FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 30, 2014
Contact: Janna Cohen-Rosenthal, Director of ACUPCC initiatives, jcohenrosenthal@secondnature.org
American Meteorological Society and Second Nature Announce
4th Annual AMS Climate Studies Course Implementation Workshop for MSI Faculty
September 30, 2014, Washington, DC - As part of its Climate Studies Diversity Project, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) is partnering with Second Nature, the supporting organization of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), to introduce the AMS Climate Studies course at 100 minority-serving institutions (MSIs) over a five-year period.
AMS is now enrolling 25 MSI faculty members to attend the next expenses-paid Course Implementation Workshop. The event will take place in Washington, DC from May 17-22, 2015. The AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project informational website and application form are available online. The deadline for application is March 13, 2015.
Faculty members representing 68 MSIs attended Course Implementation Workshops in May 2012, 2013, and 2014, and are introducing the AMS Climate Studies at their local institutions. A faculty member from the 2014 cohort reported, "I feel confident that I now have the knowledge and resources needed to develop a climate studies course."
With a focus on climate change and sustainability-related topics, the May 2015 workshop will feature presentations from highly regarded climate scientists from the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Howard University, Penn State University, and other area institutions. Participating faculty will learn how to offer AMS Climate Studies and receive training to become leaders in climate education. They will also be invited to the January 2016 AMS Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA to report on their course implementation progress. Program funding is provided through the National Science Foundation Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences Award #1107968.
AMS and Second Nature strongly encourage current and prospective ACUPCC signatories to apply for the 2015 Workshop. The AMS Climate Studies Course Implementation Workshop helps signatories fulfill the curriculum component of their Climate Action Plan by introducing or enhancing sustainability-focused curricula. "The climate crisis is a defining challenge that students will need to be prepared to address. This climate studies course is a unique training opportunity for MSI faculty members to fulfill their ACUPCC climate commitments and empower change on campus," stated Janna Cohen-Rosenthal, Director of ACUPCC Initiatives. The 2014 cohort included 7 new signatory MSIs, adding to the 20 signatories in the 2012 and 2013 groups.
The broader impact of the program includes producing a large network of trained faculty, expanding course offerings at MSIs, and introducing thousands of students to the geosciences. The AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project builds on highly successful, NSF-supported diversity projects for AMS Weather and Ocean courses conducted from 2001-2008. Together, the three AMS courses have reached 220 MSIs and nearly 100,000 students.
For questions and more information regarding the 2015 AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project, please contact Elizabeth Mills, Associate Director, AMS Education Program, via phone at 800-824-0405 or email onlineclimate@ametsoc.org.
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About AMS: Founded in 1919, AMS promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related sciences, technologies, applications, and services. Headquartered in Boston, with a second office in Washington DC, AMS has a membership of more than 14,000 professionals, researchers, scientists, educators, students, and weather enthusiasts. AMS publishes eleven atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic journals, both in print and online to provide its mission of promoting and disseminating the most advanced scientific research, representing the latest information on global water, weather, and climate.
Each year, AMS sponsors an annual meeting that includes approximately 30 conferences/symposia as well as an additional 8-12 specialty meetings throughout the year. AMS also publishes more than 2,000 peer-reviewed scientific articles, as well as trade books and textbooks, provides the latest scientific research through a series of Capitol Hill briefings, and advances Earth Science literacy through educational initiatives for K-12 teachers and undergraduate institutions nationwide. For more information, visit www.ametsoc.org.
About Second Nature: Second Nature works to create a healthy, just, and sustainable society beginning with the transformation of higher education. Second Nature is the supporting organization of the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), a partnership among more than 670 colleges and universities in every state and the District of Columbia who have committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare students through research and education to solve the challenges of the 21st century. Learn more at: www.secondnature.org and www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org.
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