Description:

Climate change is more than a science problem, transcending any one academic field. To many students it seems too immense and intractable that they cannot hope to be part of the solution. In addition, because the impacts of climate change might not be in their backyards, they feel far removed from it as they go about their daily lives. Reaching and motivating students to consider their lives in a world affected by climate change requires communicating the urgency of addressing it, and instilling hope that positive change is feasible.

This session will bring together educators and students to look at climate change issues with a multi-disciplinary perspective. Possible topics might include:

• Science and scientific literacy: helping students communicate complicated science in simple terms, puncture the pseudo-science myths, and generally explain science clearly to the non-scientist (and non-science student).
• The economics and policy of climate change: why is it so hard to create meaningful change, and what can be done to help students understand how to “move the needle” on CO2 reduction?
• Modeling and communicating the effects of climate change: does discussion of the environmental, economic, and demographic impacts of climate change help create urgency?
• Psychology and the Six Americas - how to bring along enough people to effect change.
• What motivates action? What lessons can students learn from the youth climate movement? What other paths exist for students to make a meaningful difference?
• Student voices – what do they want their world to look like in 30 years? What paths do they see toward creating that world?
• How does Climate Change Education look different for different age groups?
• Local effects of Climate Change - adaptation and geography.

The overall goal for the session is to create a meaningful, student-centered discussion about the future of climate change education, and the role that all of AMS - pre-college education, AMS policy, education, and research - in it.