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Earth, Life & Time (ELT) is the College Park Scholars that addresses Natural History - the scientific understanding and appreciation of the natural world, and how that understanding aids us as individuals and as a society. The study of Natural History encompasses our most profound questions about ourselves and our world. Too often, however, our education neglects to teach us how to look at the living and non-living world as an integrated whole. ELT seeks to introduce students to the skills and knowledge used to unlock the secrets of Nature.

The ELT curriculum focuses on:

• The Scientific Method and Critical Thinking Skills
• The Methods and Perspectives of the Natural Historical Sciences (including Geology, Paleontology, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, Anthropology, and Archaeology)
• The Interaction of Natural Sciences and Society
• Information Technology and the Dissemination of Knowledge

As with other College Park Scholars programs, Earth, Life & Time is a Living-Learning Community: students share many of the same classes and for the most part share common housing. The students of ELT explore the questions of Nature and Science through:

• Close interaction with the ELT faculty
• Hands on, group learning activities
• Critical reading of works of modern and historic scientists and science writers
• Field experiences both in the Washington, D.C. region and beyond, including field courses in Arizona and the Galápagos Archipelago
• Development of Information Technology skills such as web design, vector and raster graphics, and the perils and pitfalls of web-based research
• Individual research and internship opportunities including work with internationally-known researchers and state-of-the-art scientific and medical laboratories
• Outreach to the local community through mentorship and other volunteer work

ELT is a participating program in the Coalition for the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS) and its Year of Science 2009 program.

Please explore this website to learn more about the program, or contact the ELT faculty for more information.

Facilities

The ELT faculty offices are in 1216 and 1218 Centreville Hall. The ELT computer lab is in 1217 Centreville Hall, as is the ELT Museum, our collection of natural history teaching specimens. Colloquium meetings are in the Cambridge Community Center.

Last modified: 8 July 2009