The ESP programs (BA and BS) share a number of core competencies [1] central to preparing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in this field of study and work. For the Communications Skills core competency, ESP seeks to prepare all students with these abilities:
Acquiring this communications competency is accomplished largely through peer-to-peer activities in ESP courses, such as group discussions, team projects and peer reviews of another’s work. These interactions with classmates, along with instructor guidance, enable ESP students to hone and master effective communication skills, necessary for ESP competency.
In ESP peer-to-peer assignments, students are encouraged to openly express and explore new ideas. Exchange opinions and experience. Disagree and say why. This IS academic inquiry. It is why we are here. These assignments are a place to practice and develop effective communication skills, through meaningful and constructive discourse.
Across all ESP courses, students participating in peer-to-peer learning activities are expected to participate constructively with others in the practice and development of effective communication skills. This means NO personal attacks, NO name-calling, and NO threatening language of any kind.
This isn't a limitation of your free speech; it's a protection of your right to free speech. Write with passion and fervor. Mean what you say, and say what you mean, but no personal attacks, no name-calling and no threatening language of any kind. Period.
Any instance of threatening language will be reported to the Penn State Office of Student Conduct.
If you are ever unsure about a situation in a peer-to-peer assignment, contact your instructor before acting. Ask them to review your work (does it cross the line?) or to provide guidance. It is your responsibility to develop the awareness and control necessary to manage challenging interactions. The ESP faculty are here to help and support you as you work to acquire this important communication skill. Please feel free to contact your instructor and adviser at any time with any questions you may have about constructive participation in ESP peer-to-peer activities.
Hi, everyone! My name is Dan Kasper, and I will be your instructor for this course. I am very much looking forward to working with all of you this semester!
I grew up in a very small town in Central Pennsylvania (Milesburg [2]) about 10 miles from State College – believe it or not, the townsfolk are still waiting for their first stop light. After trying out a few majors at Penn State, I ended up deciding on Earth Science because it interested me the most. I've always been, and continue to be, fascinated by natural processes, from the tiniest processes such as soil formation to the large, dramatic processes such as mountain building. After earning my BS at University Park, I spun my wheels for a few years bartending (at the now-closed Gingerbread Man) and working part-time at the Center for Environmental Informatics [3] at Penn State. I focused mostly on basic Geographic Information Systems (GIS) work at the latter job. I continued to use GIS throughout my academic career.
After a few years, my wife and I moved to Denver, Colorado, where I earned my MA in Geography from the University of Denver. My wife and I think very fondly of our time in Denver because we absolutely love the scenery, the people, and the active lifestyle there. (And we really miss the music scene as well.) I also spent some time in a Ph.D. program at the University of Delaware's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy (CEEP). In my time at CEEP, I have engaged in a number of research projects, including analyzing a sustainable energy future for South Korea, a policy report on promoting personal food production in Delaware, and designing an energy education workshop series focusing on helping low and fixed income individuals take control of their energy use, among other topics. I now live in Wilmington, DE, very close to the Pennsylvania border, with my wife and two daughters (now 13 and 9).
During and after grad school, I worked as a curriculum designer and project manager for a weatherization training center in Philadelphia (focusing on low-income clients), and continue to consult in the energy efficiency and energy management fields. I serve on the board of a non-profit that focuses on assisting in the empowerment of low-income populations. I currently teach full-time in the Energy Technologies Department at Delaware Technical Community College in Newark, Delaware. I focus mostly on Energy Management but have also taught and/or developed courses in Sustainability, Human Geography, Renewable Energy, Solar PV, Energy Accounting, and Energy Investment Analysis. I have taken DelTech students to Denmark, Switzerland, and Italy over the years for short-term embedded experiences. I currently lead a team of students in performing ASHRAE Level II energy audits.
I have been working part-time in the Energy and Sustainability Policy Program at Penn State for nearly 10 years, and have taught courses in Sustainability and Global Energy Enterprise. This is the second time I have taught this course, and I'm excited to dig back into it! In the summer of 2019, I took Penn State students to Colorado to talk to a number of individuals who have engaged in applied sustainability. The goal of the course was to have the students learn about applied sustainability projects first-hand and create proposals for their own projects. I ran this course again in the summer of 2022 and may offer it in the future. The scenery was incredible, and the people we visited were inspiring. Here is the itinerary [6] and here [7] is the course in case you are interested. If we do offer it again, I will let you know. If you are an ESP major, this would count toward your Foreign Studies/Internship course, which is required for graduation.
Between my various jobs and family responsibilities, I don't have much time. I love gardening and wish I had more time to devote to it. I pick up the guitar from time to time and have started to try and teach myself the piano (mostly unsuccessfully, it should be noted). I try to ride my e-bike as much as possible. (Side note: E-bikes are life-changing!) I also recently purchased a scooter - which is technically a motorcycle due to engine size - and that has been a source of enjoyment.
I have worked since I was very young and worked throughout college. I know that many - if not all - of you are working and have families, and believe me, I can relate. I had my first daughter early in my Ph.D. program. You wouldn't believe how many papers I've written with an infant on my lap! Please know that I commend you for your decision to continue your education, with so many other things begging for your time. I hope I can be helpful to you on this leg of your academic journey.
One of my favorite quotes is: “Climb to the top of the mountain so you can see the world, not so it can see you” (unknown author). I hope that this course, and I, can help you take some steps closer to whichever mountain top you are trying to reach.
We have a unique opportunity this semester to partner with a non-profit to recommend how they can position themselves for funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and possibly the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA). The non-profit is HELP Initiative, Inc [9]. (HELP) and our primary contacts are Charlie Kistler, Executive Director, and Harold Stafford, Government Relations Director. It is located in Dover, Delaware, but as you will see, they perform work all over the state of Delaware. HELP's Mission [10]is to "improve the quality of life, health, safety and economic prospects of Delaware’s low-income communities and populations" through a variety of methods, mostly focusing on energy. Our job this semester is to explore opportunities under 4 broad climate/energy related areas in the IRA - with a particular focus on addressing issues in disadvantaged communities - and how HELP can position themselves to take advantage of potential funding.
I think it sets us up for a more authentic and satisfying experience if we can do something that has some life outside of this course, and this definitely should. An essential way to consider how to make policy is to investigate the practical ways it can be applied. And there is no better way to do that than to consider how an organization that is already operating in the field can do that. In addition, it is likely that some of you will end up working for a company or organization that will want to take advantage of outside funding sources, and this will help prepare you for that.
You'll be helping to facilitate the implementation of local/state climate and energy policy by helping HELP leverage funding that will be coming down from the federal and state levels - it's all kinds of energy policy and all kinds of geography all at once! Let's get to work!
Our task:
Examine the provisions described in the Inflation Reduction Act and provide recommendations and guidance to HELP Initiative, Inc. on how to position themselves to take advantage of these funding opportunities in such a way that adheres to and helps accomplishes their Mission [10]. Where do we start!?!?! We'll start with the IRA itself (provisions, goals, etc.) and then investigate how the funding will likely be rolled out and who will be charged with dispersing the funds. Additionally, we'll try to sort out if/how this connects with the recently passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In order to do this, you will perform a little research about HELP's mission, as well as some basic aspects of Delaware's demographics and energy/climate policy regime.
Energy/Climate Areas of Focus in the Inflation Reduction Act
There's a lot to tackle in the IRA, but we're going to approach it based on these five broad areas as described here [11].
You will choose one of the four following areas to focus on: Lower energy costs, increase energy security, decarbonize the economy, or invest in resiliency-building for rural communities. ALL groups must focus investment in disadvantaged communities, as all HELP initiatives have this focus.
At the end of the semester, we'll present our collective findings to members of the HELP Initiative, Inc. While you'll all initially work somewhat independently in your assigned areas, you'll need to collaborate with your group members to create and deliver a single Executive Summary and Presentation highlighting the best of each of your individual findings. You should be in communication throughout the semester, sharing resources and finding ways to delegate work (maybe by geographic region, type of program, scale of financing, etc. - you can slice and dice it however you like).
Frame your work around these questions. The answers to these questions might come from within the text of the IRA itself but also in subsequent overviews and analyses of the law.
I have provided some links on Canvas (under the Lesson 3 module on the Assigned Reading page) to some resources, but you will need to find information about the IRA and IIJA on your own (though there is a discussion board on the Final Project tab where you can share resources).
Deliverables
This project is worth 40% of your course grade and is comprised of the following components:
Critiquing a classmate's work is worth 13.5% of your grade over the course of the semester - (3) separate 2% critiques along the way and then your formal critique of their final Research Project submission, which is worth 7.5%
In order to gain full credit for the 3 critiquing assignments along the way, you should:
Your formal critique of your classmate's finished Research Project is worth 7.5% of your total grade for the course. Below are the criteria on which your critique will be evaluated by the instructor. Notice that there are not point values associated with specific areas - the assignment is worth a total of 75 points. This lack of more structured point assignment is because each student's critique is going to be unique based on the project you are critiquing and the quality of that product.
It is important, however, that students address each of the following areas in their Critique.
Write your Critique bearing in mind that it will be shared with your classmate, and we will be discussing our thoughts about this process during the lesson that week.
The formal Critique must be completed and submitted as assigned.
Criteria | Description |
---|---|
Strength and Weakness Identification and Discussion | Student scrutinizes the assigned project carefully and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the project. |
Student understands and discusses the economic, social, and environmental implications of the project. | |
Student demonstrates mastery of the implications of the policy's timetable, implementation plan, scale, goals and political context in which it was enacted/could be enacted. | |
External Opportunities and Threats | Student discusses economic, political, and environmental realities that may have a positive or negative impact on the effectiveness of this type of policy instrument/implementation. |
Mechanics | The Critique itself should be well-written, succinct, and free of grammatical and other errors. It should offer ample suggestions for improvement and also highlight well-constructed components of the policy document. Criticisms should be constructive in nature and at no point should the Critique take on a derogatory tone. |
Links
[1] https://esp.e-education.psu.edu/node/25
[2] https://goo.gl/maps/feWXuoGFGDpAipHp8
[3] http://www.cei.psu.edu/
[4] https://dankasper.weebly.com/denmark-2014-blog
[5] https://dankasper.weebly.com/
[6] http://drive.google.com/open?id=15qaJmHQoS1kyCfmVsxhQYSi33uMk49B_cUvD5pydilg
[7] https://www.e-education.psu.edu/emsc297/
[8] https://photos.app.goo.gl/XtPfRV2T3Ma5QBbN9
[9] https://helpinitiativede.org/
[10] https://helpinitiativede.org/about/
[11] https://www.democrats.senate.gov/summary-of-the-energy-security-and-climate-change-investments-in-the-inflation-reduction-act-of-2022