Climate Science Bootcamp with Peter Crank
Are you interested in teaching about climate change but feel like you don’t have enough background in climate science?
Join Dr. Peter Crank, a climate scientist from UWaterloo’s Climate Institute and Faculty of Environment, for a lively and interactive "Climate Science Boot Camp" designed for university and college instructors. This workshop is designed to help participants get comfortable with the basics of climate science, debunk climate myths, and find a safe space to ask questions. Engage in discussion with instructors from Waterloo, Laurier, and Conestoga about what students need, explore how climate change can enrich various disciplines, and chat about how to navigate emotions like hope and despair in your teaching.
After the boot camp, you’re invited to join us at the Grad House for informal conversation and networking—because learning is always better with great company!
Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024
Time: 1-3PM
Location: EV3 4408
Who should attend: Faculty and Grad Students in teaching roles
Speaker: Peter Crank
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environment
Peter J. Crank is a Climate Institute member and an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Environment. As an urban geographer and climatologist who received his PhD in Geography from Arizona State University (ASU), he studies urban climate and impacts of neighbourhood scale urban design on microclimates and human health. His work has centered in hot cities, including Singapore and Phoenix as well as mid-sized cities of the US Southern Plains. Peter has a B.S. degree in broadcast meteorology (television) from Mississippi State University (MSU) before pursuing degrees in applied climate and geography at MSU (M.S.) and Ph.D. (ASU).
Peter’s research seeks to address questions of modelling urban spaces to understand the impact urban climate mitigation strategies have on the thermal environment as well as on all facets of human health (from physical heat stress to psychological disorders). His work has spanned across several U.S. cities in the Sunbelt, including Jackson (MS), Houston (TX), Phoenix (AZ), and Los Angeles (CA) in addition to work in Singapore. His research team focuses on the impacts of a changing climate for individuals and the local environment.