Earth System Sciences (ESS) - An Example of Critical Thinking Across Mathematical and Scientific Disciplines

克拉克亚特兰大大学（CAU）将通过加强本科课程，继续建立其在地球系统科学（ESS）方面的综合学术，研究和推广计划。中国农业大学ESS项目的总体目标是让大学的大部分教师和学生了解地圈、水圈、冰冻圈和生物圈之间相互作用的跨学科性质及其对政策的影响。一旦实现这一目标，预计克拉克亚特兰大大学将同时提高所有学生跨学科批判性思维的能力，并增加少数民族学生在ESS和相关领域攻读研究生学位和职业的人数。拟议的计划有四个主要内容。这些措施包括：(1)跨学科地球系统科学领域的师资发展；(2)新生毕业后的暑期研究项目；(3)在所有新生入学指导课程中纳入跨学科案例研究；(4)进一步发展和加强两门地球系统科学课程。文理学院、教育学院和商学院的教职员工已经并将继续就ESS项目的开发和实施进行合作。当ESS项目的计划最终确定并全面实施时，克拉克亚特兰大大学将确信不仅能维持其项目，而且能培养出更有科学素养的人口，准备好成为技术驱动世界的全面参与者。

Clark Atlanta University (CAU) will continue to build its comprehensive academic, research, and outreach program in Earth System Science (ESS) through enhancement of its curriculum for undergraduate students. The overall objective of the ESS program at CAU is to expose a large segment of the University's faculty and students to the interdisciplinary nature of the interactions among the geosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and biosphere and their impact on policy. Once this objective is achieved, it is envisioned that Clark Atlanta University will, simultaneously, enhance the ability all students to critically think across academic disciplines and increase the number of minority students pursuing graduate degrees and careers in ESS and related areas. The proposed program has four main elements. These are (1) faculty development in the interdisciplinary area of Earth System Science, (2) a post freshman summer research program, (3) the inclusion of interdisciplinary case studies in all freshman orientation classes and (4) further development and enhancement of two Earth System Science courses. Faculty members from the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Education, and the School of Business have and will continue to collaborate regarding the development and implementation of the ESS program. When the plans for the ESS program are finalized and fully implemented, Clark Atlanta University will be assured of not only sustaining its program but developing a more scientifically literate population prepared to be full participants in a technology driven world.