Atmospheric and Ocean Science Education: Reflections on the past, the present, and the future – being a talk in three parts – John T. Snow The University of Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma USA Paper 107 (Keynote), presented 7 July th ICSPMOE – Madrid, Spain

Acknowledgements Don Johnson, Univ. of Wisconsin, who introduced me to Earth System Science in the 1980s Art Few, Rice University, who taught me the need for integrative thinking with respect to Earth System models Cathy Manduca and Dave Mogk, who introduced me to inquiry as way of learning Faculty colleagues, who over the years debated with me on what science education is today and what it could (should) become in the future Many, many students, who put up with my experiments in the classroom

I. Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Education: The Past In The Beginning … In The Beginning … Reductionist Period – 1945 to ~1990 Reductionist Period – 1945 to ~1990 Related Developments Related Developments A Turn Toward Integration A Turn Toward Integration

In The Beginning … Natural philosophy in the late 1700s 3 3 Holistic; no formal disciplinary boundaries 3 3 Physical Geography is probably most direct descendent Geology: early 1800s – the parent earth science Meteorology : mid-1800s, but “modern” meteorology post-WW I; expansion began post- WW II with growth of air service Oceanography : mid-1800s, but “modern” oceanography in the mid-1900s, growing with onset of the cold war

Reductionist Period – 1945 to ~1990 Focus narrowly on components of Earth System to build the knowledge base  research driven Development of narrow subspecialties 3 3 Continued proliferation for last 50 years Much, much progress in both understanding and applications, but … 3 3 Loss of connection to the life sciences 3 3 Loss of perspective of the whole: “Can’t see forest for the trees” Begin to end in 1980s due to satellite views, “climate problem”, increasing model resolution POINT: Modern science education, independent of particular discipline, has evolved to be largely reductionist in structure, with early specialization

Related Developments Association with global military operations Association with global military operations 3 Cold War 3 End of the Cold War and rise of a “new world order” Rise of the “environmental movement” Rise of the “environmental movement” 3 Politics and Policy 3 “Soft” science  environmental science is perceived as second class Global population  6B + “rising expectations” Global population  6B + “rising expectations” Tools and Techniques  a “fire hose” of data Tools and Techniques  a “fire hose” of data 3 Computational capabilities; telecommunications (Internet  WWW); GIS; … 3 Observing platforms; GPS; … POINT: Sets the context for present and future

A Turn Toward Integration View from space  Again seeing Earth as whole View from space  Again seeing Earth as whole Knowledge base has reached stage where again need to consider Earth’s two fluid envelopes surrounding a solid earth as an integrated system  Earth System Science; such a perspective required to address: Knowledge base has reached stage where again need to consider Earth’s two fluid envelopes surrounding a solid earth as an integrated system  Earth System Science; such a perspective required to address: 3 Environmental Quality 3 Water Issues 3 Climate Change 3 Evolution of life Bio-geoscience  formal reconnection to the life sciences Bio-geoscience  formal reconnection to the life sciences 3 Life an integral part of the Earth System Scientific foundation for sustainability Scientific foundation for sustainability

II. Education In The Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences: The Present Entering a Golden Age ? A More Demanding Customer Base New Demands on Education Growing Interest In Education

Entering a Golden Age? Knowledge base has grown to where we can begin to understand the Earth as an integrated system 3 3 Biogeochemical cycles 3 3 Climate and climate change 3 3 Co-evolution of the planetary system and life New tools and techniques promise unprecedented opportunities to explore the Earth System on a wide range of scales 3 3 Now able to “see” phenomena in ways impossible only a few years ago 3 3 Continued push toward “big science” POINT: Education must prepare all people for continuing major advances in understanding and in capabilities to monitor and prediction

A More Demanding Customer Base Atmospheric and ocean sciences rely on the support of society – government, industry 3 3 Shrinking discretionary budgets 3 3 Accountability Utilitarian Perspective of Science  Applications to Decision-Making 3 3 Support to decision makers in government and industry 3 3 Establishment of a global society sustainable in long term POINT: Lawyers, accountants, populist politicians are in charge of the future!

New Demands on Science Education Knowledge base is large and growing 3 3 Making sense of what we know  frameworks 3 3 How did we come to know what we know?  history Ability to use wisely an ever-growing range of technical tools – skills vs. knowledge 3 3 The WEB, search engines, digital libraries  healthy, informed skepticism for sorting wheat from chaff 3 3 Computing tools necessary to utilize the data streams -- GIS, MIS Prepare students for life-long learning 3 3 Personal re-invention several times during a career POINT: Educational programs should be flexible, adaptable to prepare students for a rapidly evolving personal and professional environment

Growing Interest In Education Life-long economic value Life-long economic value Awareness among scientists that societal concerns are important Awareness among scientists that societal concerns are important NSF Criterion 2 NSF Criterion 2 Informal Education  Edu-tainment Informal Education  Edu-tainment

III. Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences Education: The Future Goals for Tomorrow’s Teachers and Students A Way Forward Objectives 1, 2, 3 – Know, Understand, Apply Objectives for the Capstone Experience 1, 2 Special Place for Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences Education Closing Challenges

Two Goals for Tomorrow’s Teachers and Students Development of integrated understandings of Earth processes that combine measurements from observing systems with numerical simulations/prediction models Development of skills for accessing, manipulating, and analyzing massive data streams, converting “data” into “information” for decision-making POINT: Tomorrow’s educational programs must prepare students to live in a very complex, very challenging world

One Way Forward Emphasize fundamentals of mathematics, physics, chemistry, life sciences as applied to the Earth as a whole  students must come to know, to understand, and to be able to do As a capstone experience, investigate an aspect of a disciplinary area as an exploration for a career

Objectives 1 Know the basic physical, chemical, and life science principles that govern the functioning of the Earth System (what scientists have come to know -- “facts”, theories, models -- about Earth processes as reflected in observable events) 3 3 Quantitative as well as qualitative appreciation of the natural world and the events that occur within it 3 3 Interconnections of Earth’s major subsystems 3 3 Earth history: Evolution over long time   Origin, composition, and structure of the planet   Co-evolution of life and the planet

Objectives 2 Understand that science is a systematic method for exploring the natural world (how scientists have come to know what they know - processes, methods) 3 3 Development of scientific “habits of mind” (  critical thinking, arguing from data, mathematical and reasoning skills, and problem solving experiences)

Objectives 3 Able to apply knowledge and understanding to the solution of novel problems 3 3 Uses a suite of appropriate “technology” – IT, GIS, GPS, visualization – in problem solving 3 3 Accesses relevant parts of the accumulated body of knowledge about the natural world 3 3 Recognizes, quantifies uncertainties and risks POINT: Foundation for further study, living and working a hi-tech world, informed decision making, life-long learning

Objectives for the Capstone Experience 1 Depth  knowledge, understandings, and skills 3 3 GIS, RS, GPS tools as appropriate to the disciplinary area 3 3 Ethics  risk; societal impacts (good and bad) Case study based, team-oriented 3 3 Context: how disciplinary knowledge fits with that of other geoscientists, engineers 3 3 Integration: how to apply disciplinary knowledge to solve complex problems

Objectives for the Capstone Experience 2 Technical project  content + writing, presentation skills 22 to 24 months Opportunities for industry involvement  internships, tailored projects POINT: Career oriented; develops a flexible skills package

Special Place for Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences Education Readily accessible natural laboratories in air and ocean; many interesting phenomena with short time scales Inherent natural interest of students in atmospheric phenomena, the sea, and the environment Some students born to be meteorologists! Only geoscience with its own 24-hour TV show: The Weather Channel Combination of science/high technology with the out-of- doors Environmental concerns Community building – air and oceans connections us all

Closing Challenges to the Atmospheric and Ocean Science Educator Teaching environmental ethics and values; humankind as part of an integrated environment; environmental economics  students prepared to contribute to development of a sustainability society in a world of rapid changes Development of an entrepreneurial spirit with regard to science education, breaking with traditions of last 100 years 3 3 Bold and innovative in both structure and content 3 3 Recognize that excitement as well as content must be communicated; emphasize critical thinking and problem solving skills 3 3 Re-orient to serve the needs of the work place

John T. Snow Dean, College of Geosciences The University of Oklahoma Sarkeys Energy Center, Suite E. Boyd Street Norman, Oklahoma USA Telephone: FAX: Web site: