FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2011
Contact: Ulli Klein, 617-722-0036 ext. 206, uklein@secondnature.org
American Meteorological Society Partners with Second Nature to Implement AMS Climate Studies Course at 100 Minority-Serving Institutions Nationwide
BOSTON,MA—The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the AMS Education Program$1,028,705 to implement the AMS Climate Studies course at 100 minority-serving institutions (MSIs) over a five-year period.
This project will focus on introducing and enhancing geoscience coursework at MSIs nationwide, especially those that are signatories to the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and/or members of the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP). AMS is partnering with Second Nature, the non-profit organization administering the ACUPCC, which is a national network of more than 670 colleges and universities committed to eliminating net greenhouse gas emissions from campus operations and promoting the education and research needed for the rest of society to do the same. Through this effort, the partners will demonstrate to current and potential MSI signatories how AMS Climate Studies introduces or enhances sustainability-focused curricula. Support is through the NSF Directorate for Geosciences, Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences (OEDG) - Track 2.
In the first four years of the project, AMS will conduct a weeklong AMS Climate Studies course implementation workshop for about 25 MSI faculty members every year. The workshops will leverage the climate expertise of scientists from NOAA, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, University of Maryland, Howard University, George Mason University, and other Washington, DC area educational and research institutions. Course materials and presentations from high-level speakers will be provided to faculty as they are trained to be change agents for their local institutions. Faculty will initially offer AMS Climate Studies in the year following workshop attendance. Colleges successfully implementing AMS Climate Studies will be encouraged to build a focused geoscience curricula area by also offering AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies. AMS will conduct follow-up meetings with faculty at the AMS Annual Meeting as they work toward institutional change.
The major outcomes of this project will be a large network of faculty trained as change agents in their institutions, sustained offering of AMS undergraduate courses within MSIs, and the introduction of thousands of MSI students to the geosciences. This project builds on the success of similar NSF-supported programs for MSI faculty implementing the AMS Weather Studies and AMS Ocean Studies courses. Together, these courses have reached 200 MSIs and over 18,000 MSI students.
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About Second Nature:
Second Nature is a Boston-based nonprofit organization that works to accelerate movement towards a sustainable future by helping senior college and university leaders in making healthy, just, and sustainable living the foundation of all learning and practice in higher education. Second Nature is the lead supporting organization of the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, which has been signed by more than 670 college and university presidents whoa re committed to eliminating carbon emission on campus and training students to help society address the climate crisis. For more information about Second Nature's programs, visit www.secondnature.org.
About the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC):
The ACUPCC is a high-visibility effort to address global warming by garnering institutional commitments to eliminate net greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the research and educational efforts of higher education to equip society to re-stabilize the earth's climate. The ACUPCC is led by a Steering Committee comprised of more than 20 university and college presidents and is staffed and supported by Second Nature, a Boston-based national nonprofit organization, with additional support provided by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.
Learn more at: www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org.
About the American Meteorological Society:
AMS is a scientific and professional society headquartered in Boston, MA, with its Education Program located in Washington, DC The Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications in service to society. Founded in 1919, AMS has a membership of more than 14,000 professionals, students, and weather enthusiasts. AMS publishes nine atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic journals, in print and online, sponsors more than 12 conferences annually, and offers numerous programs and services. For more information, visit www.ametsoc.org.
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