For the winter term 2023/2024, the Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change offers several courses that are not embedded in a curriculum, but provide exciting competences for students. For elective topics, we suggest:
- In addition to their socio-cultural dynamics, societies are biophysical systems that depend on flows and conversions of energy, matter and information to develop and maintain structures and functions. This course will survey current knowledge about the biophysical foundations of societies and what this implies for transformation pathways to a more sustainable future socio-metabolic regime.
- Become familiar with the theory and methods that are used to analyse the biophysical dynamics of social-ecological systems, and to be able to apply these to analyse real-world systems.
- Wednesday, 11:00 – 13:15
Course Special Topics in Transformation Science: Research methods for Master students
- This course will provide an overview of research methods that can be used to study interdisciplinary topics related to social-ecological systems, climate change, and transformation management. Special attention will be given to quantitative approaches including surveys, behavioural experiments, and evaluation approaches including cost-benefit and multicriteria assessment.
- Participants are expected to learn how to design their own research and collect quantitative data. A brief introduction to quantitative data analysis will be given. However, students are encouraged to also take courses in statistics and econometrics to advance their skills in these areas.
- Wednesday, 14:00 – 15:30
Practical Klimawandel: Wissenschaftliche Fakten und deren Kommunikation
- Learning about climate change: from natural and anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission sources, to the atmospheric processes up to the ecological and social impacts and possible measures for adaptation and mitigation.
Communication of the scientifically proven facts, as well as dealing with arguments of climate change deniers - special target group pupils and teachers at schools. - During the courses interested students are prepared both by the gained knowledge as well as didactically to accompany schools in their climate or sustainability projects. They are prepared to become mediators between schools and universities: To contribute with their own competences where possible and to involve suitable scientists where this seems necessary or helpful.
- Friday, 14:00 – 16:30
Registration starts on Monday, September 11th 2023.
