4.3
Teaching aerobiology from an atmospheric science perspective
Paolo Mandrioli, CNR, Bologna, Italy
The aerobiologist needs to have a basic understanding in some fundamental scientific subjects closely related to aerobiology and a shared scientific knowledge is certainly necessary to guarantee progress in the field. These specific subjects comes from two different areas: biology and physics of the atmosphere. Overall the aerobiologists have limited knowledge about atmospheric science as compared to biological science. Since however biological particles are transported in the atmosphere, atmospheric science should constitute a fundamental knowledge for them. Many of the researchers who show an interest in aerobiology are familiar exclusively with the applied aspects of the field, or better, are primarily involved in the "aerobiological model" as far as the "terrestrial" steps are concerned (sources and impact of aerobiological particles) and often neglect the "aerial" steps, such as the release, transport and deposition of these particles.
Atmospheric science deals with the earth's upper and lower atmosphere and space environment, including solar influences, general circulation and the physical bases of climate, and the smaller scale, shorter term phenomena that describe weather processes.
How can atmospheric science become an introductory teaching to aerobiology? The answer lies primarily in the availability of experts able to adapt this subject to the biological viewpoint. Traditionally and institutionally in the field of atmospheric science the physicists are the most represented, followed by the chemists specialised in atmospheric chemistry. The sector should be expanded to comprise the aerobiologists, dealing with the biology of the atmosphere, as well.
How can an adequate academic staff be set up? Which are the tools necessary to teach atmospheric science to the aerobiologists in an elementary but effective way? The creation of aerobiology field courses, theoretical seminars and workshops on aerobiology at the international level certainly has the primary aim of assuring the transfer of notions from one generation to the other, of training new teachers, as well as facilitating the global exchange of expertise.
New teachers can be first attracted and subsequently trained through contacts, invitations, initiatives involving physicists as well as atmospheric chemists in the specifically aerobiological activities. However the participation and support of Institutions and Universities active in the field of atmospheric science is now seen as crucial and of vital importance. Another issue is the choice of the fundamentals of atmospheric science that should constitute the basic knowledge for an aerobiologist. To the purpose these subjects should be tuned on the real practical needs of such an expert. As a matter of fact some physical aspects are not of direct interest to the aerobiologists, who do not utilise them at the applied level.
Session 4, Aerobiology Curriculum Development
Wednesday, 16 August 2000, 1:30 PM-4:30 PM
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