In 1991, the Department of Geology was awarded a 4-yr grant by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA)
as part of a cooperative program with 21 other universities to develop a
curriculum in Earth System
Science Education (ESSE). In 1996, 22 new universities were added to
the ESSE program bringing the total to 44 institution nationally. The USRA
program is funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
with the goal of establishing a national academic underpinning for earth
system and global change science to complement NASA's initiative of Mission
to Planet Earth, which seeks to study the Earth System using remotely-sensed
satellite data collected by the Earth Observing System (EOS). The USRA award
includes funds for teaching assistants, educational resources (computers,
software, peripherals, books, videos, slide sets, etc.), and travel to bring
guest lecturers to the classroom and university to speak on Earth System
issues. Travel funds are also provided for the principal coordinator to
meet twice annually with educators from participating universities to discuss
curriculum development, share educational resources, create new instructional
materials, and explore broader issues and objectives of the program such
as strategies for establishment of degree programs in Earth System Science.
Under the USRA program, each university is expected to offer a survey and
senior/graduate level course in which faculty present earth systems issues
as a socially relevant, challenging, and important class of scientific problems.
At the University of Florida, we implemented the curriculum in Earth System
Science beginning in Academic Year 1993-94. During the Fall and Spring semesters,
we offer a survey course entitled "An Introduction to Global Change"
(GLY 1033) targeted at undergraduate science and non-science majors (this
course meets general education requirements in the physical sciences). In
this course, students learn to view the Earth as a complex system of interacting
components (biosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, anthrosphere),
emphasizing the inter-connections among the Earth's subsystems. This systems
perspective of the Earth fosters a better appreciation for global change
issues such as greenhouse warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, deforestation,
desertification, acid rain, biodiversity, human population growth, etc.
It is hoped that exposure to these socially-relevant scientific problems
will attract undergraduate science and mathematics majors into advanced
studies in Earth System Science. The course makes extensive use of the World
Wide Web and has its own homepage.
The focus of the senior/graduate level courses (GLY 6932) has been the application
of advanced concepts and analytical products in a problem-solving, project-oriented
environment. We offer a two-part course that includes "Global Biogeochemical
Cycles" during the Fall and "Modeling the Earth System" during
the Spring. During the Fall, students are introduced to biogeochemical cycling
of elements in the Earth System and during the Fall, they learn how to develop
simple numeric models of various components of the Earth System using systems
modeling software (Stella II®).
An important goal of the ESS program is to strengthen interdisciplinary
bonds within the university and to foster cooperative teaching and research
across traditional discipline boundaries. As such, it is our intention to
directly involve students and faculty from other departments in the ESS
program. The establishment of the new College
of Natural Resources and the Environment should aid in breaking the
traditional barriers between different disciplines and promoting interdisciplinary
collaboration in teaching and research. Our nation's ability to meet present
and future environmental challenges depends upon attracting promising students
into interdisciplinary earth science research. It is our hope that this
new program in Earth System Science at the University of Florida will attract
a new generation of motivated students with solid foundations in the sciences
and mathematics to pursue advanced studies, and eventually professional
work, in interdisciplinary earth science and global change research.
Any faculty or student wishing to know more about the Earth System Science
program are urged to contact Dr.
David Hodell, Dept. of Geology, B121 Turlington Hall, (352)392-6137.