Science and Global Change

Using science to understand and respond to the global climate crisis

Introduction

Global climate change, biodiversity crises and similar phenomena already impact our lives and will increasingly do so in the future.

Science and Global Change (SGC) uses scientific practice to explore global climate change and its impacts on human society, technology and security. Exploring the interactions of the Earth's systems,  students examine:

• The nature of science, critical thinking and the interaction of scientific knowledge and the public; 
• The causes and implications of global climate change and biodiversity changes across the span of time; and 
• The means by which we can build a more resilient society to survive and reduce the impacts of these changes.

SGC prepares students to understand the changing conditions of the future and fosters critical thinking about the world around us. Students of all majors will benefit from an understanding of how science works, how the physical and biological environment is changing, and what our options are to build a more resilient society. 

Colloquium and Lecture Topics

• A look at logical fallacies
• Science vs. Pseudoscience
• Why climates change, and how we know that is (partially) our fault
• The value of the biosphere
• Who pays for science?

Other Learning Opportunities

Students in SGC will observe evidence of global climate change both in class and through multiple learning opportunities outside the classroom. Past excursions have included:

• Travel to New York City and the American Museum of Natural History;
• Exploring the Smithsonian Museums;
• Visiting the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and the Horn Point Laboratory; and
• Volunteering at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.

As part of the sophomore practicum, students will learn from and work closely with researchers, educators and practitioners of any STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine) field. Students have:

• Held internships in various labs at the National Institutes of Health, NASA and the Smithsonian Institution;
• Helped to construct wind turbines for communities in the Andes; and
• Developed educational experiences for the Annapolis Maritime Museum.

Curriculum Overview

Over the two-year program experience (four semesters), students will complete 9 credits of supporting courses that will count toward their SGC Scholars citation. In most cases, these will also fulfill General Education requirements. Note that your Scholars courses—colloquium, practicum and supporting course(s)—will generally be in addition to any courses you take to satisfy major requirements.

The following table represents a typical two-year curriculum, but individual schedules may vary. Details about courses and requirements can be found on the SGC Citation Checklist.