More US Universities Deliver Climate Change Programs
2024-06-09
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1Colleges and universities in the United States are increasingly creating climate change study programs.
2They are meeting the demand from students who want to help find ways to deal with the effects of climate change.
3Kathy Jacobs is director of the University of Arizona Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, which launched 10 years ago.
4She said, "Lots of centers and departments have renamed themselves or been created around these climate issues."
5The aim, she added, is to appeal to students and professors.
6Students are increasingly interested in climate-related study programs.
7For some, the interest comes from seeing the effects of climate change in their own lives.
8For others, a rise in climate-related jobs is driving their interest, experts say.
9In the last four years, schools like Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have started climate-related studies.
10The University of Texas at Austin plans to have climate studies offerings in the fall.
11And Hampton University, a private, historically Black university in Virginia, is building one now.
12Columbia University in New York City opened its Climate School in 2020.
13It offers graduate degrees now and is working on creating undergraduate programs.
14Other schools that have created climate-related education programs include the University of Washington, Yale University and Utah State University.
15In these programs, students study the science of climate change.
16The offerings require professors who teach biology, chemistry, physics, and social sciences, among others.
17But students also study ways to communicate about climate change with the public.
18They look at the ways communities can prepare and deal with climate change before it worsens.
19And they learn about the roles lawmakers and businesses play in cutting greenhouse gasses.
20When colleges and universities put their programs together, they often use existing meteorology and atmospheric science studies.
21But climate studies need to go beyond those departments to satisfy some incoming students.
22In Kennebunk, Maine, high school student Will Eagleson has lived through storms that caused coastal destruction.
23The sea level is rising in his hometown.
24As the 17-year-old considers college, he said he is looking for schools that offer "more climate change-focused programs."
25He added that he is looking for climate study programs that go beyond the usual Earth and environmental study programs.
26Lucia Everist is a student at Edina High School in Minnesota.
27She said she wants to attend a program that goes deeper into the effects that climate change can have on human populations.
28She noted that climate change is especially affecting minority populations and poorer neighborhoods.
29Everist, who is 18, said she only applied to programs that had course offerings on the social effects of climate change.
30Many American colleges and universities are losing students and public financial support.
31This is pushing them to offer new programs that interest students.
32They hope that offering such programs will bring more students - and more money.
33John Knox is an undergraduate coordinator for the University of Georgia's Atmospheric Sciences program.
34He is considering whether the school should offer a climate certificate.
35Knox said colleges and universities do have to pay attention to "consumer demand" when making decisions about courses they offer.
36But, he added, "In the end, I'm worried more about our students succeeding than marketing something to somebody."
37I'm Gregory Stachel.
1Colleges and universities in the United States are increasingly creating climate change study programs. They are meeting the demand from students who want to help find ways to deal with the effects of climate change. 2Kathy Jacobs is director of the University of Arizona Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, which launched 10 years ago. She said, "Lots of centers and departments have renamed themselves or been created around these climate issues." 3The aim, she added, is to appeal to students and professors. 4Students are increasingly interested in climate-related study programs. For some, the interest comes from seeing the effects of climate change in their own lives. For others, a rise in climate-related jobs is driving their interest, experts say. 5In the last four years, schools like Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have started climate-related studies. The University of Texas at Austin plans to have climate studies offerings in the fall. And Hampton University, a private, historically Black university in Virginia, is building one now. 6Columbia University in New York City opened its Climate School in 2020. It offers graduate degrees now and is working on creating undergraduate programs. 7Other schools that have created climate-related education programs include the University of Washington, Yale University and Utah State University. 8In these programs, students study the science of climate change. The offerings require professors who teach biology, chemistry, physics, and social sciences, among others. 9But students also study ways to communicate about climate change with the public. They look at the ways communities can prepare and deal with climate change before it worsens. And they learn about the roles lawmakers and businesses play in cutting greenhouse gasses. 10Meeting a growing demand 11When colleges and universities put their programs together, they often use existing meteorology and atmospheric science studies. But climate studies need to go beyond those departments to satisfy some incoming students. 12In Kennebunk, Maine, high school student Will Eagleson has lived through storms that caused coastal destruction. The sea level is rising in his hometown. As the 17-year-old considers college, he said he is looking for schools that offer "more climate change-focused programs." He added that he is looking for climate study programs that go beyond the usual Earth and environmental study programs. 13Lucia Everist is a student at Edina High School in Minnesota. She said she wants to attend a program that goes deeper into the effects that climate change can have on human populations. She noted that climate change is especially affecting minority populations and poorer neighborhoods. Everist, who is 18, said she only applied to programs that had course offerings on the social effects of climate change. 14Many American colleges and universities are losing students and public financial support. This is pushing them to offer new programs that interest students. They hope that offering such programs will bring more students - and more money. 15John Knox is an undergraduate coordinator for the University of Georgia's Atmospheric Sciences program. He is considering whether the school should offer a climate certificate. 16Knox said colleges and universities do have to pay attention to "consumer demand" when making decisions about courses they offer. 17But, he added, "In the end, I'm worried more about our students succeeding than marketing something to somebody." 18I'm Gregory Stachel. 19Alexa St. John reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. 20_____________________________________________ 21Words in This Story 22graduate - adj. of or relating to a course of studies taken at a college or university after earning a bachelor's degree or other first degree 23meteorology - n. a science that deals with the atmosphere and with weather 24undergraduate - n. a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree 25coordinator - n. a person who organizes people or groups so that they work together properly and well 26certificate - n. a document that is official proof that you have finished school or a course of training 27consumer - n. a person who buys goods and services