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Sponsored by:

• The Office of Undergraduate Studies
• The College of Computer, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences
• The Department of Geology

A program of
College Park Scholars

Science and Global Change (SGC) is a program in College Park Scholars where students of all majors use the foundations of scientific practice to explore the evidence, causes, and implications of past and present global change, and examine the use of scientific knowledge and communication when making decisions for the future. The University of Maryland is a world leader in global change research; through SGC, first- and second-year students will be able to learn about the science of global change and its implications for our futures.

To prospective freshmen and their families,

Science and Global Change (SGC) is a program in College Park Scholars where students of all majors use the foundations of scientific practice to explore the evidence, causes, and implications of past and present global change, and examine the use of scientific knowledge and communication when making decisions for the future. The University of Maryland is a world leader in global change research; through SGC, first- and second-year students will be able to learn about the science of global change and its implications for our futures.

Science & Global Change welcomes academically talented students of all majors who are interested in the scientific understanding of the global change issues that all of us face in the immediate future. It is especially suited for majors in the physical and chemical sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and so forth) and in mathematics and computer sciences. But those interested in pursuing a career in engineering, business, political science, science journalism, agricultural sciences, and public policy will also find this program deals with issues that are relevant to your chosen fields. Indeed, all of us will face the changing conditions of the rest of the century, so SGC will help any student better prepare for those changes.

Below are more details concerning different aspects of the Science and Global Change program:

• Themes
• Opportunities
• Academics and Research
• The Living-Learning Community
• For More Information

One of greatest challenges all of us face in the immediate future is the effect of the interaction of human and natural activities on Earth's climate, biological, and other systems, and how those changes in turn impact on our economy, agriculture, and society. It is only by discovering the operating principles of Earth's systems and applying that knowledge to develop appropriate technological and societal responses that we can meet these changes in a thoughtful and effective manner.

Towards this ends, we need the combined efforts of a whole community of researchers and specialists with different skills relevant to issues related to climate and other changes:

• Physicists, geologists, meteorologists, climatologists, chemists, and biologists to describe the rules of the interactions of Earth's systems;
• Computer scientists and mathematicians to model these processes to help predict likely future changes of our planet;
• Engineers and agriculturalists to plan the technologies to mitigate human effects on natural systems;
• and business and political leaders to help organize our economies, policies, and societies in a fashion that will survive and thrive in a changing world.

OPPORTUNITIES

Students who join the Science and Global Change program will have access to some of the leading researchers and facilities in global change studies. The University of Maryland's Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC) and Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI) and Departments of Geology, Physics, Geography, and Atmospheric and Oceanic Science include world-renowned faculty in climate change research and related disciplines. Faculty in many other departments on campus are similarly involved in understanding various issues of global change. Additionally, Maryland faculty and students work closely with national research institutions such as NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric and Administration (NOAA), and the US Geological Survey in order to understand the causes and affects of global change. In the SGC, students of all majors will be able to learn from and work with these top researchers through an multidisciplinary series of courses and internship opportunities.

ACADEMICS AND RESEARCH

Science & Global Change students will meet regularly with a team of University of Maryland faculty in a weekly colloquium. In that colloquium they will explore such questions as:

• What is the nature of Science, and how do we use the methods of Science to understand the world around us?
• How do we distinguish real scientific information from falsehoods cloaked in the language of Science?
• What is the evidence for climate change, and how can we distinguish natural variation in Earth's systems from human impacts?
• How can we predict what future climates might be, and how can we make decisions on how we should respond as individuals and societies?
• What might my role as a scientist, engineer, business leader, journalist, or indeed any citizen be in the changing future?

Students will examine these questions through lectures, small projects, readings, and discussions led by Science & Global Change's award-winning faculty directors. SGC students will be able to participate in a variety of activities including visits to regional research labs, museums, and field localities; and designing web-based research reports. Furthermore, every member of SGC will conduct an individual research, internship, or service-learning practicum project, the results of which they will present to University faculty & staff and local business and non-profit leaders as part of the annual Scholars Academic Showcase.

Furthermore, students in the Science & Global Change program will take a set of selected courses in order to complete a Citation in Science & Global Change. These classes also count towards completion of the major and/or fulfill the general education CORE requirements, so that they do not unduly burden our students. Nevertheless, they help expand upon key issues in understanding global change beyond what can be covered in our colloquia.

For further information about the Science & Global Change program, please contact Faculty Director Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. (tholtz@umd.edu, Ph: 301-405-4084) or Associate Director Dr. John W. Merck, Jr. ( jmerck@umd.edu; Ph: 301-405-2808).

Dr. Thomas R. Holtz, Jr. (Faculty Director)
Dr. John W. Merck, Jr. (Associate Faculty Director)



(last updated 3 June 2009)