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Dear Geography Students: Please note the fall 2013 course offering in Political Science below. Best wishes, DA From: Scheb, John M Sent: Wednesday, June 19, 2013 9:04 AM To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> Cc: Shefner, Jon D; Alderman, Derek; Hysjulien, Liam Vangsnes; Dahlin-Brown, Nissa Subject: Political Science offering class on community sustainability this fall! The project Dr. Ezzell describes in his email below will be the centerpiece of his "Special Topics" class (POLS 410) being offered this fall on Tuesday mornings. The class will focus on community sustainability. It should be a good class not only for students of political science and public administration, but for geography and sociology students as well. From: Ezzell, Timothy Sent: Thursday, June 13, 2013 1:48 PM To: Scheb, John M Subject: Fall Class Project Below is a description of this year's ATP class project. Ducktown Tennessee, population 427, is a small city located in the Copper Basin in Southeast Tennessee. The community lies within an ARC designated distressed area in Polk County, a county classified as at risk by the agency. Like all Copper Basin communities, Ducktown carries a legacy of environmental devastation and remediation. It is also a town in the midst of economic change as it transitions from an extractive resource based economy to one focused on tourism and small business development. Despite its small size and rural nature, Ducktown has, in recent years, garnered a reputation as an innovative and progressive community. The community has developed one of the most ambitious municipal solar programs in Tennessee and has assumed a leadership role in the state's rural development community. For this reason, it is an ideal location to assess the potential, impact of new and emerging technologies on rural communities. The 2013-2014 University of Tennessee ATP project will examine the potential economic impact and social consequences of new and emerging technologies on small rural communities. Using Ducktown as a case study, the class will examine policies and development strategies based on several new technologies, including the following: * Renewable energy - Ducktown's experience working with solar technologies make it a strong candidate for renewable energy development. Students will examine strategies to leverage solar investments and grow local renewable energy opportunities. * Alternative fuel vehicles - Students will investigate the impact of EV adoption on rural communities and examine the potential for fuel-cell vehicles and other alternative fuel technologies in small Appalachian towns. * 3D printing - Many researchers view 3D printing as the "next" industrial revolution, with the potential to allow for small-scale manufacturing in remote and rural areas. Students will assess the potential for 3D printing technologies by evaluating possible applications in Ducktown. As part of the assessment process, students will examine a wide range of issues and policy topics, including workforce development, infrastructure, local perceptions, and local capacity. Tim Ezzell, Ph.D. Research Scientist Howard H. Baker Jr. Center for Public Policy University of Tennessee (865) 974-9036 (865) 974-1838 Fax -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- To review the archives of CLUBGGY or Join/Leave the list go to: http://listserv.utk.edu/archives/clubggy.html