nat Res Decisions
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in FANR 5050, FANR 7050
Non-Traditional Format
This course will be taught 95% or more online.
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
- By the end of the course, students will be able to apply reproducible R workflows to support natural resource management decisions.
- By the end of the course, students will be able to import, clean, document, and integrate diverse environmental and ecological datasets.
- By the end of the course, students will be able to create clear, decision-oriented visualizations and summaries.
- By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze specialized data types including survey, temporal, and camera-trap data.
- By the end of the course, students will be able to evaluate data quality, uncertainty, bias, and limitations relevant to management contexts.
- By the end of the course, students will be able to communicate results effectively through reproducible, automated reports for technical and non-technical audiences.
Topical Outline
- Reproducible workflows and data management principles
- Importing, cleaning, and integrating environmental and ecological data
- Data visualization and exploratory analysis for management contexts
- Analysis of specialized data types (survey data, temporal data, sensor and imagery-derived data)
- Working with large, multi-source, and externally maintained datasets
- Evaluating data quality, uncertainty, bias, and limitations
- Automation and reproducible reporting for analytical communication
- Appropriate use of artificial intelligence in environmental data analysis
- Translating analytical results into management-relevant insights
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
