Earth System Science Education in a Liberal Arts Environment: Unique Undergraduate Experiences and Enhanced Public Awareness

Earth system and global change science have been minimally taught at Austin College.  In the sciences, the College contains traditional scientific departments of biology, chemistry, mathematics and computer science, and physics.  In addition, the Center for Environmental Studies is comprised of faculty members from various departments including biology, communications, economics, education, mathematics, philosophy, and physics.  Because of its small campus size, faculty in traditional science departments have taught the few Earth system and global change science course offerings.  The amount of Earth system science (ESS) content (as a percentage of total course content) taught in relevant courses in the 2003-2004 school year is equivalent to only 1.5 ESS courses.

Recently Austin College has placed a renewed emphasis on science education and interdisciplinary studies.  First, a new graduation requirement includes two science courses for every student: a laboratory science course and an integrated science course that explores relationships between science and society.  Integrated science courses will be team-taught by faculty from different disciplines.  To meet these new course requirements, the Austin College administration has charged the faculty with offering new, exciting science courses.

Second, Austin College will offer an interdisciplinary major in environmental studies beginning next year.  An environmental studies major will take a diverse set of courses in environmental science, ethics, economics, and policy.  This new major will provide an opportunity to implement new courses in Earth system and global change science that would become permanent features of the curriculum.

Within the ESSE 21 project we plan the following:

• To introduce four new Earth system science undergraduate courses and revise two current courses with increased ESS content.  These courses will serve both science and non-science majors.  All but one of the courses will be team-taught by faculty from different disciplines.

• To develop ESS curricular materials that utilize innovative, student-centered learning experiences.  Activities and curricular modules that incorporate NASA remote sensing observations will be created and distributed to ESSE 21 participants.

• To install a large plasma screen in the lobby of the science building to display continuously Earth system observations, including those from NASA satellites.

• To sponsor an Earth system and global change public seminar series with prominent Earth system scientists.

• To offer a summer workshop for secondary school teachers to advance ESS education in local high schools.

2004 Annual Meeting Presentation