UGS 303: Climate Change UGS 303: Climate Change: thoughtful skepticism to develop local action

Lecture MWF 10-11a Link to the Zoom lecture (and/or recorded lectures) through Canvas

Discussion (Link to the zoom discussions –and/or recorded discussions- through Canvas) Thursday 11-12, Unique 60545 Thursday 12-1, Unique 60550 Thursday 1-2, Unique 60555

Professor: Dr. Mary Poteet e-mail: [email protected] Office Hours: Mondays 11-12, Immediately after Lecture and using the lecture zoom, or by appointment

Graduate TA:

Undergraduate Mentors:

Course Summary: Overwhelming scientific consensus indicates that planetary warming is unequivocal with responses unprecedented over decades to millennia. Temperature changes exceed those expected from the natural climate system. Consequences of global climate change already include: increased drought, heat waves, flood intensity, glacial retreat, and sea level rise. Solutions are needed to reduce human impact on our climate system and to respond to climate change impacts across sectors vital to humanity (food, water, health). Yet in the face of overwhelming evidence that humans are forcing climate change, there remain vocal deniers that the globe is warming and/or that humans are the drivers of temperature change. Through exploration into the psychology of belief, inquiries into the collection and analysis of climate data, and analysis of current policy and scientific publications, students develop a deeper understanding of climate science, skepticism and policy. Students conclude the course by developing and Climate Action Plan to address a local real-world climate challenge and reflect on implications of future problem solving and policy.

Learning Goals: • You will analyze figures to understand natural and human-influenced drivers of our climate system and implications • You will be able to assess the credibility of scientific information • You will be able to identify logical fallacies in thinking and understand confirmation bias in the face of evidence • You will communicate local climate change challenges to a non-science audience • You will make informed & responsible decisions with regard to our climate system. Outcome Fulfillment:

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UGS 303: Climate Change This semester you will analyze important trends in our climate system through time and space using real-world data available from a variety of government agencies. Through these investigations, you will explore how natural (i.e. solar) and human- derived forcing agents drive our climate system. You will understand why mitigation and adaptation are needed to face present and future challenges. Climate literacy and proactive decision-making are essential to meeting these challenges. You will explore data relevant to climate change on campus and research solutions important to these sectors. Your final project will communicate solutions to the general public through a Climate Action Plan. To develop your plan, you will work in teams to organize Friday campus climate change conversations where your team will report on a local climate issue relevant to UT Austin and possible solutions. We will work together to determine the focus, goals, and guiding questions for campus specific climate change related issues of concern. Throughout the course, you will reflect on lessons learned and your role in educating the public.

*Adapted from the ‘Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Science, 2009’, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) & the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Textbooks & Resources: • Earth’s Climate: Past and Future, 3rd Edition, William F. Rudiman (Chapters available on Canvas) • The National Climate Assessment https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/

Assessments: Students will be assessed on several criteria including but not limited to: • In-class or reflection activities: These may consist of pre-work questions, exit cards, in-class data analysis, or reflection questions. You may miss up to 2 of these activities -- your lowest 2 scores will be dropped. Assignments without point totals will be evaluated with a 0, minus(D), check (~B), and plus (~A). A plus score reflects that you have fully met provided criteria, a check score reflects that you have met most of the provided criteria, and a minus score reflects that more than half of the criteria were not met. • Campus Climate Change Convo – where a team of students presents a local climate change issue and possible solutions • Reflections/Gems: These may be reflections of interviews with experts and/or virtual tours of campus sustainability sites. • University Lecture Series: a campus-wide virtual lecture which you are expected to attend and be able to discuss in class • Thursday Discussions – these discussions are required and provide you a smaller format section in which you can develop your Campus Climate Change teams and Climate Action Plans as well as explore data related to climate change and local action • Final Project: Campus Climate Action Plan. Teams of students will develop a Climate Action Plan for one climate challenge at UT Austin. Development of your Climate Action Plan (CAP) will largely take place in the Thursday Discussions. Thus, CAP teams should be developed with colleagues from your discussion section.

Assessment Total percentage In-Class Activities 20 Campus Climate 20 Change Convo Reflections/Gems 10 University Lecture 10 Thursday Discussion 10 Final Project 30 Total 100

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UGS 303: Climate Change A = 93-100+% B+ = 87-89.9% C+ = 77 – 79.9% D+ = 67 – 69.9% F = < 60% A- = 90-92.9% B = 83 – 86.9% C = 73 – 76.9% D = 63 – 66.9% B- = 80 – 82.9% C- = 70 – 72.9% D- = 60 – 62.9% Participation is expected and includes attention during class, participation in discussions, and asking questions. If you have connectivity issues and are unable to attend synchronous lectures, you will need to discuss this with Dr. Poteet and be sure to keep up with recorded lectures. There will also be a weekly Canvas discussion to which everyone is expected to contribute. Learning in this class is a process and depends on your active engagement in and practice of the activities. If you do not participate, you will not learn the material. Synchronous attendance is best in lectures and discussions, but recorded lectures and Canvas discussions will be available for those who have connectivity issues. If you anticipate issues being able to attend synchronous online lectures because of internet connectivity or family responsibility issues, please discuss this with Dr. Poteet by Sept 4.

This course meets the following Core Curriculum Components http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/core

SIGNATURE COURSES (Core Component 090) This course fulfills three hours of the component area option of the university core curriculum and addresses three of the core objectives established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board: communication skills, critical thinking skills, teamwork, social responsibility. http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/sig

SIGNATURE COURSE MISSION & COURSE ESSENTIALS The Signature Courses at the University of Texas at Austin will provide a rigorous intellectual experience in which students will develop college-level skills in research, writing, speaking, and discussion through an approach that is interdisciplinary, collaborative, experiential, and contemporary. This course will address the Signature Course essentials in the following ways:

• Information Literacy Develop the ability to search for, find, and critically evaluate the vast numbers of resources pertaining to scientific information. Apply and synthesize credible sources to challenging geological problems in a variety of written and oral formats. Discover and analyze, using guided inquiries, some of the vast amounts of unpublished data available through private and government sources that help geoscientists address challenges in society – including climate change, natural disasters, water availability, and energy.

• University Gems (10% of grade) UGS is developing materials for the University Gems and have asked us to wait to develop this assignment until they provide us with more information on those GEMS.

• University Lecture Series Lecture Series (10% of grade – essays due Nov. 4): Designed to create a campus-wide conversation, the University Lecture Series gives first-year students an opportunity to interact with leading members of our faculty—scholars, scientists, and civic leaders who are nationally and internationally renowned. All students, faculty, alumni, staff and community guests are invited, but the events will be aimed at entering first-year students. The series is funded by the Audre and Bernard Rapoport Excellence Fund for Undergraduate Studies.

Attend at least one of the University lectures and write no more than a 2-page, thoughtful essay discussing how the talk affected your perceptions of science, your experience as a first-year college student, and how those perceptions and experiences relate to this class. Format – 1” margins, 11-12pt font, line spacing 1.5-2.

Speakers: Dr. Lauren Ancel Meyers and Dr. Jason McLellan will present on their incredible research regarding COVID- 19, and Dr. Leonard Moore will lead a conversation around race and justice. Dates and abstracts for the lectures are TBD, and will be sent to you via email, and will also be available on the UGS website at: https://ugs.utexas.edu/uls

COMMUNICATION & CANVAS: http://canvas.utexas.edu/ You are required to have a working e-mail that is registered with The University of Texas system. We will send important information about assignments, readings, deadlines, etc. to you via e- mail and/or announcements through Canvas. Background and informational materials for the course – e.g., course readings, syllabus, policy statement, and announcements -- can be found on Canvas. Keep in mind, that in-class activities will be submitted to Canvas, and they will only be available during lecture time and will be due at the end of lecture – unless you 3

UGS 303: Climate Change discuss your difficulties with attending synchronous lectures with Dr. Poteet by Sept. 4.

You will submit all of your assignments through Canvas – and frequently during lecture. It is your responsibility to behave professionally during lecture and to use your time wisely on course material. It is also your responsibility to learn how to use the Canvas assignment submissions page and make sure the correct assignment is attached before the assignment deadline. If your assignment is not on Canvas by the due date/time, your assignment will be considered late.

Readings: Read these before class and be ready to discuss them by the due date. The due date for each reading is posted on the course syllabus under “Due Date”. All readings will be posted on Canvas. The readings are designed to supplement and complement the lectures and discussions therein. Readings will sometimes provide additional material not necessarily covered in class but are an important supplement to the lectures, discussions and/or group projects.

Due Dates: If you turn an assignment in late, you will lose 10% for each day it is late.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS: 1) Communicating your ideas is key to enhancing your understanding. You can communicate via chat, by raising your hand, and in the frequent breakout rooms. Also, please take advantage of our office hours to ask questions and communicate your ideas. 2) Take a risk! None of us knows all the answers to all the questions that this group will generate. Ask questions and don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand”. If you know all the material in this course, you should probably be taking a different course. 3) This course is designed for team exploration of scientific information as it applies to society. Your active engagement and discussion of ideas is expected. 4) Respect the differences and diversities of opinions of students and instructors in class. 5) Be professional. Respect the learning environment, your fellow students, and your instructors.

UNIVERSITY RESOURCES AND POLICIES FOR STUDENTS COVID-19 Updates: Fall 2020 Semester

Sharing of Course Materials is Prohibited: No materials used in this class, including, but not limited to, lecture hand-outs, videos, assessments (quizzes, exams, papers, projects, homework assignments), in-class materials, review sheets, and additional problem sets, may be shared online or with anyone outside of the class unless you have my explicit, written permission. Unauthorized sharing of materials promotes cheating. It is a violation of the University’s Student Honor Code and an act of academic dishonesty. I am well aware of the sites used for sharing materials, and any materials found online that are associated with you, or any suspected unauthorized sharing of materials, will be reported to Student Conduct and Academic Integrity in the Office of the Dean of Students. These reports can result in sanctions, including failure in the course.

*Class Recordings: Class recordings are reserved only for students in this class for educational purposes and are protected under FERPA. The recordings should not be shared outside the class in any form. Violation of this restriction by a student could lead to Student Misconduct proceedings.

Zoom Etiquette: • Mute yourself unless you are speaking. This will cut down on background noise and limit any distractions. • Be mindful of your surroundings when on camera. We want to make sure we avoid as much distraction as possible. • Turn your camera off if you are leaving the meeting temporarily. • If the video or audio is choppy, try turning off your video. • Please always use reliable private or enterprise WIFI. COVID-19 Resource: “Keep Learning” Resources – This course may be offered in a format to which you are unaccustomed. If you are looking for ideas and strategies to help you feel more comfortable participating in our class, please explore the resources available here: https://onestop.utexas.edu/keep-learning/ 4

UGS 303: Climate Change

The Sanger Learning Center Did you know that more than one-third of UT undergraduate students use the Sanger Learning Center each year to improve their academic performance? All students are welcome to take advantage of Sanger Center’s classes and workshops, private learning specialist appointments, peer academic coaching, and tutoring for more than 70 courses in 15 different subject areas. For more information, please visit http://www.utexas.edu/ugs/slc or call 512-471-3614 (JES A332).

Undergraduate Writing Center: http://uwc.utexas.edu/ Libraries: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/ ITS: http://www.utexas.edu/its/ Student Emergency Services: http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/emergency/

BeVocal: BeVocal is a university-wide initiative to promote the idea that individual Longhorns have the power to prevent high-risk behavior and harm. At UT Austin all Longhorns have the power to intervene and reduce harm. To learn more about BeVocal and how you can help to build a culture of care on campus, go to: https://wellnessnetwork.utexas.edu/BeVocal. Religious holidays: A student who misses classes or other required activities, including examinations, for the observance of a religious holy day should inform the instructor as far in advance of the absence as possible, so that arrangements can be made to complete an assignment within a reasonable time before (or possibly after) the absence. Services for Students with Disabilities: This class respects and welcomes students of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. If there are circumstances that make our learning environment and activities difficult, if you have medical information that you need to share with me, or if you need specific arrangements in case the building needs to be evacuated, please let me know. I am committed to creating an effective learning environment for all students, but I can only do so if you discuss your needs with me as early as possible. I promise to maintain the confidentiality of these discussions. Any student with a documented disability who requires academic accommodations should contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 471-6259 (voice) or 512-410-6644 (Video Phone) as soon as possible to request an official letter outlining authorized accommodations. For more information, visit http://ddce.utexas.edu/disability/about/. Policy on Scholastic Dishonesty: We maintain a zero-tolerance policy on cheating, plagiarism, or any presentation of someone else’s work as your own. Cheating includes not only direct copying of your peer’s work, it also includes plagiarism of someone else’s work, ideas, or writings. Students who violate University rules on scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in the course and/or dismissal from the University. Because such dishonesty harms the individual, all students, and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. For further information, please visit the Student Judicial Services web site at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/ . Use of E-mail for Official Correspondence to Students: All students should be familiar with the University’s official e-mail notification policy. It is the student’s responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University--- related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time---critical. The complete text of this policy and instructions for updating your e-mail address are available at: https://it.utexas.edu/policies/university-electronic-mail- student-notification-policy#three

University of Texas Core Values and Honor Code: The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community. As a student of The University of Texas at Austin, I shall abide by the core values of the University and uphold academic integrity.

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UGS 303: Climate Change Readings and assignments will be posted on Canvas prior to their deadline. Keep track of readings and assignments on Canvas Tentative Topical Outline: (EC = Earth’s Climate Book) Week Topic Details Aug 26-28 Introduction • By Friday read Explanatory models in science, the practice of science, and Scientific process Kastens and Rivet • Fri: Cube Activity Thursday Discussion: Community Building and Introductions (beginning of Team development) Aug 31 – Sep 4 Earth’s climate system is • By Monday read: EC Chapter 1 regulated by complex • By Wednesday read: EC Chapter 2 interactions and feedbacks • By Friday read: National Climate Assessment, Ch 1. Overview and (Greenhouse Gases: Energy Introduction to our Changing Climate Balance) Thursday Discussion: Climate Change / Information Literacy Sep 7-11 Climate Change Indicators • Monday – Labor Day (no Class) Climate Action Plan Team • By Wed: Read Your indicator before class Formations • Fri: Climate Change Convo – Team Formations and Brainstorming Thursday Discussion: Climate Action Plans (CAP) and 2019 Austin GHG Inventory Sep 14-18 Human activities are impacting • By Monday Read: EC Chapter 19 the climate system • Wed: Class activity – Mauna Loa and ESRL data exploration Thursday Discussion: CAP, Idea Development Friday Guest Lecture: Jim Walker, Director of the UT Office of Sustainability Sep 21-25 Historical Climate Patterns and • By Mon: EC Chapter 3 Climate Proxies • By Wed: Climate Proxy reading from EC Chapter 17for in-class Proxy Jigsaw activity Thursday Discussion: Vostok Ice Core and Foram data exploration Friday: 1st Campus Climate Change Convo Sep 28 – Oct 2 Why is Climate Change so • By Mon read: The non-perfect non-storm. Timeline of politics of climate Controversial? History of Climate change. Excerpts from “Climate Change: How do we Know we’re not Wrong” Change in the United States • By Wed explore: https://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/zero-energy-buildings Wednesday Guest Lecture: Dr. Zoltan Nagy, UT Austin, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering. Thursday Discussion: Exploration of Logical Fallacies and Climate myths. READ: Shermer, Why People Believe Weird Things Friday: 2nd Campus Climate Change Convo Oct 5 - 9 States of Climate Change Denial • By Mon read: Muller, Global Warming and Climate Change • By Wed read: chapter “Don’t even think about it” Thursday Discussion: Climate Action Plans – Team Outline Friday Guest Lecture: Zach Baumer, Climate Program Manager, City of Austin • By Fri read: Austin Community Climate Plan Oct 12-16 Continued discussion on climate Monday: 3rd Campus Climate Change Convo denial: Denying Reality • By Wed read: Chapter from “Don’t Even Think About it” Thursday Discussion: Peer Review discussion of CAP outlines Friday Guest Lecture: Dr. Anna Graybeal, Citizen’s Climate Lobby • By Fri read: https://citizensclimatelobby.org/energy-innovation-and- carbon-dividend-act/ Oct 19-23 Continued discussion on climate Monday: 4th Campus Climate Change Convo denial: Denying Responsibility • Wed: Denying Responsibility examples Thursday Discussion: CAP Teams - details of Climate Action Plans

Oct 26-30 Continued discussion on climate • Mon & Wed: Myths and Fallacies denial: Denying Consequences Thursday Discussion: CAP Teamwork Friday: 5th Campus Climate Change Convo Nov 2-6 Continued discussion on climate • Mon & Wed: Myths and Fallacies denial: Denying Science Thursday Discussion: CAP Teamwork Nov 9-13 Responding to climate change – • By Mon read: City of Austin net-zero plan local actions. • By Wed view: EPAs climate showcase communities https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/climate- showcase-communities-program_.html Thursday Discussion: CAP Teamwork Friday: 6th Campus Climate Change Convo 6

UGS 303: Climate Change Nov 23-27 CCCC Monday 7th Campus Climate Change Convo Thanksgiving Nov 30-Dec 4 Responding to Climate change – Monday 8th Campus Climate Change Convo Regional / Global Action • Wed: Global Actions to Combat Climate Change Friday 9th Campus Climate Change Convo Dec 7 Solutions, Wrap-Up • Reflection on personal responsibility/Wrap-Up Final Climate Action Plan Due • Mon: Climate Action Plan

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