New Frontier in Earth Science Program

The New Frontier in Earth Science Program (NFES) provides participants with an intensive, “hands-on” course focusing on the key issues in climate change, how scientists conduct climate studies, how the public interprets scientific results, and how the international community responds to climate and environmental threats.

Overview

Global environmental threats have become part of our everyday life. It is essential that we have a clear understanding of the functioning of Earth’s natural systems and how humans are influencing them. This college introductory course in Earth Science provides fundamental knowledge on Earth climate system and Environmental Sciences, which focuses on two topics: climate change and sea level rise, as well as environmental pollutions and restorations. The course also introduces the newest scientific advancements associated with various covered topics, emphasizing key scientific methodologies such as experimental, observational and modeling approaches. The course consists of lectures, case studies, in-class discussion, and independent research.

This interdisciplinary course seeks to develop students' knowledge to better understand the connections between human activities and climate change, the impact of economic developments on the environment, as well as society’s efforts on restoring the planet earth and the local living environment. Students will be given an opportunity to conduct independent research and produce research papers at the end of the course.

NFES is a global initiative whose mission is to enhance earth science and ecosystem knowledge in China through education and mentorship. Our programs educate and train young aspiring earth scientist candidates to become the protectors of the earth and contributors with fundamental knowledge in Earth's climate system and Environmental Sciences.

Instructor

Xiaojun Yuan, Ph.D.
Lamont Research Professor
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University

Professor Xiaojun Yuan has engaged in studies of variability of the Antarctic atmosphere-ocean-sea ice system and its role in global climate since 1995. Her research has progressed from the identification of polar-global linkages, expanded to an ENSO-Antarctic Dipole teleconnection mechanism study, and finally resulted in an Antarctic sea ice forecast. At the same time, she has utilized space-born scatterometer observations and developed a series of studies focused on air-sea interactions on synoptic time scales, ranging from cyclone-sea ice interaction, high wind evaluations to satellite enhanced cyclone statistics in the Southern Ocean. With the accumulation of knowledge regarding climate variability in the atmosphere, sea ice and at the air-sea interface, an understanding of the ocean’s role in the mid-high latitudes climate system becomes increasingly important. However, this task is much more challenging because of sparse observations in the Southern Ocean. In recent years, she has developed a few oceanic field programs to advance our knowledge of how the polar ocean plays out in the climate system.

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