SCHI 4020 The Sustainability-Energy-Climate Nexus: Integrated Science and Society

As one of the defining issues of our time, climate change touches every thread of the social fabricate. Also, what we choose to do (or not to do) has long-lasting implications for many generations to come. This interdisciplinary course, to be co-taught by the three core faculty members of the Schiller Institute, focuses on the intersection of sustainable growth, renewable energy and climate science. Designed for graduate students as well as junior/senior undergraduate students in STEM, the course aims to provide a comprehensive, yet in-depth overview of the complex interrelationships between these key areas and how they may interact to shape the future of our planet. (Interested non-STEM students are encouraged to reach out to the instructors about course requirements.) The course starts with the challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning to a more sustainable economy. Students will then learn about the current state of food production, energy production, water supply, consumption and technology. It concludes with the foundational knowledge of climate and water resource sciences. The course also includes a term-long research project where students will work in teams to apply course concepts to real-world scenarios, analyze data, and develop solutions to achieving one of sustainable development goals (SDGs). By the end of the course, students will have a deeper understanding of the complex interplays between sustainability, energy and climate, and will be able to think creatively about different technological and policy solutions to the most pressing problems in these areas. They will also develop skills in critical analysis and communication, which will be useful in a variety of fields related to the grand challenge of mitigating and adapting to climate change.