FIRE Critical Resources & Sustainability Analytics is now available for 2026!
FIRE Semester 1 students should see their email with instructions on how to submit additional preferencing information to indicate interest in this FIRE stream.​
data analysis, sustainability, resource policy, policy analysis, economics, programming
WHAT WE DO
Key Points:
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Explore how societies manage critical resources, energy, water, food, and minerals, through a sustainability lens.
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Use data analytics, economics, and policy evaluation to study how decisions affect people, the environment, and the economy.
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Combine tools from environmental science, data science, and resource economics to uncover insights that inform sustainable development.
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Detailed Description:
CRESA gives students the opportunity to become sustainability analysts, exploring how communities and industries use vital resources while balancing environmental and social needs. Using real-world datasets from sources such as the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and World Bank, students investigate issues like energy efficiency, recycling behavior, and critical resources supply chains. Through this work, they learn how data connects global resource systems to everyday life, and how evidence-based insights can lead to sustainable solutions.
WHY IT MATTERS
Key Points:
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Critical resources shape global challenges like climate change, innovation, and equity.
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Data-driven insights guide smarter and more sustainable decisions.
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Understanding the trade-offs between growth, conservation, and community well-being is essential for a sustainable future.
Detailed Description:
Every product, policy, and technology relies on the responsible use of resources. Yet resource extraction, energy use, and waste can create social and environmental risks. CRESA helps students analyze these trade-offs and design more sustainable systems. By studying how data reveals the connection between human behavior, resource management, and environmental outcomes, students learn to turn evidence into impact, helping policymakers, organizations, and communities make informed, ethical decisions.
WHAT YOU LEARN
Key Points:
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Interdisciplinary teamwork and applied research design.
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Data analytics and visualization using R and GIS tools.
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Survey design and policy evaluation.
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Econometrics and causal inference.
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Translating research into communication and policy insight
Detailed Description:
Students in CRESA learn how to collect, clean, analyze, and communicate data related to sustainability and critical resources. The stream supports students at every skill level, from beginners learning to code in R to those ready to apply statistical modeling and geospatial analysis to real-world data. Teams design and carry out original projects, present findings, and create reports or visual dashboards. The experience builds data literacy, critical thinking, and leadership skills that prepare students for careers in sustainability, public policy, data analytics, and beyond. ​
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Related Resources
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Students in CRESA learn how to collect, clean, analyze, and communicate data related to sustainability and critical resources. The stream supports students at every skill level, from beginners learning to code in R to those ready to apply statistical modeling and geospatial analysis to real-world data. Teams design and carry out original projects, present findings, and create reports or visual dashboards. The experience builds data literacy, critical thinking, and leadership skills that prepare students for careers in sustainability, public policy, data analytics, and beyond.
