RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT

ENV 711

Spring 2003

Tuesday 4:00 to 6:30

Room: WHT 006

Professor David M. Hassenzahl, PhD

Office: MPE 125

Phone 895-4457

Email: david.hassenzahl@ccmail.nevada.edu

http://www.unlv.edu/faculty/dmh/

WebCT ENV711s001Hassenzahl

Office Hours:

Tuesday and Thursday, 1:15 to 3:15

Friday 9:00 to 10:00

Or by appointment

Text:

Kammen and Hassenzahl (1999), Should We Risk It? Paperback edition (Hardback OK) Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.

Finkel, Adam (1990), A Manager’s Guide to Uncertainty. RFF out of print, available from instructor.

Two Sample Projects are available from last year: EMFs and Legionnaire's disease.

Suggested Resources

Haimes, Yacov (1999), Risk Modeling, Assessment and Management.  John Wiley and Sons, NY NY.

Vose, David (2000). Risk Analysis: A Quantitative Guide. John Wiley and Sons, NY NY.

Morgan and Henrion (1990), Uncertainty. Cambridge University Press, NY NY.

Ottoboni The Dose Makes the Poison

Course Overview:

The purpose of this course is to help students develop a “toolbox” of risk analysis and management methods, and understand the appropriate role of these methods in effective public and private decision-making. 

Note: this syllabus is subject to change.  Any changes will be given during class time and posted on the class web page.

                                             711 CLASS SCHEDULE

Date	Topic	assignments	Readings
.	.	.	.
Jan 21	Logistics Introduction to Risk Analysis How to read a paper	.	SWRI Chapter 1 Glickman and Gough paper
Jan 28	Statistics Review: Central tendencies, probabilities, distributions	PS One Distributed	SWRI Chapters 1 and 3
Feb 4	Basic Modeling: Dose and response, Stocks and Flows Class project topic brainstorm	.	SWRI Chapter 2
Feb 11	Nature and Representation of Uncertainty	.	SWRI Chapter 4 (read first part, skim Monte Carlo and Bayesian sections) Finkel Chapters
Feb 18	Discuss problem set one Health Risk Assessment: Toxicology	PS One due, PS Two distributed: Problem Set, Spreadsheet	SWRI Chapter 5, Cox reading (see website); Select project topics and groups;
Feb 25	Health Risk Assessment: Epidemiology	.	SWRI Chapter 6 and handouts
Mar 4	Discuss problems set two Exposure Assessment PowerPoint	PS Two due PS 3 distributed, Problem set, data sheet	SWRI Chapter 7
Mar 11	Technological Risk Assessment	.	SWRI Chapter 8, Perrow, Chapter 1
Mar 18	Spring Break	.	.
Mar 25	Advanced uncertainty: Bayesian Analysis; Jim OBrien visit	.	.
Apr 1	Discuss problem set three Monte Carlo Analysis lecture and practicum	Problem Set 3 and project scoping document due	SWRI pages 142-151, 241- 247, 318-326
Apr 8	Monte Carlo practicum	.	.
Apr 15	Ecological Risk Assessment	Monte Carlo Assignment Due	Readings TBA
Apr 22	Project work day	.	.
Apr 29	On-line resources	Original problems due	Visit on-line resources
May 6	Project Presentations	Class Project Executive Summaries Due	.
May 13	Final Class Meeting 6PM	.	.

                                                              CLASS POLICIES

Grading:  Your final grade will be calculated in the following manner:

• Problem Sets: 39%. 4 problems sets: 13 % for each, lowest score will be dropped. Students are welcome to work in groups, but each should submit a unique solution set, including a note about collaborators. Problem sets that are late (without prior approval) will have 25% per week deducted from their original value (i.e. after four weeks, don’t bother).

• Original problems: 10 %. These should be based on credible data, and should follow the SWRI format (i.e. problem statement, necessary data, solution). These should be turned in electronically. Each student must turn in an original problem and solution. The best sources of possible problems are journals such as Risk Analysis and Risk: Health, Safety and Environment. You are strongly encouraged, however, to ask each other to review and evaluate (and check math) along the way! You should begin looking for potential problems early in the semester.
• Class projects: 30%. The class will divide into groups of three or four to create original risk analyses. For grading, each student will need to submit a brief individual report describing his or her role in the project. A form will be available at the class website. Details are provided separately.
• Participation: 20%. Class discussions are an essential part of this course. As such, all students are expected to have read all relevant materials before class and be prepared to provide useful input and ask useful questions.
• A note on attendance. While you will not be specifically graded on attendance, absence undermines your ability to contribute and participate. Credit for completing the course cannot be given to any student who misses more than three classes.

A = 100 - 92%, A- = 91 - 90%, B+ = 88 - 89%, B = 87 - 82%, B- = 81 - 80%, C+ = 78 - 79%, C = 77 - 70%, C- = 69%, D+ = 68%, D = 67 - 60%, F = less than 60%

Learning Enhancement Services (LES) houses Disability Services, Tutoring Services and Learning Strategies. If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need contact LES for coordination in academic accommodations.  LES is located in the Reynolds Student Services Building, Suite137.  The phone number is 895-0866 (TDD-895-0652). You may also visit the website at http://www.unlv.edu/studentlife/les.

Copyright and fair use requirements

The university requires each member of the University Community to become familiar with and follow copyright and fair use requirements.  You are individually and solely responsible for violations of copyright and fair use laws.  The University will neither protect nor defend you nor assume any responsibility for employee or student violations of copyright or fair use laws.  Violations of copyright laws could subject you to federal and state civil penalties and criminal liabilities as well as disciplinary action under University policies.  To help familiarize yourself with copyright and fair use policies, the University encourages you to visit its copyright web page at: http://www.unlv.edu/committees/copyright