New this
Spring!
ENSP399R
– Global Climate Change / Coastal Indicators (3 credits)
This new
course provides a unique opportunity to contribute to a national
global change research program
investigating “indicators” of global change, for example, drought, flooding,
sea level rise, etc. This spring, the course will focus on
“coastal resilience indicators” in the face of climate change and coastal
hazards and will be co-taught by two scientists working on the project.
Students
will help analyze “green infrastructure” like sea grasses and SAV’s; and “gray”
services, like breakwaters and sea walls. Along the way, you will have a
terrific opportunity to explore how science policy is developed and connect
with scientists and policy-makers at the cutting edge of climate change
research and policy.
Because
environmental challenges and human responses to them are multi-dimensional, the
course is open to motivated students in all majors, including:
ANTH, AOSC, BSCI, ECON, Engineering, ENSP, ENST, GEOG, GEOL, GIS, GVPT, among
others. Students enrolled in the Sustainability Studies Minor are also
encouraged to enroll.
During
the semester, you will:
· Learn about “resilience” and
“sustainability”
· Learn how science policy works
· Work with real data
· Learn how to figure out what is
known and what is not known; and how to break the data down to understand what
is useful
· Develop an indicator to help
measure global climate change impacts on coastal communities.
· Learn how to write policy memos,
interpret “take home” messages, and give 30-second elevator speeches re:
climate change research.
· Meet guest speakers at the
cutting edge of research and policy.
· The course will be taught on
Fridays, 10-1 pm, in 0215 Symons Hall (Section 0101).
Interested
students should e-mail:
Dr. Ariana Sutton-Greer at Ariana.Sutton-grier@noaa.gov (and cc: wwhitte@umd.edu). Please include the
following information in your message: Why are you interested in
this course? What is your major, UID, and expected graduation date? Since
this class is likely to be different from others you have taken, please
make a point of attending the first class to learn more about it and confirm
your interest.
