333 ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION The broad field of environmental science and engineering is truly interdisciplinary in nature and any discussion of environmental education must address the many facets and levels of this topic. Is the effort to increase understanding and respect for one’s surroundings? This might well begin in the primary school and extend to the post secondary level. Is the intent to produce a practicing professional in one or more of the fields which comprise environmental science and engineering? This involves undergraduate and, possibly, graduate work. The discussion presented here will deal with practicioners. Practicioners will mean scientists, engineers, managers, planners, policy makers, environmental lawyers, etc. ‘Etc.’ is used because almost every human action will affect the environment and it is not possible to restrict the disciplines. The fundamental breakdown of environmental effort might be public health, conservation and resource management but even this classification is too simplistic. The education must be quite broad. It has been said that a technician knows everything about the job except its place in the universe. One cannot be certain that the first position after graduation will last until retirement. A broad back- ground gives greater flexibility. Although a topic may be ‘hot’ (newsworthy) at the moment, one may be certain that equally serious and sensational problems will arise during the working life of the student. While concentration can be in one or more of many areas, an environmental scientist or engineer must have more than superficial knowledge of physics, chemistry, biology and microbiology. (Odum defines ecology as ‘environmental biology’). Meteorology, oceanography, geology, geography and hydraulics will be important as will be fundamentals of non-ideological eco- nomics. Mathematics should be carried to a fairly high level, particularly statistics. Knowledge of local, national and international statutes and regulations will be applied constantly. An awareness of politics will be very important. Public health practice and the fundamentals of conserva- tion should be studied. Computer literacy will be necessary. It is very important that written and oral communications skills be developed. The world is becoming ever smaller and competence in one or more foreign languages will be valuable. In addition to the scientific and cultural subjects just mentioned, an engineering student will study the spe- cialized parts of that particular field of applied science. One is, in essence, becoming a well-rounded person in a broad discipline. It will be concluded that there is simply too much material to compress into a four-year course of study. This is correct and graduate study will be necessary in the majority of cases. The preceding brief discussion is meant as an introduc- tion to the reader of the many disciplines which might well be involved in education leading to careers in environmental science or environmental engineering. One final observation should be offered. When entering upon one’s post secondary education there will be pressure pushing the student toward currently fashionable fields. Such a course should be resisted. One can expect to work on the order of forty years after the terminal degree and it is wise to follow a field in which one has developed an interest and can expect to be satisfied. REFERENCES Nicholas Murray Butler, Introduction to “ Engineers and Engineering in the Renaissance” . W. B. Parsons. Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 1939. Eugene B. Golub, Environmental Education. Encylopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering. Second Edition. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1983. Eugene B. Golub, Environmental Education. Encyclopedia of Environmen- tal Science and Engineering. Third Edition. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1992. P. H. Jones, Environmental Education. Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering. First Edition. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1976. J. R. Pfafflin, P. Baham and F. S. Gill, Dictionary of Environmental Science and Engineering. Gordon and Breach Publishers, Reading, 1996. Andrew Porteous, Dictionary of Environmental Science and Technology. Revised Edition. John Wiley and Sons Ltd., Chichester, 1992. Abel Wolman, Water, Health, and Society. Selected Papers by Abel Wolman. Gilbert F. White, Editor. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1969. EUGENE B. GOLUB New Jersey Institute of Technology © 2006 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC . Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1983. Eugene B. Golub, Environmental Education. Encyclopedia of Environmen- tal Science and Engineering. Third Edition. Gordon and Breach Science. Dictionary of Environmental Science and Engineering. Gordon and Breach Publishers, Reading, 1996. Andrew Porteous, Dictionary of Environmental Science and Technology. Revised Edition. John Wiley and. Jones, Environmental Education. Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering. First Edition. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, New York, 1976. J. R. Pfafflin, P. Baham and F.