On-campus Winter Term to study Climate Change in the Tibetan Plateau

Shansi is excited to share an upcoming full-term, on-campus Winter Term opportunity for students! Details follow:

"The Tibetan Plateau: Climate Change and Asian Water Supplies

Steven Wojtal, Professor of Geology, will offer an on-campus, full-credit Winter Term project examining (1) the impact of global climate change on snow and ice mass in the Tibetan Plateau, (2) how changes in Tibetan snow and ice mass might affect the volume of water flowing into the Indus, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtze, and Yellow Rivers, and (3) the potential impact on human populations across southern and eastern Asia. During the first week of Winter Term, Professor Wojtal will introduce participants to the fundamentals of global atmospheric circulation and precipitation patterns, some details of circulation and precipitation patterns in Asia, and glaciers and their mass balance. In weeks 2 and 3, we expect visiting scientists from the Third Polar Program (Ohio State University and Asian universities) to present data on snow/ice mass, the impact on the hydrology of the rivers that drain the Tibetan Plateau, and related topics. Visiting faculty will present public lectures, and lead discussion sections for Winter Term participants. Students will identify a research topic, and prepare a short 'white paper.' During the final week of Winter Term, students will give short presentations and lead discussion sections on their individual research topics. Sponsored by Luce Initiative on Asian Studies and the Environment (LIASE). The course is open to students at all levels and all majors."

Please contact Ann Sherif, Professor, East Asian Studies, ann.sherif@oberlin.edu for more information.