1

Annual Report

Climate Change & Society PSM

North Carolina State University

August 2013

Adapting to Change

The Growing Demand for Climate Adaptation Expertise

2

Board of Advisors

Nancy White: Executive Director, UNC Coastal Studies Institute;

http://csi.northcarolina.edu; nmwhite@csi.northcarolina.edu

Cliff Ogburn: Town Manager, Town of Nags Head;

cliff.ogburn@nagsheadnc.gov

Brooke Hemming: Global Change Research Program; National Center for

Environmental Assessment; Office of Research and Development; US

Environmental Protection Agency

Wassila Thiaw: NCEP, NOAA; Climate Prediction Center - International

Projects Coordinator, African Desk Support; Wassila.Thiaw@noaa.gov.

www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/.../fewscontacts.shtml

Michel Tanner: Deputy Director National Climatic Data Center;

michael.tanner@noaa.gov

David Marlett: Chair, Department of Finance, Banking and Insurance;

Professor of Insurance; Appalachian State University

3

Table of Contents

4 What is Climate Adaptation?

5 About the Program

6 Alignment with Mission: MEAS, NCSU, UNC and NCILT

8 Conceptual Model

9 Higher Education’s Role in Climate Adaptation

10 Climate Adaptation Programs at Other Universities

11 The Growing Demand for Expertise

14 Sample Job Listings

17 Growing the Program

18 Things to Consider

19 Recommendations

20 Glossary

21 References

23 Appendix 1. Curriculum: Core Course Descriptions

24 Appendix 2. Program Evaluation: Objectives, Outcomes & Data Sources

4

What is Climate Adaptation?

According to the EPA, climate adaptation is,

“Adjustment in natural or human systems to a new or

changing environment that exploits beneficial

opportunities or moderates negative effects.”[1] (Fig. 1)

This definition is essentially a condensed version of

that provided by the Intergovernmental Panel for

Climate Change (IPCC)[2], and therefore represents a

generally accepted standard internationally.

Adaptation can be approached by geographical

regions, such as the Southeast, or separately,

coastlines; by sector, such as transportation, energy,

water, agriculture, health etc.; or even by type of risk

which may affect a company, community or

organization.

In an overarching sense, climate adaptation is any

activity which plans for or responds to impacts from

sea level rise, extreme storms, drought, melting

glaciers and polar ice, changing trends in precipitation

and temperature or any other climatic trend.

Adaptation approaches the problems associated with

global warming and asks, “What do we do to ensure

safety, security and success now and in the future?”

This implies a response in policy, management and

practice.

However, the art and science of climate adaptation is

nascent. The Climate Change & Society Professional

Science Master’s (CCS PSM) is vital to helping students

and professionals understand this new, growing

universe of ideas and problem-solving opportunities

that lie ahead.

Figure 1: US EPA definitions

5

About the Program

The Climate Change & Society Professional Science Master’s program (CCS PSM) provides

a multidisciplinary education via a combination of core course and flexible electives

(Appendix 1) for students working in, or preparing for, a career in government, non-profit

and private sectors.

The CCS PSM degree bridges the gap between the generators of information on climate

science, impacts, and control strategies and the users of that information at local, state,

and national levels. As a user-centric program, the CCS degree is a key element the vision

of the Global Framework for Climate Services (Figure 1: GFCS). Currently, no similar

program is available in the southeast. The program is intended for students interested in

careers in:

- Planning or policy in government agencies;

- Private sector firms concerned with global climate change;

- NPO and NGO climate adaptation and advocacy;

- Climate science and applications

Figure 2: World Meteorological Organization/ Intergovernmental

Board on Climate Services, "New Global Framework for Climate

Services (GFCS)" http://www.gfcs-climate.org/components

6

Alignment with Mission: MEAS, NCSU, UNC and NCILT

The CCS PSM program is aligned with North Carolina State University’s Marine, Earth

and Atmospheric Sciences (NCSU MEAS) department mission [3] to:

- educate students who will become leaders in government and industry;

- teach introductory courses that reach NCSU non-geoscience majors every year,

thereby promoting among NCSU students a broader understanding of processes

and critical issues regarding the Earth, oceans, atmosphere and biosphere;

- offer guidance, founded in our scientific expertise, on pressing societal issues

related to the geosciences (for example, natural hazards, environmental quality,

water resources, etc.).

Additionally, the program closely conforms to the university’s Graduate School strategic

priority [4] :

“to enhance the success of graduate students by expanding the number and

range of Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degrees at NC State and maintain

the health of present ones (Goal 1)”;

as well as its mission:

“encouraging research and graduate programs that address the critical issues that

challenge our state, our nation and our world,” and “achieving recognition of NC

State as a model for leadership and innovation in graduate education in North

America.”

The program is also well aligned with North Carolina State University’s mission [5] as a

research extensive land grant university; it builds on our historic strengths in agriculture,

science and engineering. It is consistent with our commitment to excellence in a

comprehensive range of academic disciplines and provision of leadership in intellectual,

cultural, social, economic and technological development within the state, the nation

and the world.

In context to its partnership with UNC-Asheville and its CCS certificate program, [6] the

CCS PSM adheres to UNC’s 2013-2018 Strategic Plan with particular reference to Goal

(3), “Serving the People of North Carolina” and Goal (4), ”Maximizing Efficiency.” [7]

7

The CCS PSM adheres to Goal (3) in UNC’s Strategic Plan as described above (Figure 2)

by seeking out students who intend to apply climate adaptation science and policy in

government, non-profit or private sector.

The CCS PSM also aligns with Goal (4) by considering the integration of UNC-Asheville’s

CCS certificate program into the PSM, and by offering Distant Education.

The CCS PSM also provides critical resources which may support Recommendations (3)

and (4) detailed in the North Carolina’s Interagency Leadership Team (NCILT) report

“Climate Ready North Carolina: Building a Resilient Future,” [8] as follows:

3. Facilitate communication and education to support local, regional and state

adaptation planning efforts

4. Encourage broad collaboration and partnerships to leverage resources, including

private industry, professional associations and institutions.

We believe the CCS PSM offers multiple opportunities to help fulfill the University’s

institutional mission and role as a provider of education, innovation and societal benefits

for the State of North Carolina and its residents. With support of this program, the CCS

PSM may join and help create pivotal partnerships linking science resources to economic

sectors impacted by climate change, such as tourism, insurance and agriculture.

UNC 2013-2018 Strategic Plan

Goal 3: Serving the People of North Carolina

- Apply research and scholarship carried out on our campuses to the

state’s economic, civic and social challenges

- Directly engage with the specific needs of businesses, non-profit groups

and governments throughout North Carolina

Goal 4: Maximizing Efficiencies

- Consider consolidation of certain overlapping programs and make better

use of online instruction

Fig. 3: Our Time Our Future: The UNC Compact with North Carolina

8

Conceptual Model

Primary inputs derive from societal needs related to climate impacts and adaptation,

such as the needs of towns, businesses and residents located on the Outer Banks region

of North Carolina, for example. This model (Fig. 3) ensures academic relevance to real

world applications and exemplifies a new perspective in climate research – to formulate

research and education based on user needs, as compared to pure academic research.

The CCS PSM program, through a selection of approved electives, is tailored to fit

students’ profession or field of work, providing the intended outcome to fulfill the

University’s social, civic and economic mission.

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Fig.43: CCS PSM Conceptual Model

9

Higher Education’s Role in Climate Adaptation

The 2011 report, “Higher Education’s Role in Climate Adaptation” [9] commissioned by

the American College & University President’s Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) found

higher education institutions:

1. Have a critical role to play in preparing society to adapt to the impacts of

climate disruption by providing research and education around adaptation

strategies and science.

and

2. Need to increase their curricular offerings on climate adaptation, both through

mainstreaming the information in core courses and offering electives that

specialize in the topic.

North Carolina State University Chancellor Dr. Randy Woodson is a signatory member of

the ACUPCC and the CCS PSM represents a leading example of fulfilling higher

education’s role in climate adaptation. By virtue of the CCS PSM, Dr. Woodson is a

leader among his colleagues at ACUPCC.

Furthermore, as a bridge linking climate science to government, business and

communities, the CCS PSM provides an exemplary platform to help attain the ACUPCC’s

recommendations (Fig. 4) and, with support, maintain NCSU’s leadership position.

In short, institutional support of the CCS PSM will help NCSU and the state university

system maintain and grow leadership and innovation in the rapidly expanding field of

climate adaptation.

Fig. 5: ACUPCC, “Higher Education’s Role in Climate Adaptation,” 2011.

10

Climate Adaptation Programs at Other Universities

The CCS PSM represents one of only a handful of graduate level programs offering

expertise in climate adaptation. (Table 1.) Many universities and 4-year colleges offer

courses, concentrations or conduct research in climate change adaptation, but at this

time there are only five graduate programs specializing in this field.

Among this group, each university offers different focus areas in such a way that we may

think of these programs as complementary rather than competing at this time. The CCS

PSM is unique within this group by offering a program designed for professionals as

well as students who wish to apply adaptation science in the private and public sectors.

We believe more climate adaptation programs will emerge over this decade and that it

is crucial to preserve the University’s leadership position. Institutional support for the

CCS PSM will help secure the University’s role as an early adopter and innovator.

Table 1: List of climate adaptation graduate degree programs

11

The Growing Demand for Expertise

A recent report, “Emerging Business Opportunities in the Climate Adaptation Industry” 10

conducted by the trade organization Environmental Business International (EBI) provides

unprecedented insight into the current status and projected increase in the new climate

adaptation industry (Fig. 6.) Additional news articles reinforce the rapid growth of a

climate adaptation industry. [11, 12, 13]

The EBI report describes an emergent field “led by consulting and engineering firms

doing assessment and planning work. “ EBI lists the following firms as those already

involved in climate adaptation projects:

ICF International

Stratus Consulting

Global Climate Change Adaptation

Partnership

Acclimatise

Caccadia Consulting Group

Dewberry

Stratus Consulting

URS Corp

ARCADIS

Mott MacDonald

PwC

Halcrow Group Ltd. (CH2M Hill)

AECOM

MWH Global

WSP Group

Fig. 6: North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Fig. 7: Climate Change Business Journal. EBI Report: Emerging Business Opportunities in the

Climate Adaptation Industry. Spring, 2013.

12

Since the publication of this report in Spring 2013 more firms have advertised for

employment positions specifically referencing experience in climate adaptation.

Kleinfelder, Ernst & Young, RMS, Engility, Tetra Tech, International Rescue Committee,

Michael Baker Corporation, World Wildlife Fund and the Metropolitan Transportation

Authority have offered positions under various job titles, but with the phrase “climate

adaptation” within the description. These positions can be found using the same phrase

on popular job search websites like Indeed.com and Glassdoor.com. More positions can

be found on the job board at Cakex.org, the website for the Climate Adaptation

Knowledge Exchange.

Locally, RTI International has recently been awarded a DoD grant to engage in the

climate adaptation phase of ongoing work for the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research

Program (DCERP) at Camp Lejune. [14,15]

Professional areas of expertise related to climate adaptation include the following:

Risk analysis

Planning

Environmental Engineering

Environmental Consulting

Project management

Civil engineering

Urban planning

Business consulting

Anecdotally, it appears that this first wave of employment opportunities is dominated by

demand for Senior-level applicants, although there are also advertisements for interns

and Entry-level associates. Additionally, it also appears that climate adaptation expertise

is becoming integrated into traditional careers, particularly those related to

infrastructure projects, water management and civil engineering.

The first observation the immediate demand for experienced professionals may be in

part a reaction to Hurricane Sandy, from which we learned how inadequately prepared

coastal cities are for rising sea levels and extreme weather. Hence, there has been a

Fig. 8: Michael Baker Corporation, Job Listing on Glassdor.com. Web. 4 Sept. 2013.

http://www.glassdoor.com/Job/michael-baker-corporation-job-opportunities-SRCH_KE0,25_IP5.htm

13

scramble for adaptation solutions by employers seeking the most experienced and

immediately available experts in the field.

Additionally, some companies are beginning to initiate resiliency programs internally.

The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) released a report [16] including case

studies at American Water, Bayer, The Hartford Group, National Grid, Rio Tinto and

Weyerhaeuser. C2ES also surveyed the perspectives and activities of companies listed in

the Standard and Poor’s Global 100 Index (Fig.8.). In this report C2ES presents ten key

findings which may be summarized briefly as follows:

1. Companies acknowledge climate risks but estimates of significance vary

2. Most companies have experienced impacts or expect to within five years

3. Disruptions to operations are of greatest concern

4. Supply chains may be a particular source of vulnerability

5. Companies see market opportunities from climate change

6. Companies may underestimate risk by relying on traditional ERM

7. Few companies have assessed climate vulnerability

8. Uncertainty about impacts is a barrier to action

9. Governments play an important role in resilience efforts

10. It is possible to identify emerging best practices using a four step process: Build

awareness; Assess vulnerabilities; Manage risks and pursue opportunities; Assess

and review.

The demand for climate adaptation expertise is growing. A sample of recent job listings

may be found on the following page. (Figures 10, 11 and 12.)

Fig. 9: “Weathering the Storm: Building Business Resilience to Climate Change” Center for Climate and Energy

Solutions (C2ES).

14

Job listings requiring expertise in climate adaptation

Fig.10: Ernst & Young, Job Listing on Glassdor.com. Web. 4 Sept. 2013. http://www.glassdoor.com/Job/ernst-

young-jobs-SRCH_KO0,11.htm

Fig.11: World Wildlife Fund, Job Listing on Glassdor.com. Web. 4 Sept. 2013.

http://www.glassdoor.com/Job/World-Wildlife-Fund-Jobs-E16152.htm

Fig.12: International Rescue Committe, Job Listing on Glassdor.com. Web. 4 Sept. 2013.

http://www.glassdoor.com/Job/International-Rescue-Committee-Jobs-E159088.htm

15

Finally, and particularly relevant to the CCS PSM program, some professionals are

actively seeking out climate adaptation planning and implementation resources, yet

they are unaware of academic programs. The following anecdote offers insight into the

type of educational gap the CCS PSM may help fill:

Recently, a Master Planner Engineer employed by the US Army posted a question on

LinkedIn looking for information about climate impacts and master planning. (Some

Professionals use LinkedIn as a resource when seeking out information and advice from

colleagues.) Her question was:

Email outreach from the CCS PSM Internship Coordinator about Susan’s success or

failure in finding assistance led to this response [17] :

Edmund referred me to the US Army Corps of Engineers Engineer R&D

Command (USACE ERDC) who have been working on Climate Change:

I’ve spoken with them by phone by haven’t really come away with anything. As it

turns out, the Army has been working climate change through their civil works

program side of the house, mostly modeling and analysis. This group has been

engaged within DoD to develop methodology and trend research.

I was looking for something more implementable. I was able to hook up with

Navy folks from that group who are planning to do vulnerability assessments, at

least as soon as we can get those funded. At the same time, DoD is attempting

to centrally manage policy development and has funded some work through the

Strategic Environmental Research Development Program (SERDP).

Fig.13: Walker, Susan (April 2013). Military Master Planners Group, LinkedIn. http://goo.gl/38qCwp

16

Given the growing demand for climate adaptation expertise, it is necessary to

fully support the CCS PSM as an innovative, leading graduate program among a small

handful in the United States. We can anticipate similar graduate programs to emerge

over a short period of time. In fact, the University of Maine has just launched a new

program for the current academic year. [18] The University of Maine’s NSF funded

Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) offers the Post-

Graduate program, Adaptation to Abrupt Climate Change.

The CCS PSM program began as a vision at

North Carolina State University with the

anticipation of current and future demand

for expertise in climate adaptation, as well

as the rise of the climate adaptation

industry. As with all new industries and

ventures, support is required in order to

maintain a position of leadership and

excellence at a time when competition

begins to emerge.

We are very fortunate to have positioned

the CCS PSM among the first wave of

graduate programs in this exciting new

field. Now it is time to grow the program

with an understanding that early

investment leads to greater success.

Fig. 14: North Carolina Department of Transportation.

17

Growing the CCS PSM Program

The CCS PSM must grow to meet the projected exponential rise in the climate

adaptation industry throughout the decade. In order to meet this demand, the CCS

Program will grow using a three-pronged strategy:

1. Develop a strong internship partner program;

2. Employ traditional and online marketing techniques and;

3. Offer more courses via Distance Education.

The 2013-14 year will focus on the development of new partnerships internally and

externally in order to develop corporate and government ties which may lead toward

internship opportunities.

At the same time, we will employ a mix of marketing methods in order to increase

awareness of the CCS PSM among target student populations. This will include

networking, attending conferences, working with the press, maintaining search

optimization results for our website, hanging brochures and posters, making cold-calls

and meeting with prospective students face-to-face.

We also anticipate rapid growth proportional to the amount of Distance Education we

can provide. Immediate demand for the CCS PSM as a Distance Education program has

been expressed via the National Climate Data Center (NCDC) and through our

relationship with UNC-Asheville. We are developing a plan to eventually provide all

courses in the degree program through distance learning via the online Distance

Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA) to UNC-A and other NC

campuses.

Eventually students will be able to complete the entire degree at one location or the

other, or a combination of both. All courses will be taught by NC State faculty, including

adjuncts. This will allow a cohort of students to be taught in Asheville, using a

combination of on-site courses and Distance Education (DE) courses. These students will

graduate with NC State degrees, regardless of the location of their classes.

This third prong in our growth strategy – Distance Education – will require more time to

develop. However, we recognize this as vital to the long term success of the CCS PSM

and seek support for these endeavors.

18

Institutional Partnerships

Institutional partnerships, and university relationships and project collaboration is

Things to Consider

1) Admissions counselors have to be certain about the level of training that students

need when they enter the program, particularly in statistics, mathematics, and the

natural sciences. Teaching may need to be adjusted for students who have been

away from an academic setting for a prolonged period of time.

2) Students need to be clear in their understanding of the program’s intent – to

provide fundamental knowledge about climate change and adaptation policies

with a goal to gain employment in the public or private sector. Students should

have a vision of how they want to apply this education in a professional setting.

3) Every component of the multidisciplinary curriculum needs to contribute to the

program’s mission and purpose. Core and elective courses should align with the

student’s intended career direction.

4) A sense of community should be inspired among students as they progress

through the program. This can be best achieved by encouraging prospective

students to attend the program on a full-time, on campus basis. The advantage

for students who do so will be their opportunity to learn from colleagues with

diverse backgrounds and develop a network for future employment. More face

time between students, faculty and staff will broaden the overall experience,

deepen professional relationships and result in an active, participatory alumni

group.

5) Part time and Distance Education students need to be included in the full time,

on campus community for the benefits described above. It may be useful to

consider an intensive one- or two-week session during the semester and

mandatory presence for the graduation ceremony.

19

6) A strong relationship should be build between the CCS program and the NCDC in

Asheville. NCDC hosts conferences for climate data users, including the

transportation, cargo shipping, and insurance industries. By networking with data

users, internship opportunities may be discovered, as well as information about

employer needs for professional knowledge and skills. With this information,

faculty and staff may help guide students toward a successful internship and

career.

Recommendations

The Board offers recommendations in the following areas:

Curriculum, Instruction and Admissions

1) Broaden choice of electives to include courses relevant to planning, policy,

applied science and leadership.

2) Create academic tracks relevant to distinct employment areas.

3) Pursue co-instructional opportunities with adjunct faculty.

4) Offer the entire CCS PSM program via Distance Education.

5) Review student applications criteria and admissions materials to ensure

relevance and to the PSM target group of working professionals.

Partnerships

1) Work with other academic institutions to improve core competencies,

professional skill sets and industry certifications in the nascent field of climate

adaptation.

2) Partner with internal programs, such as the Natural Resources Leadership

Institute or the Poole College Sustainability Initiative.

3) Coordinate around climate adaptation issues with internal partner programs

at NCSU to develop external partnerships.

Evaluation

1) Review program objectives and on an annual basis and gather student data

on an ongoing basis. (Appendix 2)

20

Glossary

ACUPCC…………. American College & University President’s Climate Change Commitment

ASU…………………………………………………………………………………………….…Arizona State University

C2ES……………………………………………………………………Center for Climate and Energy Solutions

CCS PSM……………………………………Climate Change & Society Professional Science Master’s

DELTA…………………………………….Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications

DoD……………………………………………………………………………………………….Department of Defense

DE……………………………………………………………………………..………………………….Distance Education

EBI……………………………………………………………………………Environmental Business International

GFCS……………………………………………………………………...Global Framework for Climate Services

IBCS…………………………………………………………….Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services

IPCC……………………………………………………………..Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

IGERT……………………………………….Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship

MEAS…………………………………………………………………..Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

NCEP………………………………………………………….National Centers for Environmental Prediction

NCDC…………………………………………………………………………………..National Climatic Data Center

NCDOT……………………………………………………....North Carolina Department of Transportation

NCILT…………………………………………………………..North Carolina Interagency Leadership Team

NCSU…………………………………………………………………………………North Carolina State University

NOAA………………………………………………....National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

SERDP…………………………………..Strategic Environmental Research & Development Program

UNC-A……………………………………………………………….…University of North Carolina – Asheville

UNC-W…………………………………………………………….University of North Carolina – Wilmington

USACE…………………………………………………………………..United States Army Corps of Engineers

USACE ERDP……………………………USACE Engineering, Research & Development Command

US EPA………………………………………………….…United States Environmental Protection Agency

WMO………………………………………………………………………….World Meteorological Organization

21

References

1. Glossary. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2013.

<http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/glossary.html>.

2. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. n.d. Web 28 Aug. 2013.

http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/annexessglossary-a-d.html

3. North Carolina State University Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Department. Web. 03 August, 2013. http://www.meas.ncsu.edu/01-about.html

4. North Carolina State University, “Vision and Mission of the Graduate School.” n.d.

Web 28 Aug. 2013. http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/about-grad/docs/GSvision.pdf

5. North Carolina State University “Three Year Strategic Plan: FY 13-14 to 15-16.” 04

April 2013. Web 28 Aug 2013. http://www.ncsu.edu/grad/about-

grad/docs/strategic-plan.pdf

6. University of North Carolina – Asheville, Master of Liberal Arts Certificate in

Climate Change and Society n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2013. <mla.unca.edu/ccs>.

7. University of North Carolina, “Our Time Our Future: The UNC Compact with

North Carolina.” Strategic Directions 2013-2018.” 8 Feb. 2013. Web. 28 Aug.

2013.

http://www.northcarolina.edu/strategic_direction/STRATEGIC_DIRECTIONS_2013-

2018.pdf

8. North Carolina Interagency Leadership Team, “Climate Ready North Carolina:

Building a Resilient Future, 2012,” pps. 43, 44. n.d. Web. 30 Aug. 2013.

http://climateadaptationnc.nemac.org/Climate_Ready_North_Carolina_Building_a_

Resilient_Future.pdf

9. Higher Education Climate Adaptation Committee and Second Nature, Inc.

“Higher Education’s Role in Adapting to a Changing Climate.” American College

& University President’s Climate Commitment. N.p., 03 November, 2011. Web.

02 September, 2013.

http://www.presidentsclimatecommitment.org/files/documents/higher-ed-

adaptation.pdf

10. Environmental Business International. "Industry Report 4800: Climate Change

Adaptation Table of Contents." N.p., 27 July 2013. Web. 2 Sept. 2013.

<http://ebionline.org/uploads/docs/samples/R4800_TOC.pdf>. Report purchase

page here: http://ebionline.org/climate-change-industry-research-reports/50-

report-4800. Press release here: http://ebionline.org/updates/1840-new-report-

details-billion-dollar-markets-in-climate-change-adaptation-services

11. Novelli, Lynn R. “Climate Change Adaptation Industry to Double by 2020.” Civil

Engineering: The Magazine of the American Society of Civil Engineers. N.P., 30

July, 2013. Web. 27 August, 2013. http://www.c2es.org/docUploads/business-

resilience-report-07-2013-final.pdf

22

12. SustainableBusiness.com. "Adaptation Services: a Brand New Industry Thanks to

Climate Change." SustainableBusiness.com. N.p., 27 July 2013. Web. 28 Aug. 2013.

<http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/25016>.

13. King, Tom, and Jeff Sterba. "U.S Companies Need to Plan for Extreme Weather."

USA Today, 23 July 2-13. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.

<http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/07/23/tom-king-and-jeff-sterba-

on-extreme-climate-change/2574849/>.

14. SERDP/ESTCP, “Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program,” n.d. Web. 30 Aug.

2013. http://www.serdp.org/Featured-Initiatives/Conservation/Defense-Coastal-

Estuarine-Research-Program

15. RTI International, Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program.

https://dcerp.rti.org/

16. Crawford, Meg, and Stephen Seidel. "Weathering the Storm: Building Business

Resilience to Climate Change." Policy Report, Center For Climate Energy And

Solutions, July 2-13. Web. 26 Aug. 2013.

<http://www.c2es.org/docUploads/business-resilience-report-07-2013-final.pdf>.

17. Walker, Susan. Personal communication, 19 Aug. 2013.

18. University of Maine, IGERT – Adaptation to Abrupt Climate Change PhD program. n.d.

Web. 24 Aug. 2013. http://a2c2igert.umaine.edu/

Photo and Image Credits:

North Carolina Department of Transportation

North Carolina State University

US EPA

Global Framework for Climate Services

23

Appendix 1. Curriculum: Core Course Descriptions

MEA 593-001 Fundamentals in Climate Science introduces the concepts and

language of climate change. This course prepares students with core knowledge

in climate systems, components and controls. It covers Atmospheric and

Oceanographic Global Climate Models (AGCMs and OGCMS) and discusses

natural and anthropogenic climate variability. The four primary IPCC emissions

scenarios, Global Framework and Assessment Report Key Findings are also

reviewed. At the end of this course, students should be able to speak

competently on a professional level both inside and outside of the science

community using commonly used terms and acronyms.

MEA 593-002 Climate Risk Analysis provides practical, hands-on experience in

analyzing climate risks and developing adaptation strategies in climate sensitive

sectors. The specific content will rely heavily on case studies in health, hydrology

and energy transportation sectors. The course will be team taught by faculty

instructors in climate science, GIS, engineering, communications, economics and

other disciplines.

COM 529 Communications Campaigns prepares students to design, implement,

monitor and evaluate a successful communication campaign grounded in sound

theoretical approaches. Students conduct focus groups for audience research

and professionally present a campaign plan to a real client in a health, public

relations or political organization. The course emphasizes theoretical and hands-

on practical skills to developing successful communication campaigns.

ST 511, Experimental Statistics for Biological Sciences provides introductory,

basic concepts of statistical models and use of samples. The course is intended

to give students a background in the methods of statistical analysis and methods

for summarizing and describing data. ST 511 will provide Climate Change &

Society PSM students an understanding of statistics as a component of global

climate modeling.

GIS 510, Introduction to Geographic Information Sciences provides an

overview of operations and functions of geographic information systems (GIS).

Students develop expertise in spatial reasoning, problem definition, and skilled

application of GIS software through lectures, readings, and extensive hands on

experiences. GIS 510 will provide Climate Change & Society PSM students with

fundamental mapping skills essential to on the ground climate planning activities.

24

Appendix 2. Program Evaluation: Objectives, Outcomes & Data Sources

OBJECTIVE 1: To prepare students to be able to incorporate global climate change

implications in developing policy, assessing risk or drafting strategic plans in corporate,

government or NGOs.

Expected Outcomes for Objective 1:

1) Students should be able to articulate basic climate science principles,

relevant climate change data and the implications of climate change in

their career areas.

2) Students should be able to develop scientifically based documents on

potential climate change impacts, risks and mitigation strategies.

OBJECTIVE 2: To provide a successful graduate program with national and

international visibility that provides expertise to local, state, federal and international

institutions.

Expected Outcomes for Objective 2

1) The program should influence policy through the participation of

graduates in local, state and federal government agencies, private sector

corporations and NGOs.

2) The program should attract, recruit, retain, and position high quality

students for employment in academia, government, and industry who

address global climate change in policy and planning.

3) The program should graduate full time students in a timely manner.

DATA SOURCES

Item A: Tracking of Students

1) Database of students enrolled, their backgrounds and career objectives

2) Record of student progress, time to degree and GPA

3) Portfolio from final projects

Item B: Final Project

1) Evaluate background knowledge in climate science

2) Evaluate assessment of climate-change related problem

3) Evaluate synthesis of data and conclusions

25

4) Evaluate written ability to transmit knowledge

5) Evaluate Oral Presentation as scientific talk

Item C Tracking Graduates

1) Database of initial and current employment by graduates

2) Surveys of graduates at 1, 3 and 5 years after graduation for

recommendations on degree content.

26

Climate Change & Society

Professional Science Master’s Program

2800 Faucette Drive, Campus Box 8208

http://climate-psm.meas.ncsu.edu/

919-515-1434