Program Overview

Program Overview

The university program "地球規模課題と国際社会: 環境汚染と健康影響" (Global Issues and International Society: Environmental Pollution and Health Effects) is a 1.0-unit course offered to students from 1 to 5 years. The course is taught by Prof. Shinji Shinka and Prof. Yoshito Kumagai.

Course Description

The course aims to understand the challenges faced by international society, particularly in relation to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It focuses on Goal 3, which relates to environmental pollution and health effects. The course covers various topics, including international pollution issues, nanotechnology, endocrine disruptors, and environmental pollutants.

Course Objectives

The course objectives are to:

• Recognize the challenges faced by international society in relation to environmental pollution and health effects
• Understand the SDGs and their relevance to environmental and health issues
• Develop the ability to discuss and analyze environmental and health issues from a scientific perspective

Course Outline

The course consists of 10 lectures, covering topics such as:

• Introduction to environmental pollution and health effects
• Nanotoxicology
• Groundwater arsenic pollution and its health effects
• International regulation of ozone-depleting substances and their health effects
• Cadmium pollution in food and its health risks
• Methylmercury and its health effects
• Nuclear receptor-mediated effects of chemicals
• Environmental chemicals and biological responses
• Animal models for chemical exposure and neurotoxicity
• Lifetime exposure (exposome) and epidemiological research

Course Format

The course is taught in English, with a combination of lectures, discussions, and online materials.

Evaluation Method

The course evaluation is based on:

• Attendance and participation (40%)
• Quality of assignments and reports (30%)
• Final exam (30%)

Prerequisites

Students are expected to have a strong interest in environmental pollution and health effects, as well as a high motivation to learn and discuss social issues.

Recommended Courses

The course is part of the "地球規模課題と国際社会" (Global Issues and International Society) series, and students are recommended to take other courses in the series to gain a deeper understanding of the topics.

Teaching Fellow/Teaching Assistant

No information is available on the teaching fellow or teaching assistant for this course.

Additional Information

The course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of environmental pollution and health effects, as well as the skills to analyze and discuss these issues from a scientific perspective. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions and complete assignments and reports to demonstrate their understanding of the course materials.