Implementing AMS Climate Studies

The implementation process began by attending a workshop hosted the AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project Staff in May of 2012. Much information was gained from various speakers on the science of climate change and included research evidence for climate change, interpreting the evidence (especially the graphs), evidence for global warming and the politics of global warming.

The workshop also included field trips to NASA Goddard Flight Space Center and NOAA National Center for Environmental Prediction Center in the Washington DC area.

The workshop also provided additional information on climate change education that included speakers from AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project Staff offering suggestions on implementing and presenting the program in the college classroom. A panel made up of experienced professors who have used the climate studies program in their classes discussed suggestions for implementing and presenting the AMS Climate Studies program at various colleges and was valuable. Finally, visiting a predominate black college in the DC area and listening to young meteorology majors describing their experiences at the college and presenting their research with great composure was impressive.

The steps in implementing the AMS Climate Studies program at Seminole State College are as follows:

1. Receiving and reviewing the course material from the AMS Online Climate Studies team, 2. Completing a new course proposal form for Seminole State, 3. Getting approval from the Physical Science Department chairperson and members, 4. Presenting the proposal for approval to the College Curriculum Committee a year before it was listed in the college catalogue.

Seminole State College (primarily a 2-year college with a few 4-year programs) is located in Sanford, Florida. Student population is made up of whites, Afro-Americans, Hispanic and lesser number from other countries. At Seminole State the climate course is offered in the Earth Science program (includes astronomy, geology, oceanography and meteorology courses) that is part of the Physical Science Department.