CLSTHEV404 - Planet Now! Shaping Climate Futures

The environmental impacts of climate change occur now with overwhelming regularity. Fires, floods, heat waves and storms hit harder, more often and more widely than ever before. Such disasters make the news, but slower and less visible forms of pervasive damage loom large as well—pollution, toxicity, coastal erosion and soil degradation, among many others. It will take not just a village but scholars from all disciplines and people from all walks of life to imagine and shape a more viable, livable future. This course examines the scientific, social and cultural dimensions of environmental dilemmas through the methods and approaches of a range of disciplines, from science, engineering and social sciences to the humanities, arts and architecture. As these disciplines clarify the nature of the problems we face, they make it possible to envision equitable solutions to pressing concerns facing the planet now. 

Lectures include:

Feb. 28. “Planet Now: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Climate Crisis.” Joseph Campana, Ph.D., William Shakespeare Professor of English and director, Center for Environmental Studies, Rice University

March 7. “The Science of Climate Change: The Global Biosphere.” Laurence Yeung, Ph.D., M. Ewing Career Development Associate Professor of Earth Systems Science and associate professor, chemistry, Rice University

March 21. “In Too Deep: Family Life in an Age of Climate Instability.” Rachel Kimbro, Ph.D., dean, School of Social Sciences, Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, professor of sociology, Rice University 

March 28. “Confronting Climate Gridlock: Futures of Energy.” Daniel Cohan, Ph.D., associate professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University

April 4. “Environmental Justice: Houston and the Global South.” Gisela Heffes, Ph.D., professor, Modern and Classical Literatures and Culture, Rice University

April 11. “The Future of Biodiversity.” Lydia Beaudrot, Ph.D., assistant professor, BioSciences, Rice University

April 18. “Creative Ecological Design: Climate Adaptation and Flood Hazard Mitigation.” Maggie Tsang, M.Des, M.Arch, 2021–23 Wortham Fellow, School of Architecture, Rice University 

April 25. “Envisioning New Futures: The Arts of Climate Change.” Joseph Campana, Ph.D., William Shakespeare Professor of English and director, Center for Environmental Studies, Rice University

Course Details