Biology 368 - Seminar: Understanding Climate Change through Plant Biology and the Arts

Understanding human induced climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. This course approaches the topic from two different ways of knowing: plant biology and the arts. These paired approaches ground this course in the scientific underpinnings of climate change and its impact on biological life, creating a space to engage with what climate change means—for us, for the greater human community and for the earth. At the same time, we will explore how complex scientific content and deep existential challenges can be effectively communicated to the broader public. We will learn how plants physiologically interact with and respond to environmental change, read/discuss primary literature and relevant art works, and create/workshop art, popular science articles and/or data visualizations centered on climate change and its consequences. Prerequisite: BIO 130 & 132. Enrollment limited to 15. Juniors and seniors only. Instructor permission required.

[CE] JR/SR only