GC 695G Global Change Toolkit
Course 1
Spring 2012 (1 unit)
Mondays 10:am - 12:00 noon
Tree-Ring Lab West Stadium room 104-C [location
map]
Go directly to the CLASS SCHEDULE
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This is a 1 unit colloquium designed specifically for
graduate students in the Global Change GIDP PhD Minor, although students
in any global-change related discipline may enroll. The course's focus
is the acquisition of a basic "Global Change Toolkit," i.e., the
foundational background, vocabulary, and communication skills necessary
for successful engagement in advanced interdisciplinary scholarly research
on global change issues.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
· To review major themes and initiatives in global change
research
· To identify and interact with global change researchers on
campus and beyond
·
To develop professional skills for communicating global
change research across disciplines
· To assemble a personal "toolkit" of global change terms,
references, resources, contacts, and skills tailored to your global change
research area and future professional goals
COORDINATING
INSTRUCTOR FOR 2012:
Dr. Katie
Hirschboeck Chair, Global Change GIDP
Office: Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, 208 West Stadium
MAP
Phone: 621-6466
E-mail: katie@ltrr.arizona.edu
Webpage: http://fp.arizona.edu/kkh/
Office Hours: Wed 2- 3 pm by appointment via email
TEXTS & READINGS:
Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences
(2009) from the U.S. Global Change Research Program / U.S. Climate
Change Science Program
Climate
Science Basics - Module 1 of Climate Insights 101, an
online tutorial from the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions.
On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in
Research (3rd edition) National Academy
of Sciences (2009)
Selected readings from the Assessment
Reports and Special Reports of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change (IPCC)
http://www.ipcc.ch/ & relevant scholarly journals
GRADING CRITERIA: To be
explained in class
1
NOTE: Information contained in the
course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policies, may be
subject to change with reasonable advance notice, as deemed appropriate
by the instructor.
OTHER COURSE GUIDELINES & POLICIES
Attendance:
Required. If
unavoidable problems require you to miss a class, arrangements can be made
to make-up one absence.
Academic Integrity: A synopsis of the
University of Arizona's Code of Academic Integrity can be found at:
http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/codeofacademicintegrity You are to know it,
understand it, and adhere to it.
Contacting me: Office Hours
TBA or by appointment via email
TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE (additional
details and dates to be added)
We
will also be coordinating with some workshops sessions of GEOS
695C "Clearing the Air: Environmental Communication in the Age of
Unreason"
see:
https://sites.google.com/site/clearingtheairaves/
Session |
Date |
TOPIC |
ACTIVITY
/ EXERCISE
(to be adjusted as needed) |
1
|
Jan 23 |
Introductions and overview: Global Change & Climate Science Literacy:
Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences
U.S. Global Change Research Program / U.S. Climate Change Science
Program (2009) |
Read the 3 articles on science communication posted
HERE for our
first TOOLKIT CLASS
Post-Class Assignment: collect definitions of global change; write
your own definition |
|
Jan 23 |
Clearing the Air Workshop
The perfect elevator speech for a working scientist: Distilling your
message Mon 1-3 pm in Gould-Simpson 203 |
Read the 3 articles posted
HERE for our TOOLKIT CLASS & the first workshop (if you can
attend) |
|
Jan 26 |
Andrew
Revkin Talk 3:30 PM, ILC 120. ">9 Billion People + 1 Planet = ?" |
attend talk
Revkin's talk
|
|
Thu Jan 27 |
Meet with Andy Revkin and our group to dig deeper. 8:30-10AM, Marshall
531. |
GC minors invited (optional) |
|
Jan 30 |
Clearing the Air Workshop Refining your message and improving your
comfort level Mon 1-3 |
attend (if you can) to fulfill the science communication component of
the Toolkti course |
2 |
Feb 6 |
Historical development of global change science in the context of the
history & philosophy of science |
Assignment: Collect definitions of
global change; write your own definition Read: Global
Environmental Change: Research Pathways for the Next Decade
Complete: The online Climate
Science Basics tutorial |
|
Feb 13 |
Clearing the Air Workshop Writing for wider audiences: the
op-ed/short personal essay Mon 1-3 |
|
3 |
Feb 20 |
Global change science in practice, research integrity and
responsible conduct,
On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research (3rd
edition) National Academy of Sciences (2009)
UA's Office of Responsible Conduct of
Research:
http://orcr.vpr.arizona.edu/
|
Assignment: Read NAS 2009;
prepare your case study presentation and discussion
Review faculty
interview candidates from the Committee on Global Change |
|
Feb 27 |
Clearing the Air Workshop New and social media
|
|
|
Fri Mar 2 |
Climate writer Mark Lynas to speak 3:30PM in Harvill 404 on "Living
within planetary boundaries: How should the 'God Species' respond to
global environmental change?"
|
attend talk |
4 |
Mar 5 |
Global Change at the University of Arizona:
history and current profile Guest speaker:
Dr
Malcolm Hughes, Regents Professor
|
Assignment: Begin arranging your faculty interviews
Develop an
initial plan
for your GC Toolkit |
5 |
Mar 19 |
Global Change terms, jargon, & nuances: physical and biological
sciences; social and integrative sciences; toolkit brainstorming |
Assignment: understanding global
change terms and concepts across disciplines |
|
Thu Mar 29 |
Earthweek Keynote lecture by Susan Joy Hassol on "Telling the Climate
Change Story" |
attend talk |
|
Fri Mar 30 |
Training session w / Hassol |
|
6 |
Apr 2 |
The future of global change research:
defining gaps in current knowledge;
critical new areas of research |
Assignment:
Interview sharing, toolkit plan, review and propose future research
directions for global change |
|
Apr 9 |
Clearing the Air Workshop Video interviews improving your comfort
onscreen |
|
|
Thu Apr 19 |
Jon Krosnick Talk @ 4PM will speak on "What Americans Really Think
About Climate Change" |
attend talk |
Final
Session |
tbd |
Capstone end-of-the-semester session plus a light dinner
|
Toolkit Assignment FAQ
GC Toolkit presentations by students
|
|
|
|
|
Absences
pre-approved by the UA Dean of Students (or designee) will be honored.
All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be
honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular
religion.
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