EMS First
Year Seminar: Climate Change and
Potential Societal Impacts (EM SC 100S, 3 Credits)
Course
Syllabus for Fall 2018
Instructor: Michael E. Mann, Department of Meteorology, 514 Walker Building, mann@psu.edu
Teaching Assistant: Benjamin
Yang, bvy5062@psu.edu
Meeting Time/Place: T R 10:35 – 11:50 AM (10
Deike Building)
Office Hours: You are welcome to visit my
office for questions during scheduled office hours (Wed, 1-2:15 PM), or by
appointment. You may also email for questions (please use
"mann@psu.edu"). Responses may be delayed.
Motivation:
How certain are we that human activity is altering Earth's climate? How much more warming might we expect over the next century? What will the impacts be on severe weather events such as hurricanes, tornados, floods and drought? How might climate change impact water availability in arid and semi-arid regions already stressed for water resources? What is the threat to coastal regions? How might climate change impact natural ecosystems? Are there winners and losers? This course will explore the scientific evidence underlying each of these questions, reviewing the most recent international assessments of the science.
Webpage
We will regularly draw upon the course homepage as a resource for the course:
http://www.meteo.psu.edu/~mann/Mann/courses/EMSC100SFALL18
Aside from links to the course syllabus, there will be links to the readings, slides from the lectures, and other course-related materials.
Lectures
Attendance of all lectures is expected. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions and participate constructively in class. Copies of slides from the lectures will usually be made available electronically through the course website (see above) the morning prior to the lecture. The assignments given for a particular class meeting are due before that class begins (i.e. at the beginning of that class meeting).
Textbook
The course textbook is: "Dire Predictions: Understanding Climate Change" (2nd edition) by Mann and Kump. It is available in the Penn State bookstore.
In addition, you are expected to read various other selected materials provided through the course webpage. The readings should be completed in advance of our covering the material in class. Readings for each week will typically be posted on the course website by the end of the previous week.
You are welcome (and indeed encouraged) to make use of supplementary sources of information that you may find. You should be sure, however, to assess the reliability of any supplementary sources used in assignments, with respect to the qualifications and expertise of the source, and any biases or conflicts of interest that may compromise its objectivity.
Course Requirements and Grades
Students will be expected to complete homework assignments based on the readings, in advance of our covering the material in class (assignments will be collected at the end of class). Students will take turns leading discussions over the course of the term, and will prepare and present to the class at the end of the semester a multimedia presentation on a topic to be determined (projects will be selected in consultation with the instructor mid-way through the term). Final grades are based on the following approximate formula: 33% homework, 33% in-class participation, 33% final projects.
Course Schedule (subject to change)
# DATE TOPIC
1 |
T Aug 21 |
Introduction |
2 |
R Aug 23 |
Introduction (cont); |
3 |
T Aug 28 |
Introduction (cont); |
4 |
R Aug 30 |
Greenhouse Gases on the Rise |
5 |
T Sep 4 |
The Greenhouse Effect |
6 |
R Sep 6 |
Observations of Modern Climate Change |
7 |
T Sep 11 |
Observations of Modern Climate Change (cont) |
8 |
R Sep 13 |
Observations of Modern Climate Change (cont) |
9 |
T Sep 18 |
Writing/Science Communication Workshop #2 with EMS
writer-in-residence Kimberly Del Bright |
10 |
R Sep 20 |
Writing/Science Communication Workshop #2 with EMS writer-in-residence Kimberly Del Bright |
11 |
T Sep 25 |
A Tempest in a Greenhouse: Have Hurricanes Become More Frequent or
Intense? |
12 |
R Sep 27 |
A Tempest in a Greenhouse: Have Hurricanes Become More Frequent or
Intense? (cont) |
13 |
T Oct 2 |
Humans vs. Nature; The Paleoclimate Perspective |
14 |
R Oct 4 |
The Day After Tomorrow: A Possible Scenario? |
15 |
T Oct 9 |
The Day After Tomorrow: A Possible Scenario? (cont) |
16 |
R Oct 11 |
Climate Modeling; Can't We Explain Climate Trends by Natural Factors Alone? |
17 |
T Oct 16 |
Media (iMovie) Workshop w/ Markus Furer
(note alternative meeting place:
W140 Pattee) |
18 |
R Oct 18 |
How Sensitive is the Climate? |
19 |
T Oct 23 |
Projections of Future Climate Change:
Emissions Scenarios |
20 |
R Oct 25 |
Study/Work Smarter w/ EMS
librarian Elise Dian (note alternative meeting place: EMS Library) |
21 |
T Oct 30 |
Projections of Future Climate Change: Climate Responses |
22 |
R Nov 1 |
The science in An Inconvenient Truth |
23 |
T Nov 6 |
Media (iMovie) Open Lab Workday w/ Markus Furer (note
alternative meeting place: W140 Pattee) |
24 |
R Nov 8 |
The science in An Inconvenient Truth (cont) |
25 |
T Nov 13 |
Academic Integrity Workshop with
EMS Associate Head for Undergraduate Studies Allen Kimel |
R Nov 15 |
No Class [Snow Day!] |
|
T Nov 20 |
No Class [Thanksgiving break] |
|
|
R Nov 22 |
No Class [Thanksgiving break |
26 |
T Nov 27 |
Impacts/Adaptations /Vulnerability/Solutions [student presentations] |
27 |
R Nov 29 |
Guest Lecture from Sustainability Institute Associate Director for
Student Engagement Doug Goodstein |
28 |
T Dec 4 |
Impacts/Adaptations /Vulnerability/Solutions [student presentations] |
29 |
R Dec 6 |
Impacts/Adaptations /Vulnerability/Solutions [student presentations] |