New Climate Change Focus for B.S. in Geosciences Program

June 2022

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Science is pleased to announce the recently launched focus in Climate Change for the Bachelor of Science Geosciences degree program. Students enrolled in the program’s focus area will learn about the fundamental science and policy knowledge needed to understand and address the real-world problem of climate change, particularly in Florida. Instructors include renowned scientists in climate change, as well as policy makers in governmental agencies and professionals in private sectors. Students will have a balanced exposure to both rigorous academic training as well as first-hand practical experiences.

“Geoscience is at the forefront in examining the science of climate change, its impacts on society and policy implications,” said Zhixiao Xie, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the college’s Department of Geosciences. “Since climate change is becoming a pressing issue, it is time to recognize these scientific pursuits as a separate focus area. This new focus will provide a unique niche and exciting opportunities for the next generation scientists to be trained, to explore and to take action in tackling this global challenge.”

The climate on earth has changed throughout history. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which includes more than 2,000 scientists, found that there is unequivocal scientific evidence for unprecedented warming of the climate system in the coming decades as a result of human activity since the mid-20th century.

Due to its low elevation, flat terrain and tropical coastal peninsula location, Florida is one of the most vulnerable areas in the United States that will suffer the consequences of climate change. In fact, Florida is at the forefront of its impact due to rising sea levels and the increased intensity of recent tropical storms.

“Our students can help to provide a systematic study of climate change, specific to South Florida, that will advance our understanding of the issues and go on to become much-needed graduates required in the workforce,” said Xie.

Contact Us to Learn More

For more program details, interested students can contact James Gammack-Clark, Director of the Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Geosciences at jgammack@fau.edu . Learn more about the department’s undergraduate programs.