Environmental Informatics: Educational Opportunities at Bachelors level - International Context and Indian Potentialities

Abstract

Environmental Informatics is an interdisciplinary subject and it is the combination of Environmentrelated subjects and Informatics related subjects. It is the utilization and applications ofInformatics and IT principles and tools in Environmental Management, EnvironmentalMonitoring, and Science. In other words, it is the practice of Sustainable Computing andInformation Technology. Environmental Informatics is responsible for the applications ofInformation Technology in Environment, Nature and various allied subjects and areas likeGeology, Agriculture, Forestry, Geography, Climatology, Oceanography and all these arevaluable stakeholders of Environmental Informatics. Ecology Informatics in some contexts isrelated with Eco Informatics. Environmental Informatics is broader than EnvironmentalInformation Technology; as it interconnects both environmental as well as information science forthe complete natural processes with language common to both humans and computers.Internationally Environmental Informatics has become a field of study in many universities. Apartfrom PG degree in recent past Environmental Informatics has also started at Bachelors level andmany universities have started an initiative on this. This is a conceptual paper and also analyticalstudy regarding Environmental Informatics including its basic feature and importance as anacademic program. The paper shows about the universities which offer Bachelors degree in brief.