Teaching Assistant Opportunities for Fall 2023
Climate and Society is accepting teaching assistant applications for the program’s fall 2023 core courses. Applicants must be full-time Columbia graduate students enrolled through the Fall 2023 semester. Students who already hold a student officer appointment for the fall (another TA position, DRA, GRA, etc.) are not eligible. TAs should expect to work 10-20 hours per week on average.
To apply: Submit the application HERE by June 26 at 11:55pm. Salary for each position is $7,000. Contact climatesocietyadmin@climate.columbia.edu with questions.
Teaching Assistant Responsibilities
A teaching assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality. The teaching assistant may be responsible for directing drills, recitations, discussions or laboratory sessions related to courses offered by an officer of higher rank. They will be responsible for meeting and coordinating with the instructor regularly and performing other course-related duties as assigned, like grading written coursework. Additional tasks may include setting up and managing Zoom meetings and breakouts; managing polls and other learning activities through Canvas; and developing grading rubrics for learning activities.
TAs are expected to attend class sessions.
Course Descriptions
CLMT 5001 Dynamics of Climate Variability and Change
This course provides an understanding of the physical workings of the climate system, and it underpins the goals of the rest of the program. Building on that, students learn through lectures, readings, discussions and exercises, how to interpret climate information like forecasts and observational maps. We will cover the physical and methodological basis of forecasts — from weather to climate change — as well as their uncertainties. Students are encouraged to critically assess the suitability of different types of climate information to answer questions of societal interest in discussion and within a group project. Given that climate variability acts on a number of time and space scales, which may be further influenced by man-made climate change, we will also address how these aspects of the climate are realized, forecast, interpreted. Solid understanding of the physical system and appropriate usage of climate-related terminology will be emphasized throughout the course.
CLMT 5008 Climate Change Mitigation
This survey course provides an overview of the tools (technologies, policies, etc.) that can be used to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This course will utilize scenario planning frameworks to explore pathways to economy-wide decarbonization. In this work, the course will explore not only the technical options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also the policy responses, market-structures, and behavioral change that can support progress to net-zero. The course will also utilize a series of case studies of decarbonization pathways for different geographies in low- middle- and high-income countries to provide insights on mitigation strategies, including risks and opportunities. This course is intentionally multidisciplinary, weaving together STEM, policy, and other social sciences. It will be primarily focused on applications of mitigation solutions and will highlight both what net-zero “end states” may look like and the transition pathways to achieve these end states.
CLMT 5015 Climate Change Adaptation
Utilizing a case-study approach, this course will offer a focused study of climate change adaptation policy, exploring dimensions of adaption across sectors and scales. With a thematic focus on pervasive global inequities, students will also consider challenges associated with international development and disaster risk management. An inter-disciplinary framework will enrich the course, and students will learn about perspectives from the natural sciences, law, architecture, anthropology, humanitarian aid, and public policy.
