Bachelor's Degree in Engineering of Environmental Technology. Specialisation Natural Environment Technologies. Department of Environmental Technology. Faculty of Technological Applications. Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands.

Description

Knowledge
The student is able to:
1) Describe the basic physicochemical processes taking place in the atmosphere and natural (ground and surface) waters.
2) Identify chemical pollution sources, describe the corresponding pollutants and explain their modes of action in the biosphere (air, water, soil).
3) Describe and analyse the main treatment technologies for air, water and soil pollutants.
4) Describe and explain the main methods for determining pollutants and monitoring air, water and soil quality.
5) Name and describe the main solid and liquid waste management methods.
6) State the basic law related to the protection of the natural environment and environmental management systems.
7) State and describe the drinking water treatment methods.
8) Describe the main methods of assessment and management of water resources.
9) Design experiments both in physical and in laboratory environments, experiments on various environmental issues and draw up corresponding technical reports.
10) Prepare environmental impact studies and Specific Environmental Studies.
11) Prepare financial evaluation and assessment of the environment.
12) Identify and prioritise management priorities on protected land, coastal and marine areas.
13) Prepare environmental protection and management studies.
14) Recognize, describe and classify the terrestrial flora and fauna, habitat types and evaluate their ecological status.
15) Know environmental policy issues.
16) Develop sustainable management systems.
17) Know the importance of communication in the diffusion of environmental education messages, design basic guidelines for environmental education programmes in formal and non-formal education and be able to educate and sensitize groups in terms of environmental protection.
18) Deal with issues of management of protected areas and preparation of management plans.
19) Organise and manage geographic information and apply remote sensing methods for identification of biophysical data.
20) Make visualisation of time series and fields of each environmental parameter and perform analysis of spatio-temporal variability.
21) Make diagnosis of basic fluid-dynamic processes and their intermediate and small scale results in the atmospheric environment as well as in the coastal zone.
22) Make diagnosis of Meteorology and Climatology processes of a region, with emphasis on variability issues of natural water supply, sunshine and wind.
23) Quantify and manage energy flows from renewable sources and have knowledge of their exploitation technological devices.
24) Have knowledge on issues of production and penetration of electricity on the transmission network, as well as issues relating to the quality of the produced electricity.

Skills
The student is able to:
1) Apply experimental methods for pollution measurement and monitoring of air, water and soil quality.
2) Analyse and evaluate experimental measurement data on pollution and quality of the natural environment.
3) Implement experimental control methods of performance and good operation of processing / management units of solid or liquid waste.
4) Develop, implement and oversee environmental inspection and management systems in an economic unit.
5) Implement water management methods.
6) Design sampling strategies and implement sampling (non-planned and project-based) in natural, semi-natural and urban ecosystems for various environmental issues.
7) Use special equipment such as a stereoscope, to download countryside data with portable GPS devices in various tasks (e.g. preparation of environmental impact studies).
8) Study terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, record biodiversity, assess their ecological situation and propose management and remediation measures.
9) Apply scientific monitoring systems in protected areas and terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
10) Plan, create and process environmental data base.
11) Implement basic statistical analyses of primary data collected in the field or of results after experiments in laboratory conditions.
12) Manage geographic information and classify biophysical data using satellite imagery and remote sensing software programs.
13) Prepare and implement environmental education and awareness programs, both in youth and in broad citizen groups.
14) Configure wireless devices measuring the supplied solar and wind energy, make solar and wind potential calculations of a region, as well as produce numerous related products (wind and wind energy windroses, turbulence characteristics, forecasts on produced electricity, etc.).
15) Take part in studies and implement installation of Renewable Energy devices related to solar and wind systems.
16) Supervise the operation of power stations and monitor the quality of the produced power.
17) Perform energy flux measurements from a wide range of sources of electromagnetic radiation and synthesise relevant field maps.

Competencies
The student is able to:
1) Evaluate / assess the quality of the natural environment (air, water, soil), based on experimental data and theoretical knowledge.
2) Select the appropriate treatment technology for air, water and soil pollutants.
3) Plan and oversee the operation of processing / management units for solid or liquid waste, relying on experimental data and causality.
4) Evaluate the implementation and operation of environmental management and inspection systems.
5) Participate and prepare parts of environmental impact studies for the siting and operation of projects and activities in protected or not areas, synthesize information from experimental data and causality and prepare environmental impact studies for economic units of a certain scale.
6) Plan and implement ecosystem management and restoration plans.
7) Evaluate the degree of pressure of human activities on the natural balance of ecosystems.
8) Design and implement training activities on the environment and sustainability.
9) Plan the methodology and downloading of test surfaces for the study of ecosystems (flora, fauna, habitats), assess biodiversity in a region based on the use of appropriate qualitative and quantitative biodiversity indicators.
10) Use scientific instruments and software environment for the design, data collection and, in general, monitoring of the natural environment.
11) Participate in the design and installation of metering stations for atmospheric parameters and energy provision from renewable sources and apply all the required computational methods for numerical data in order to record and highlight key features and their spatio-temporal variability.
12) Participate in construction, supervision of operation and maintenance of plants and systems of production and transmission of electricity from renewable sources.
13) Use a wide range of data management, analysis and visualization software.

Further Information

Graduates Engineers of Environmental Technologies of the Introductory Direction of Environmental Technologists gain complete theoretical and practical training on modern trends of sciences of natural environment technologies, therefore they will be able to successfully meet the labour market needs and requirements of their respective specialties.
The Curriculum of the Introductory Direction of Environmental Technologists (the last reform of which took place in the academic year 2013-2014 and is effective from the academic year 2014-2015), includes 99 courses including a thesis. More specifically, the programme includes:
• General Infrastructure Courses: General Chemistry, Mathematics I, General Ecology, Mathematics II & Statistics, Physics I, Principles of Environmental Science, Environmental Biology.
• Courses in Administration, Economics, Law and Humanities: Environment & Natural Resources Economics, Environmental Policy and Legislation.
• Special Infrastructure Courses: Scientific Software, Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Databases, Methods of Environmental Quality Monitoring, Electric Power – Tender, PC Programming, Geographic Information Systems, Physics II, Technical Design-CAD, Environmental Engineering, Wildlife Management, Environmental Thermodynamics, Remote Sensing, Management and Restoration of Land Ecosystems, Water Ecosystems, Standards of Quality, Assessment and Environmental Management, Environmental Education & Teaching, Meteorology - Climatology.
• Specialty Courses: Renewable Energy Sources I (Solar - Wind Systems), Environmental Fluid Mechanics, Waste Water Treatment, Solid Waste Treatment, Hydrology – Water Resources Management, Drinking Water Treatment, Population Ecology - Biodiversity, Renewable Energy Sources II, Spatial Design, Environmental Impact Assessment, Protected Areas Management, Air Pollution - Air Pollutants Processing Technologies, Water and Soil Pollution, Treatment of Industrial and Hazardous Waste, Sustainable Development.

Based on the study contents of the Introductory Direction of Environmental Technologists, studies cover the subjects of technological devices, methods and systems aimed at preventing and addressing environmental problems through the study of physical, chemical and biological processes. They also cover the study of relations of various organisations for the protection and conservation of natural-biological resources and rational management of ecosystems.
The revised curriculum was drafted to serve the curriculum of the Introductory Direction of Environmental Technologists described above and which falls under the School of Technological Applications.

Graduates Engineers of Environmental Technologies, at the end of their studies, will be able to work on a wide range of activities generally related to sciences of natural environment technologies, especially the sectors "Chemistry and Environmental Engineering", "Environmental Physics and Informatics" and "Management of Natural Resources and Ecology". Examples:
a. Preparation, supervision and approval of environmental impact studies and environmental rehabilitation for projects and operations covered by the field of knowledge of the Graduate Environmental Technologist.
b. Measurement and monitoring of environmental and meteorological parameters: air-water quality, chemical pollution, electromagnetic pollution.
c. Preparation and implementation of management plans for protected areas, and preparation and analysis of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
d. Design and operation supervision of units of collection, treatment and disposal of solid and liquid waste and garbage.
e. Measurement of solar, wind and water resources and study-installation of Renewable Energy devices.
f. Development, implementation, maintenance and inspection of environmental management systems (ISO 14001, EMAS, etc.).
g. Measurement and management of water resources and development and operation of water treatment systems.

Relation To Employment

Holders of qualifications that belong to this type may work either as self-employed or in positions of responsibility in companies and organizations in the private or in the public sector.

Transitions

Access to this type of qualification have those who have completed at least the secondary education (level 4).
Holders of such qualifications gain access to study programmes at the same level or at level 7 or 8.

Ways To Aquire

Qualifications of this type are acquired via formal education.