VOA教育报道2024--More US Universities Deliver Climate Change Programs

Colleges and universities in the United States are increasingly¹ creating climate change study programs. They are meeting the demand from students who want to help find ways to deal with the effects of climate change.

Kathy Jacobs is director of the University of Arizona Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions, which launched² 10 years ago. She said, "Lots of centers and departments have renamed themselves or been created around these climate issues."

The aim, she added, is to appeal to students and professors.

Students are increasingly interested in climate-related study programs. For some, the interest comes from seeing the effects of climate change in their own lives. For others, a rise in climate-related jobs is driving their interest, experts say.

In the last four years, schools like Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have started climate-related studies. The University of Texas at Austin plans to have climate studies offerings in the fall. And Hampton University, a private, historically Black university in Virginia, is building one now.

Columbia University in New York City opened its Climate School in 2020. It offers graduate degrees now and is working on creating undergraduate³ programs.

Other schools that have created climate-related education programs include the University of Washington, Yale University and Utah State University.

In these programs, students study the science of climate change. The offerings require professors who teach biology, chemistry, physics, and social sciences, among others.

But students also study ways to communicate about climate change with the public. They look at the ways communities can prepare and deal with climate change before it worsens. And they learn about the roles lawmakers and businesses play in cutting greenhouse⁴ gasses.

Meeting a growing demand

When colleges and universities put their programs together, they often use existing meteorology and atmospheric⁵ science studies. But climate studies need to go beyond those departments to satisfy some incoming students.

In Kennebunk, Maine, high school student Will Eagleson has lived through storms that caused coastal⁶ destruction⁷. The sea level is rising in his hometown. As the 17-year-old considers college, he said he is looking for schools that offer "more climate change-focused programs." He added that he is looking for climate study programs that go beyond the usual Earth and environmental study programs.

Lucia Everist is a student at Edina High School in Minnesota. She said she wants to attend a program that goes deeper into the effects that climate change can have on human populations. She noted⁸ that climate change is especially affecting minority populations and poorer neighborhoods. Everist, who is 18, said she only applied⁹ to programs that had course offerings on the social effects of climate change.

Many American colleges and universities are losing students and public financial support. This is pushing them to offer new programs that interest students. They hope that offering such programs will bring more students - and more money.

John Knox is an undergraduate coordinator¹⁰ for the University of Georgia's Atmospheric Sciences program. He is considering whether the school should offer a climate certificate¹¹.

Knox said colleges and universities do have to pay attention to "consumer demand" when making decisions about courses they offer.

But, he added, "In the end, I'm worried more about our students succeeding than marketing¹² something to somebody."

I'm Gregory Stachel.

Alexa St. John reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning¹³ English.

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Words in This Story

graduate - adj. of or relating to a course of studies taken at a college or university after earning a bachelor's degree or other first degree

meteorology - n. a science that deals with the atmosphere and with weather

undergraduate - n. a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree

coordinator - n. a person who organizes people or groups so that they work together properly and well

certificate - n. a document that is official proof¹⁴ that you have finished school or a course of training

consumer - n. a person who buys goods and services

1 increasingly   

adv.逐渐地，日益地，逐渐增加地

参考例句：

• Rivers are being increasingly made use of by man. 河流正在日益为人类所利用。
• I find it increasingly difficult to live within my income.我发现靠收入过日子越来越难了。

2 launched   

v.发射( launch的过去式和过去分词 )；[计算机]开始（应用程序）；发动；开展（活动、计划等）

参考例句：

• He launched a bitter diatribe against the younger generation. 他对年轻一代发起了猛烈的抨击。
• The product was launched amid much fanfare worldwide. 这个产品在世界各地隆重推出。

3 undergraduate   

n.大学生，大学肆业生

参考例句：

• Mr. Stone spent his undergraduate days in Columbia University,majoring in economics.斯通先生在哥伦比亚大学度过了他四年的大学生活，主修经济学。
• During this time,they are called undergraduate students.在此期间，他们被称为大学本科生。

4 greenhouse   

n.花房，温室，玻璃暖房

参考例句：

• Behind the green house was a greenhouse.在那所绿房子后面是一个花房。
• The tomatoes were grown in the greenhouse.这些西红柿是在温室栽培的。

5 atmospheric   

adj.大气的，空气的；大气层的；大气所引起的

参考例句：

• Sea surface temperatures and atmospheric circulation are strongly coupled.海洋表面温度与大气环流是密切相关的。
• Clouds return radiant energy to the surface primarily via the atmospheric window.云主要通过大气窗区向地表辐射能量。

6 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

7 destruction   

n.破坏，毁灭，消灭

参考例句：

• The enemy bombs caused widespread destruction.敌人的炸弹造成大面积的破坏。
• Overconfidence was his destruction.自负是他垮台的原因。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

10 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

11 certificate   

n.证书，证明书；vt.发给证明书，认可，鉴定

参考例句：

• She proudly displayed her degree certificate to her parents.她自豪地向父母展示了学位证书。
• No one had seen her marriage certificate.没人看到过她的结婚证书。

12 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

13 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

14 proof   

adj.防...的，耐...的，能防护；n.校样，证据，证明；vt.检验，给...做防护措施

参考例句：

• He is living proof of the wonders of modern medicine.他是当代医学奇迹的活证明。
• The proof was fished up from some old papers.校样在旧文件中被找到了。