METEO 469
From Meteorology to Mitigation: Understanding Global Warming

METEO 469 Syllabus - Spring 2023

PrintPrint

From Meteorology to Mitigation: Understanding Global Warming

This syllabus is divided into several sections. It is essential that you read the entire document as well as the material covered in the COURSE ORIENTATION. Together, these serve as our course "contract."


Instructor

Fan Wu is the instructor for METEO 469 during Spring 2024.

  • E-mail: fvw5116@psu.edu, or use Inbox tab in Canvas
  • Office Hours: by appointment via Zoom

NOTE: I will respond to questions in e-mail and discussion forums within 24 hours during the work week (Monday through Friday).  On weekends, though I try to keep up, I tend to be away from e-mail, meaning I may not reply until Monday morning, so plan ahead!  

METEO 469 Course Schedule

imagePrintable Schedule

Below is a summary of the primary learning activities for this course and the associated time frames. This course consists of 12 lessons, each approximately one week in length. Note that the "orientation week" precedes the official start of the course. Submissions are due by 11:59 PM eastern time on the dates listed below; more details are given in CANVAS. 

Course Schedule
TIME FRAME TOPICS ACTIVITIES
Before the first day of class Course Orientation

(1) Participate in PERSONAL INTRODUCTIONS discussion forum (due 01/12)

(2) Complete INITIAL COURSE SURVEY (due (01/12)

(3) Take COURSE INFORMATION QUIZ (must score at least 7 out of 8) (due 01/12)

Week 1
(01/08 to 01/14)
Lesson 1:
Introduction to Climate and Climate Change
Participate in GENERAL DISCUSSION OF METEO 469 discussion forum (first response due 01/13, follow-up responses due 01/16)
Week 2
(01/15 to 01/21) 
Lesson 2:
Climate Observations, Part 1

PROBLEM SET 1 (due 01/23)

Week 3
(01/22 to 01/28)
Lesson 3:
Climate Observations, Part 2
(1) PROBLEM SET 2 (due 01/30)
(2) QUIZ 1 (due 01/30)
Week 4
(01/29 to 02/04)
Lesson 4:
Modeling of the Climate System
PROBLEM SET 3 (due 02/06)
Week 5
(02/05 to 02/11)
Lesson 5:
Modeling of the Climate System (cont.); Comparing Models and Observations
PROBLEM SET 4 (due 02/13)
Week 6
(02/12 to 02/18)
Lesson 6:
Carbon Emission Scenarios
(1) PROJECT 1 (due 02/27)
(2) Participate in CARBON EMISSION SCENARIOS discussion forum (first response due 02/17, follow-up responses due 02/20)
Week 7
(02/19 to 02/25)
Lesson 7:
Projected Climate Changes, Part 1
QUIZ 2 (due 02/27)
Week 8
(02/26 to 03/03)
Lesson 8:
Projected Climate Changes, Part 2
Participate in LESSON 8 discussion forum (first response due 03/09, follow-up responses due 03/12)
03/04 TO 03/10 SPRING
BREAK
Week 9
(03/11 to 03/17)
Lesson 9:
Climate Change Impacts
(1) Watch film "BEFORE THE FLOOD"
(2) QUIZ 3 (due 03/19)
Week 10 & 11
(03/18 to 03/31)
Lesson 10:
Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change
(1) PROJECT 2 (due 04/02)
(2) Participate in IMPACTS, ADAPTATION AND "BEFORE THE FLOOD" discussion forum (first response due 03/23, follow-up responses due 03/26)
Weeks 12 & 13
(04/01 to 04/14)
Lesson 11:
Geoengineering
(1) PROJECT 3 (due 04/16)
(2) Participate in GEOENGINEERING discussion forum (first response due 04/06, follow-up responses due 04/09)
Weeks 14 & 15
(04/15 to 04/26)
Lesson 12:
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
(1) Participate in CLIMATE CHANGE VIDEOS discussion forum (first response due 04/20, follow-up responses due 04/23)
(2) FINAL EXAM (due 04/30, 11:59 PM eastern time)

Course Overview

Description: Introduction to global warming and climate change, covering the basic science, projected impacts, and approaches to mitigation.
Prerequisites: MATH 110 or MATH 140 or STAT 200

Human-caused climate change represents one of the great environmental challenges of our time. As it is inextricably linked with issues of energy policy, a familiarity with the fundamentals of climate change is critical for those looking to careers in the energy field. To appreciate the societal, environmental, and economic implications of policies governing greenhouse gas emissions, one must understand the basic underlying science. METEO 469 serves to lay down the fundamental scientific principles behind climate change and global warming. A firm grounding in the science is then used as a launching point for exploring issues involving climate change impacts and mitigation. METEO 469 will introduce you to the basic information necessary for understanding Earth's climate, including the relevant atmospheric processes, and aspects of other key components of the climate system such as the cryosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. You will learn how to do basic computations and to use theoretical models of the climate system of varying complexity to address questions regarding future climate change. You will explore the impacts of various alternative greenhouse gas emissions scenarios and investigate policies that would allow for appropriate stabilization of future greenhouse gas concentrations. The structure of the course roughly parallels the treatment of the subject matter by the reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), focusing first on the basic science, then on the future projections and their potential impacts, and, finally, on issues involving adaptation, vulnerability, and mitigation. METEO 469 will combine digital video, audio, simulation models, virtual field trips to online data resources, text, and interactive quizzes that provide instantaneous feedback.

What I Expect of You

On average, you will need to spend eight to 10 hours per week working on course assignments. Your workload may be more or less, depending on your prior experience with using a computer and the Internet.

I will work to make this the most effective and convenient educational experience possible. The Internet may still be a novel learning environment for you, but, in one sense, it is no different than a traditional college class: how much and how well you learn is ultimately up to you. You will succeed if you are diligent about keeping up with the class schedule and if you take advantage of opportunities to communicate with your instructor as well as with your fellow students.

Specific learning objectives for each lesson and project are detailed within each lesson.

Required Course Materials

  • Mann, Michael E., and Lee R. Kump. 2015. Dire Predictions, 2nd edition: Understanding Climate Change; The Visual Guide to the Findings of the IPCC (ISBN-13: 978-1465433640).

You may purchase the text through your favorite local or online bookseller.

All additional materials needed for this course are presented online through this COURSE WEBSITE and in CANVAS. In order to access all materials, you need to have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password (used to access the online course resources). If you have any questions about obtaining or activating your Penn State Access Account, please contact the Outreach Helpdesk.

Assistance

Penn State honors and values the socioeconomic diversity of our students. If you require assistance with the costs of textbooks for this course, plaese contact your aceademic advisor. For additional needs, related to socioeconomic status, please visit Project Cahir or visit the Office of Student and Avdocacy at 220 Boucke Building or call (814) 863-2020.

Assignments and Grading

This course will rely upon a variety of methods to assess and evaluate student learning:

Automated online quizzes (3 @ 50 points each) 150 points
Discussion participation/responses (6 @ 25 points each) 150 points
Problem sets (4 @ 50 points each) 200 points
Unit projects (3 @ 100 points each) 300 points
Final exam (automated) 200 points
TOTAL 1,000 points

Final overall grades will be determined based on averaged grades of these elements. The grade for each assignment will be posted in CANVAS as soon as possible after I evaluate it, usually within one week of the due date, so you will be able to track your progress and calculate your overall course grade as the course goes along. If you have any questions about grading, please contact me.  

Grades

Letter grades will be based on the following percentages; no rounding of percentages (beyond .001%) to a higher letter grade will be done:

A 93.000% and greater
A- 90.000-92.999%
B+ 87.000-89.999%
B 83.000-86.999%
B- 80.000-82.999%
C+ 77.000-79.999%
C 70.000-76.999%
D 60.000-69.999%
F 59.999-0%
X Unsatisfactory (student did not participate)

Percentages refer to the proportion of all possible points earned.

Make-up Exam Policy

A make-up final exam will be granted by me on a case-by-case basis for a legitimate, extenuating circumstance at my sole discretion. Notification and approval for a make-up exam must be obtained at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled exam.  Failure to follow this procedure may result in the grade of zero for the final exam.  

NOTE:

Please put your best effort into all of the assignments as you complete them. It is very unlikely that grades will be curved during or at the end of the semester.

Course Policies

Late Policy

All course-related assignments (discussion participation/responses, problem sets, and projects) and quizzes must be submitted by the due date unless you make arrangements with me in advance to accommodate legitimate, extenuating circumstances at my discretion. Ten (10) percentage points of the grade for an assignment or quiz will be subtracted if it is submitted 1 to 24 hours late, 20 percentage points if 25 to 48 hours late, and 30 percentage points if submitted 49 to 72 hours late; no assignment or quiz will be accepted more than 72 hours late. The final exam will be handled according to the Make-up Exam Policy outlined above.  NOTE: Do not rely solely on the CANVAS Calendar as some assignments may have multiple due dates that are not reflected in CANVAS.  

Citation and Reference Style

You are expected to use a standard format for references.

Prerequisites

Students who do not meet these prerequisites may be disenrolled according to Administrative Policy C-5;if they do not have the proper prerequisite override. If you have not completed the listed prerequisites, then promptly consult with the instructor if you have not done so already. Students who add the course after being disenrolled, according to this policy, are in violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

Technical Requirements

For this course, we recommend the minimum technical requirements outlined on the World Campus Technical Requirements page, including the requirements listed for same-time, synchronous communications. If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the IT Service Desk (for World Campus students) or Penn State's IT Help Portal (for students at all other campus locations).

Internet Connection

Access to a reliable Internet connection is required for this course. A problem with your Internet access may not be used as an excuse for late, missing, or incomplete coursework. If you experience problems with your Internet connection while working on this course, it is your responsibility to find an alternative Internet access point, such as a public library or Wi-Fi ® hotspot.

Mixed Content

This site is considered a secure web site, which means that your connection is encrypted. We do, however, link to content that isn't necessarily encrypted. This is called mixed content. By default, mixed content is blocked in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. This may result in a blank page or a message saying that only secure content is displayed. Follow the directions on our Technical Requirements page to view the mixed content.

Participation in Peer-to-Peer Activities

This course follows the Energy and Sustainability Policy programs' Constructive Participation in ESP Peer-Peer Activities policy for student participation in peer-to-peer activities in ESP courses, such as group discussions, team projects and peer reviews of another’s work. In all peer-to-peer learning activities, students 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. Consequences may include losing the opportunity to participate in (and earn credit for) all remaining peer-to-peer assignments for the duration of the course. Any instance of threatening language will be reported to the Penn State Office of Student Conduct.

Equations

This course must be viewed using the latest version of Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported. If you use any other browser, or if you are not using the latest version of your browser, some pages containing equations may not render properly. In addition, javascript must be enabled for equations to render properly. If you have any issues with equations not rendering properly, please update your browser to the latest version or try using a different browser. If you need additional technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the HelpDesk (for World Campus students) or the IT Service Desk (for students at all other campus locations).

Penn State E-mail Accounts

All official communications from Penn State are sent to students' Penn State e-mail accounts. Be sure to check your Penn State account regularly, or forward your Penn State e-mail to your preferred e-mail account, so you don't miss any important information.

Academic Integrity

This course follows the procedures for academic integrity of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Penn State defines academic integrity as "the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner." Academic integrity includes "a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception." In particular, the University defines plagiarism as "the fabrication of information and citations; submitting others' work from professional journals, books, articles, and papers; submission of other students' papers, lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own." Penalties for violations of academic integrity may include course failure. To learn more, see Penn State's Academic Integrity Training for Students

Course Copyright

All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD 40, the University Policy Recording of Classroom Activities and Note Taking Services addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct, and/or liable under Federal and State laws.

For example, uploading completed labs, homework, or other assignments to any study site constitutes a violation of this policy.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for Campus Disability Coordinators at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Office for Student Disability Resources website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled. You will participate in an intake interview and provide documentation. See documentation guidelines at Applying for Services from Student Disability Resources. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Change in Normal Campus Operations

In case of weather-related delays or other emergency campus disruptions or closures at the University, this online course will proceed as planned. Your instructor will inform you if there are any extenuating circumstances regarding content or activity due dates in the course due to these delays or closures. If you are affected by a weather-related emergency, please contact your instructor at the earliest possible time to make special arrangements.

Reporting Educational Equity Concerns

Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated (Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance) and can be reported through Educational Equity via Report Bias.

Counseling and Psychological Services

Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being.  The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings.  These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.  Services include the following:

Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park  (CAPS): 814-863-0395
Counseling Services at Commonwealth Campuses
Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400
Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741

Military Personnel

Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.

Connect Online with Caution

Penn State is committed to educational access for all. Our students come from all walks of life and have diverse life experiences. As with any other online community, the lack of physical interaction in an online classroom can create a false sense of anonymity and security. While one can make new friends online, digital relationships can also be misleading. Good judgment and decision-making are critical when choosing to disclose personal information to others whom you do not know.

Deferred Grades

If you are prevented from completing this course within the prescribed amount of time for reasons that are beyond your control, it is possible to have the grade deferred with the concurrence of the instructor, following Penn State Deferred Grade Policy 48-40. To seek a deferred grade, you must submit a written request (by e-mail or U.S. post) to the instructor describing the reason(s) for the request. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested before the beginning of the final examination period.  It is up to the instructor to determine whether or not you will be permitted to receive a deferred grade. If permission is granted, you will work with the instructor to establish a communication plan and a clear schedule for completion within policy.  If, for any reason, the coursework for the deferred grade is not complete by the assigned time, a grade of "F" will be automatically entered on your transcript.

Attendance

This course will be conducted entirely online. There will be no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments with specific due dates. Many of the assignments are open for multiple days, so it is your responsibility to complete the work early if you plan to travel or participate in national holidays, religious observances or University approved activities.

If you need to request an exception due to a personal or medical emergency, contact the instructor directly as soon as you are able. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect

Penn State is “committed to creating an educational environment which is free from intolerance directed toward individuals or groups and strives to create and maintain an environment that fosters respect for others” as stated in Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment and to interact with civility.

For additional information, see:

Mandated Reporting Statement

Penn State’s policies require me, as a faculty member, to share information about incidents of sex-based discrimination and harassment (discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation) with Penn State’s Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinators, regardless of whether the incidents are stated to me in person or shared by students as part of their coursework. For more information regarding the University's policies and procedures for responding to reports of sexual or gender-based harassment or misconduct, please visit Penn State's Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response website.

Additionally, I am required to make a report on any reasonable suspicion of child abuse in accordance with the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.


Disclaimer

Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus can be changed at any time, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. All changes will be communicated to you via e-mail, course announcement and/or course discussion forum.