HR: 1330h
AN: ED12A-0123    [PDF]
TI: Development of an Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Major in The Earth System, Environment and Society
AU: * Wuebbles, D J
EM: wuebbles@atmos.uiuc.edu
AF: University of Illinois, Department of Atmospheric Sciences 105 S. Gregory, Urbana, IL 61801 United States
AB: Humanity faces great challenges in the 21st Century to understand and limit our impact on the Earth System. To address these challenges, it is essential to understand the nature and implications of environmental change, and the complexity of the Earth system. We need to educate citizens that have the background to make new developments in understanding technical aspects of the Earth System, and to develop an understanding the interactions between society and the Earth System sufficient to make informed policy choices. Traditional disciplinary departments and majors don't fully address this; teaching and research talent in the study of the Earth System is spread over many disciplinary-oriented departments. At the University of Illinois, we are currently developing a new cross-disciplinary undergraduate major being called The Earth system, environment and Society. This development is co-sponsored by a number of departments centered in the College of Liberal Arts \& Sciences (but including other departments throughout the university). Our intention is that this major will be a catalyst for bringing together the many disciplines involved in Earth System Science education. The curriculum and course for study will focus on the science and human dimensions of the Earth system, with special emphasis on the processes and issues related to the environment across a range of spatial scales from local and regional to global. Along with meeting the requirements expected of all students in a liberal arts and sciences major, students in The Earth System, Environment and Society major will be required to complete a core set of courses designed to introduce students to all of the different components of the Earth System (students will choose from course options in both the sciences and the social sciences). After completing the core courses, students will then focus their studies on one of the two options within the major, Science of the Earth System (this option will emphasize the full complexities of the science of the Earth system) and Human Dimensions of the Earth System (this option will have a heavier focus on the relationship of Earth System Science to policy and decision analysis and to society and social science interactions). The two options will allow students to prepare for career paths, including graduate study, in any number of possible areas.
DE: 0300 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE
DE: 1600 GLOBAL CHANGE (New category)
DE: 6300 POLICY SCIENCES
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting