Program Highlights
• Examine climate science, policy, literature, and leadership in their human social contexts
• Interact with researchers and writers in New England and Tahiti
• Learn how cities, islands, and coastal regions are affected by and adapting to climate change
• Acquire valuable climate leadership and communication skills through coursework, field research experiences, and digital storytelling.
Who Should Apply?
This SEA Semester program is designed for non-science majors who are passionate about addressing climate change in an actionable way. It allows students with a limited background in the sciences to explore climate-related issues while gaining science literacy through engaging and accessible research at sea. Open to all majors.
Program Description
Finding solutions to the problems brought about by climate change requires going beyond scientific data. We must also consider the possibilities found within social and political institutions, economic systems, cultural practices, and the creative forces of art, literature, and design. The humanities and social sciences contribute to knowledge of how our changing climate impacts human lives and societies, and they play a vital role in building strategies for global climate resilience and adaptation.
Climate & Society: Tahiti features a six-week shore component in Woods Hole followed by six weeks of sailing through the islands of French Polynesia. In Woods Hole, home to world-renowned leaders in climate science, you will develop your semester-long research project, review essential climate humanities literature, and design a plan for original field research. You’ll meet with climate experts in Boston and the Woods Hole science community to discuss a range of climate related issues including public health, coastal and urban resilience, environmental justice, clean energy, and sustainable design. Dynamic interactive courses in oceanography, communication, and leadership will prepare you for the sailing and field research phase of the program.
The sailing component begins in the capital city of Pape'ete, on the island of Tahiti, where you will discuss climate change issues and local solutions with government officials and community leaders. Sailing east to Fakarava and the islands of the Marquesas, you’ll explore the effects of sea level rise and sea surface temperature change on island ecosystems and the human communities that depend on them. You’ll also work with fellow students and our science team to examine the changes to our oceans brought about by shifting climatic conditions, and develop strategies for connecting scientific data to observable climate impacts on human societies. Through daily oceanographic surveys, “classroom” discussions, and navigational training while at sea, you will gain a unique and valuable perspective of climate change that links oceanic and terrestrial systems. The cruise track moves westward to the island of Maupiti before returning to Pape'ete and a final onboard symposium featuring student presentations of field research and storytelling projects.
Skills Gained
• Leadership through shipboard and group project work
• Ability to effectively communicate to stakeholders, fellow researchers, and the public
• Partnership-building to develop & improve initiatives such as community resilience and outreach
Academic Coursework & Credit
Climate & Society offers 18 transferable credits from Boston University upon successful completion of the program.
Course Descriptions
Climate, Society and the Humanities (300-level, 4 cr.)
Survey of climate literature across humanities and social science disciplines. Explores interpretive and comparative approaches to understanding human-climate interactions in maritime contexts and identifies collaborative potential with the natural sciences. Requires interdisciplinary research, field journal writing, and team projects.
Environmental Communication (300-level, 3 cr.)
Seminar focusing on communication skills development for environmental scholars. Introduces the field of environmental communication, examines environmental attitudes and behaviors, and develops a toolkit of communications strategies. Includes projects in data visualization, multi-media presentation and digital storytelling.
Leadership in a Dynamic Environment (300-level, 3 credits)
Prereq: Admission to SEA Semester. Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.
Be an effective leader while leveraging the individual strengths of a team. Use leadership theory and case studies to understand how decisions affect outcomes. Participate as an active member of a ship’s crew, progressively assuming full leadership roles.
The Ocean & Global Change (300-level, 4 credits)
Prereq: Admission to SEA Semester. Sophomore standing or consent of instructor.
Ocean ecosystem change in the anthropocene: warming, acidification, fisheries depletion, and pollution. Review principles of circulation, seawater chemistry, nutrient dynamics, and biological production to understand causes and consequences of change. Conduct field measurements for contribution to time-series datasets.
Your Choice of Research Course Options:
Advanced Research Topics (400-level, 4 cr.)
Advanced humanities and social science seminar focusing on contemporary climate-related issues including urban/coastal resilience, poverty and justice, clean energy, human displacement, and national security. Emphasizes case study analysis and research methods. Requires field data collection, research paper and symposium presentation.
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Directed Oceanographic Research (300-level, 4 cr.)
Seminar exploring humanities and social sciences approaches to understanding and resolving contemporary climate-related issues. Development of research and writing skills through analyses of case studies and guided seminar exercises. Requires field data collection, research paper and presentation of results.
