UPGN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change 2012
Final Report of Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change
Submitted by Larry A. Nielsen, August 15, 2012
1
UPGN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change 2012
Final Report of Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change
Executive Summary
The first UPGN Interdisciplinary doctoral seminar was held during July 21-29, 2012, on the
topic of climate change. The seminar was attended by 15 doctoral students (5 from each of the
three participating UGPN members, the University of Surrey, University of Sao Paulo and North
Carolina State University) and by 8 faculty and staff members from the universities. Student
participants represented a range of disciplinary interests, including engineering, meteorology,
forest and wildlife management, psychology, economics, policy, environmental justice, law,
statistics and others. The seminar was led by Dr. Larry Nielsen (NC State), with the joint
leadership of Dr. Jonathan Chenoweth (Surrey), Sergio Pacca (Sao Paulo) and Fred Semazzi (NC
State); the seminar was staffed by Ms. Sarah Slover (NC State).
The program occurred at three sites. We began at NC State in Raleigh, NC, for introductory and
broad conceptual topics, including a dinner sponsored by NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson.
We then travelled to coastal North Carolina, where we were hosted by the UNC Coastal Studies
Institute and studied the issues of adaptation to sea-level rise and other effects of climate change,
including the perspectives of a town manager and local residents. For the third phase of the
seminar, we moved to Washington, DC, where we met with many of the leaders in the policy
areas of climate change mitigation, including officials of Brazil, the UK and the US; experts
from public interest and advocacy groups; and leading academics.
Participants felt that the seminar was highly valuable, providing them a breadth of insight from
either the technical or sociological perspective that they had not known before this experience.
As a result of this experience, many participants felt a new or renewed interest in pursuing
climate change issues in post-doctoral research and in their careers. They also felt that they had
developed a strong cohort of peers from across three continents who would be lifetime
colleagues.
Logistics of the seminar ran very well, thanks in large part to the efforts of Ms. Sarah Slover and
the strong leadership of the university faculty who attended the seminar. The seminar costs
$1900 per participant, not including costs of air travel to and from the seminar.
The participants, both students and faculty, broadly endorsed the idea of continued
interdisciplinary seminars of this kind, size and length. They recommend that the series be
continued next summer with a seminar held in Brazil, on the topic of energy, water resources,
sustainable cities or food security.
2
UPGN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change 2012
Final Report of Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change
Submitted by Larry A. Nielsen, August 15, 2012
Background
Rationale: Doctoral students at the network universities are engaged in advanced and
highly specific aspects of some of the most important topics of our time. However, each
of these topics is embedded in a complex scientific, institutional and societal setting that
affects the conduct and success of any individual research endeavor. Consequently,
doctoral students need the opportunity to learn about the larger context of their research
subject. The UGPN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminars (IDS) are a mechanism to bring
a selected group of doctoral students, faculty and outside experts together for an intense
learning experience around one of these important topics each year. Furthermore, we
expect that these doctoral students will soon join the global base of expertise in their
chosen fields of study. With the benefit of this IDS experience, the participating students
will form a network of experts who will continue to work together for many years. With
the benefit of this global network, these scholars have the potential to rise quickly in their
disciplines and to advance the solution of major global problems in an effective
interdisciplinary manner.
The topic for the inaugural seminar was climate change. Climate change was chosen
based on the outcome of the joint research symposium on the topic held at the University
of Surrey in May, 2011. The program was first envisioned as an extended summerschool for undergraduate students to be held at NC State University. However, after
discussion among the network schools, the program focus was changed to a doctoral
seminar held for a shorter time.
Time Table:
November, 2011: Proposal submitted to Executive Committee at their meeting in
Raleigh; proposal approved, with modifications, with Larry Nielsen to be the
director of the seminar
January, 2012: Faculty leaders at each of the member schools.
March-April, 2012: Student participants selected from member schools.
July 21-29, 2012: Seminar held
Staffing
Seminar director: Dr. Larry A. Nielsen was appointed as seminar director. He has a
long-standing relationship with the Surrey-NC State partnership, starting from his tenure
as provost and continuing as a faculty member. An overall director is required, at the
host institution, to coordinate all aspects of the seminar. In total, I estimate spending 320
hours (40 days, 0.15 working year) planning and implementing the seminar. I was able to
dedicate that amount of time because of my unique position and responsibilities; a regular
faculty member might need to be compensated for this amount of effort.
3
Lead faculty: A lead faculty member was identified at each institution. They were Dr.
Jonathan Chenoweth (Surrey), Dr. Sergio Pacca (Sao Paulo) and Dr. Fred Semazzi (NC
State). The roles of these faculty members are described in Appendix 1. These faculty
leaders played an important role in all aspects of the seminar planning, including setting
overall timing, program length and flow, theme structure; student selection, including
advertising, review and selection of applicants and communications with selected
students; and program implementation, including presentations, group leadership and
mentoring. It may not be necessary to have a separate faculty leader from the seminar
director at the host institution.
Additional faculty: Three additional faculty members participated from the University
of Sao Paulo (Drs. Arlindo Philippi Jr., Tercio Ambrizzi and Leandro Giatti). Their
participation greatly enhanced the seminar in a variety of ways (presentations,
moderating, student interactions and overall seminar management).
Staff Member: The seminar utilized the support of a staff member to perform a variety
of administrative, planning, implementation and follow-up tasks. The staff member was
Ms. Sarah Slover, Graduate Administrator in the NC State Department of Forestry and
Environmental Resources. Her participation was essential, and included approximately
160 hours of work time, including mostly intensive efforts during the two weeks prior to
the seminar, the nine days of the seminar and a few days after the seminar. I was at first
considering hiring a graduate student for the needed time, but was even more fortunate
that Ms. Slover was available and willing to perform this role.
Dr. Sergio Pacca and Dr. Jonathan Chenoweth,
faculty leaders for the University of Sao Paulo
and University of Surrey, respectively
Student Recruitment and Selection
The seminar leaders chose five themes as the basis for the seminar, as follows:



Climate science and modeling
Climate policy, law and economics
Climate impacts on human individuals and communities
4
 Climate impacts on natural resources
 Mitigation of and adaptation to climate change
The seminar leaders attempted to recruit and select one student from each theme area at
each school.
Recruitment, evaluation and selection were handled by the faculty lead or seminar
director at each school. The process was tailored to each institution, with criteria and
application materials decided locally. For Brazilian students, proficiency in English was
considered an essential requirement, and Dr. Pacca interviewed each student in person to
determine their English skills. An example of the advertisement for the seminar at NC
State is included as Appendix 2.
The process was competitive at each school, with more applicants than spots available.
Surrey had 6 applicants for 5 spots, USP had 11 applicants for 5 spots, and NC State had
7 applicants for 5 spots. We were fortunate that the students fit approximately into the
five themes; a description of the selected students is included in Appendix 3. We were
also fortunate that all 15 selected students accepted their selection and all actually
attended the seminar (it is unlikely that this will occur in future seminars, as some
attrition is to be expected).
Students were grouped into the five theme areas, one student from each school. The
student groups presented their research together, worked together to form overall
questions to be answered during the seminar, and produced a daily summary together for
an assigned day. A proposal that each student group would produce a report regarding
their theme area was dropped during the seminar because the logistics were difficult and
because I judged other aspects of the seminar interaction to be more important and
rewarding to the students.
University of Sao Paulo students Luiz Manfre, Viviane Romeiro,
Dani Bressiani, Maria Custodio and Denise Imori
5
Program Development and Plan
Program timing: The program was always intended to occur during the North
American summer (June-August). Finding a specific time in that interval was
problematic, however. The dates were narrowed to July-early August in order to
accommodate the academic term end date at Surrey (late June) and the NC State
academic term start date (early August). The exact dates within that time were
determined to meet the travel and vacation schedules of the faculty leaders.
A nine-day program length was chosen to optimize the length of the program without
impacting more than one week of actual work time. Responses from the participants
indicate that a nine-day program was approximately the right length.
The seminar met during July 21-29, 2012. July 21 was arrival day, requiring Brazilian
participants to begin their travel on July 20, traveling overnight. July 29 was departure
day, requiring British participants to travel overnight ending their travel on July 30.
Most Brazilian participants elected to remain in Washington, DC, for another day,
leaving on the evening of July 30, arriving home on July 31. Lodging costs for the
additional night were included in the seminar budget.
The complete program schedule is included as Appendix 4.
Major program elements and locations: The seminar occurred in three major sections
at three locations. The first section was held on the campus of NC State; the program
emphasized the major conceptual aspects of climate change. The second section was
held at the coast of North Carolina; the program stressed adaptation to climate change in
a highly vulnerable environment. The third section was held in Washington, DC; the
program focused on global and national policies on climate change (the general area of
mitigation).
Each major program segment was approximately 2 days long, with travel time between
the sessions. Travel between NC State and coastal North Carolina required only a halfday, but travel from coastal North Carolina to Washington, DC, required an entire day.
Both travel days were broken by activities during the drive (program about NC
agriculture mid-way between NC State and the coast; program about the James River and
student presentations mid-way between the coast and Washington).
Opening and closing events: The seminar began with an informal picnic-dinner at the
home of Larry and Sharon Nielsen. The intent was to allow the participants to become
acquainted in a low-stress situation.
The seminar ended with a more formal (but not very) banquet at the Willard Hotel in
Washington, DC. The intent was to put a recognizable close to the seminar in a setting
that would make the participants feel special. The Willard Hotel is an important
historical hotel in American history. At the banquet, we presented books, participation
certificates and gifts to the director and staff. We also watched a brief slide presentation
about the events of the week, created by the director. The final banquet was the most
expensive event of the week, but was deemed valuable by the participants.
Program format: The overall format for all program sessions was a presentation
followed by a discussion opportunity. At NC State, this meant a faculty presentation
followed by a general discussion. In Washington, this meant a keynote presentation
followed by two invited panelists and a general discussion opportunity. At the coast, the
6
program was more varied, with shorter presentations at field locations interspersed with
discussion.
Program Elements
NC State program: The program at NC State included presentations on the broad
conceptual aspects of climate change. Presentations covered agriculture (Dr. Robert
Patterson, NC Stte), water resource (Jonathan Chenoweth), public health (Leandro Giatti
and Tercio Ambrizzi) and climate modeling (Fred Semazzi). Enroute to the coast, we
stopped mid-way at the NC State extension and research center in Plymouth, NC. We
were hosted by Dr. Ron Heiniger of NC State, who discussed agriculture in a waterdominated ecosystem and took us on a tour of landscapes in the area.
Dr. Bob Patterson discusses global agriculture
and climate change
Coastal program: The coastal program segment was an important part of the experience
because we interacted with the local communities affected by climate change. The
overall theme of this seminar segment was “adaptation.” The program was organized and
led by the faculty of the University of North Carolina’s Coastal Studies Institute,
especially Dr. Nancy White (the institute director) and Dr. Andy Keeler (the institute’s
leader in policy and economics). Along with excellent technical presentations about
disciplinary topics, we were treated to field excursions to a historical home that has
survived coastal conditions for 80 years (where we were hosted graciously by the owner,
Ms. Nancy Rascoe), new homes that have been condemned and bridge sites that are being
threatened by sea-level rise. We were accompanied by the Nags Head, NC, town
manager, Mr. Cliff Ogburn, whose candid comments were a highlight of the trip. We
also visited the US Army Corps of Engineers research laboratory in Duck, NC, for
presentations about waves, currents and storms in the context of climate change. Enroute
from coastal NC to Washington, we stopped at the Virginia Commonwealth University’s
Rice Center on the James River, where we were hosted by Dr. Greg Garman and
colleagues.
7
Seminar participants visited condemned homesites on the Outer Banks with
Nags Head Town Manager Cliff Ogburn.
Washington program: The Washington program segment emphasized the general topic
of “mitigation,” the policy approaches to reducing the causes of climate change at both
national and international levels. Friday, July 27, was the major day, with a series of
keynote addresses and panel discussions that included academics, government officials
(from Brazil, UK and US), and representatives of non-profit think-tanks and advocacy
groups. The program included three themes—Global climate change policy (keynoted by
Dr. Nate Hultman, University of Maryland); climate change and development (keynoted
by Dr. Genevieve Maricle, U.S. Agency for International Development); and U.S. policy
(keynoted by Dr. Dallas Burtraw, Resource for the Future). The luncheon keynote was
delivered by Mr. Elliot Diringer, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions.
The seminar’s substantive elements concluded on Saturday, July 28, with a three-hour
session led by Ms. Victoria Arroyo, Executive Director of the Georgetown University’s
Climate Resources Center. Ms. Arroyo gave a presentation and then engaged the
participants in an extended discussion. This period was intended to let the participants
synthesize the material that they had heard throughout the seminar.
Student presentations: Each student was required to present a 15-minute description of
their doctoral research. Student presentations were grouped into the five theme areas,
with one theme covered on each of the first five days of the seminar, three students per
day. The student presentations were a highlight of the seminar, increasing the
engagement of all participants and providing discussion topics for throughout the time.
University of Surrey student Laura Cowen discusses her
doctoral research on psychology of energy use by consumers
8
Moodle site: NC State uses an on-line course management system called “Moodle.” I
created a course site for the seminar, and the university has provided user accounts to all
participants so they can access the site (no one else can access the site unless added by
me). The Moodle site includes a large amount of information from the seminar,
including schedules, daily reports and the powerpoint and/or text of presentations by
most of the speakers (not all speakers used visual aids or text) and all students. This site
will be available indefinitely.
Daily summaries: Each group of three students was assigned to complete a daily
summary of a particular day (or two, if the program was light). The summaries were cowritten by the students, reviewed by one of the participating faculty, edited by me and
then sent for posting on the UGPN and member schools’ websites. The intent was that
each day’s summary would be posted the next day. However, the logistics of creating
and reviewing the summaries reduced my ability to get the summaries posted
immediately; instead most were completed and posted after the end of the seminar.
Cultural and recreational activities: We interspersed a variety of unrelated to climate
change in order to expand the participant’s enjoyment of the seminar and also to allow
“down time.” These activities included







Shopping on day 1
Dinner with Chancellor Woodson on day 2
Shopping in Duck, NC, on day 5
Free afternoon for shopping or beach on day 5
Cruise on Potomac River on day 6
Comedy/music show (Capitol Steps) on day 7
Tour of U.S. Capitol building on day 8
Seminar participants pose in front of The White House
9
Materials: Each participant received a variety of materials to enhance the academic and
general experience, including



NC State baseball hat (courtesy of the NC State bookstore)
Seminar notebook with schedules and materials
Copy of the 2009 book, “The Climate Change Solutions Consensus,” the outcome
of the 2009 National Council for Science and the Environment annual conference
 Latest CD by the Capitol Steps
 “Outer Banks” beach towel
 Copy of the 2011 book, “Climate Clever” (to be provided to participants in
September, 2012)
 Calendar with photographs by Bill Birkmeier, climate scientist
 Copy of the recent book, “Science as a Contact Sport” (to be provided in early
2013)
 Certificate of participation
Future activities: I envision that the “seminar” will continue well into the future. I
intend to provide additional readings to the participants in the coming months. I will
continue to send follow-up emails on various topics as they arise. The participants are
also interested in developing ways to continue interacting via on-line tools. Participants
also discussed the opportunity to get back together in a year to continue the seminar (one
of their common requests was that next year’s seminar should include them!).
Logistics
Pre-arrival planning: A variety of tasks had to be completed in order for the seminar to
occur efficiently and safely. These included:

Pre-seminar visits to all locations to determine appropriateness of facilities,
precise locations and driving directions and times between sites; more
importantly, visits were held with the staff of the Coastal Studies Institute to agree
on programming and their degree of participation (which was beyond my initial
expectations)
 Issuing formal invitations to Brazilian participants in order to qualify for visas
 Collection of information from all participants in advance (including emergency
contacts, food and other allergies, mobility and other needs, dietary restrictions,
arrival and departure locations and times)
 Provision of specific program information for participant use (including contact
numbers in case their families need to contact them, dress requirements, packing
suggestions)
Accommodations: Participants were housed at NC State in campus dormitories, at the
coast in an oceanfront hotel, and in Washington, DC, at campus dormitories of the
George Washington University. University housing was chosen for its location and low
price in Raleigh and Washington (especially in Washington). Student participants shared
four person suites at the two university dormitories, and shared double rooms at the coast.
Faculty had either private rooms (at the coast) or shared two-room suites. Housing at the
coast was expensive, as the seminar occurred during the high tourism season, but I felt it
was necessary in order to enjoy the experience and understand the nature of the landscape
and its use.
10
Roommates were assigned so that occupants were from the same university, to the extent
possible. This allowed students to be able to relax with someone with whom they share
the same culture, language and experience. In general, participants liked this
arrangement.
Transportation: Throughout the seminar, we had a university van (capable of carrying
12 passengers) available, driven primarily by Sarah Slover. For the long-range travel and
during the time at the coast, we utilized a bus and driver provided by a commercial
vendor. However, we kept the van with us at all times, in case of emergency or other
need; such a vehicle is essential. In Washington, we provided each participant with a
Metro pass worth $20 for use as we moved among locations (faculty leaders are mailing
back the passes so that the remaining value can be used by NC State personnel).
Meals: All meals during the trip were pre-arranged group meals. Breakfasts were
provided at campus cafeterias and by the hotel at the coast. Lunches were generally
boxed lunches catered by different local restaurants, but were basic. Evening meals were
held at sites that were varied in both cuisine and style (e.g., historical inn, up-scale urban
pizza restaurant, traditional pork barbecue on the oceanfront). All meals had a choice
entrée (2-4 options), including at least one vegetarian choice. When asked if they would
have preferred to have some meals unplanned, participants said no, they liked the time
together with each other.
Program venues: At NC State, of course, we used university facilities that were
designed for seminars like this; facilities came at no cost.
At the coast, we used a variety of facilities, all arranged by the Coastal Studies Institute.
We rented space at Jennette’s Pier, which was an ideal location but priced more for large
banquets (hence, a high price). We used classroom space at the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers research space, at no cost.
In Washington, DC, we were fortunate to use the executive boardroom at the home of the
Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU). Because NC State is a
member of that organization, the space was made available at no cost. We also rented a
classroom at George Washington University, at a substantial cost.
Jennette’s Pier, a facility of the NC Aquarium program, provided banquet and seminar
locations while we studied coastal conditions.
11
In-kind contributions: Many organizations provided in-kind contributions to make the seminar
a success and to reduce the overall cost. A partial list includes
 Dinner provided by Chancellor Woodson at NC State
 40 hats provided by NC State bookstore
 Faculty leadership time provided by the three universities
 Facilities and snacks at the Vernon James Agricultural Education Center
 Discount at Jennette’s Pier (through Coastal Studies Institute)
 Faculty time provided by the UNC Coastal Studies Institute
 Access to her home by Ms. Nancy Rascoe, Nags Head (and snacks)
 Facilities and snacks by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
 Facilities and lunch provided by the VCU Center for the Environment
 Facilities and snacks provided by the APLU (conference room)
 23 free CDs by the Capitol Steps
 Discounted books by the National Center for Science and the Environment
 Discounted books from Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh
I estimate the value of these contributions, not including time, to be approximately $5,000.
Costs and Revenue: The original budget for the seminar was $40,000, with each school
providing one-third of the projected expenses. When three additional faculty from the University
of Sao Paulo were added to the trip, costs per participant were recalculated to cover costs that
increase for each participant added (e.g., lodging, meals, tickets, books); also lodging expenses
for the extra day that most Brazilian participants stayed was also included in the seminar cost.
The costs for the University of Sao Paulo were calculated to be $1,900 per participant, or
$17,100 in total. Hence, the overall final budget was $43,767.
Costs were kept low due to the in-kind contributions described above and a variety of costsaving strategies. For example, housing in Washington, DC, was found at a local university at a
fraction of the expense for hotel accommodations in that city. Keeping other costs low allowed
the seminar to include several options that enhanced the trip, including ocean-front housing at
Nags Head, NC; a closing banquet at the Willard Hotel; and three resource books for each
participant.
A major expense item is the staff member who supported the trip (Ms. Sarah Slover). My
strongest recommendation is that every seminar requires a dedicated support person of the
experience and capabilities of Ms. Slover.
The overall cost of the seminar was $1903 per participant. This amount does not include air
travel to Raleigh, NC and from Washington, DC.
Item
Amount
Lodging (+breakfast)
$13,488
Lunches
2,212
Dinners
8,795
Transportation
6,081
12
Facility rental
1,711
Speaker honorarium
2,000
Cultural events
1,029
Planning trip
912
Books and materials
1,444
Miscellaneous
725
Staff expense
5,370
Total
$43,767
Seminar participants Brian Bulla, Sarah Fritts, Michael Rustell, Fred Semazzi, Emily Gould,
Derek Coombs and Luiz Manfre enjoy dinner at the historic Gadsby’s Inn in Alexandria, VA.
Outcomes
Day 9 discussion: After the comprehensive session with Ms. Arroyo, I asked the
participants to list what they would do in the future as an outcome of this seminar. Their
list includes the following 24 items:
1. Save the world
2. Stay out of my “box”
3. Bring information that we learned to SERPPAS (the Southeast Regional
Partnership for Planning and Sustainability)
4. Add more interdisciplinarity to academic plans
5. Choose a post-doctoral appointment in a climate change area
6. Consider doing a research-based post-doc
7. Help future students and colleagues think this way
8. Strengthen partnerships on global problems
13
9. Ask better research questions
10. Stay in touch with other participants
11. Gain weight (that is, I gained weight on this trip)
12. Apply research questions to the real world
13. Understand North Carolina from another country
14. Explain climate change better (facts alone are not sufficient)
15. Seek creative policy solutions
16. Always carry a coat
17. See the policy side of environmental questions
18. Think broadly and deeply about research topics, especially to include people’s
interests in research
19. Talk effectively to “others”
20. Realize that adaptation is more difficulty than mitigation
21. Think about adaptation more
22. Think more broadly about climate change
23. Engage social sciences more
24. Understand America and speak Portuguese
The list demonstrates (1) a heightened overall understanding of the climate change topic,
(2) a specifically higher commitment to the social and policy context of climate change,
(3) a desire to continue research in some area of climate change, (4) a commitment to
enhancing the public debate about climate change, and (5) the development of an
international network of friends and colleagues.
Participant evaluations: Each participant was asked to complete and return an openended qualitative assessment of the seminar. The overwhelming response was that the
seminar was nearly completely successful. In response to a series of targeted questions,
the participants generally said that










The pace of the program was good
The mixture of substantive activities was good (some thought that in-depth
participation by students should be expanded)
The level of the material was generally appropriate, although sometimes the depth
was too great and should have been broader
The 15-minute presentation length for student participants was too short and did
not provide enough time for discussion
They got to know each other well and had sufficient time to do so
Their specific responsibilities (presentation, daily summary) were appropriate and
not too burdensome
Social and cultural activities were great; really liked the afternoon off at the coast
The mix of guests—academic, government, interest groups, citizens—was good,
giving different perspectives; would have been better if more of them could have
spent more time with us
Visiting all three locations (Raleigh, coast, Washington) added to the seminar’s
content and interest
Accommodations at NC State and the coast were fine, but accommodations at
George Washington University were not satisfactory (for a variety of reasons—
age, privacy, air-conditioning, odor in one suite)
14



The meals were excellent, especially in the evenings—so much so that everyone
ate too much
Information provided before and during the seminar was adequate
They would like to figure out how to stay together as a group somehow, both
within each of the universities and all three universities together

Seminar director Larry Nielsen discusses a point with Victoria Arroyo, Executive
Director of the Georgetown University Center for Climate Resources
Nielsen’s perspective: In general, I believe the seminar went about as well as possible.
The topic was perfect for hosting by NC State, as we are near one of the most vulnerable
landscapes to climate change and also near Washington, DC. The participants, both
faculty and students, were excellent and combined well into a team. Several participants
pointed out to me that everyone was mixing well; at the closing banquet, for example,
participants from every school were at every table and the conversation was so lively that
the room was vibrating! We were not generally rushed, but some activities should have
been eliminated or curtailed to make the trip easier (e.g., we had four stops on the full day
at the coast, but three would have been sufficient and got us back home earlier). The
prescribed budget was right on the cost, which was more luck than expertise. Specific
recommendations are listed below.
Recommendations
General recommendations:





Future seminars do not need to replicate this seminar in any logistical or substantive
way; each seminar should be planned to meet the goals and opportunities unique to it.
The seminar is about the right length, at 9 days.
The number of student participants is about right, at 5 per school; too many more
participants would formalize the style and probably cause sub-groups to develop.
Continuing with doctoral students only is desirable; lower level students would
reduce the level of professional engagement.
The number of faculty participants could be increased for each school. Having
several from USP was good; 1 or 2 more from the other schools might be good.
15

The pacing of the seminar was about right, with 1.5 days of intense activity followed
by a half-day of something else (bus ride, time off, tour).
 More exposure to the host university is desirable; we had almost no association with
NC State faculty or facilities other than those directly involved.
 Timing within the academic and calendar year seems about right, at least for the U.S.
and England. A somewhat shorter seminar (7 days) could be accommodated at other
times of the year.
 More active engagement by students would be desirable, such as a service project for
and with a community. For example, we could have found a habitat adaptation
project that everyone could work on for a morning or afternoon (e.g., planting dune
grasses).
 Course credit might be desirable. I did not pursue course credit this time because it
would have cost more money.
 The approach to payment by USP was cumbersome (i.e., each participant arrived with
a large amount of cash that they paid to NC State and got a receipt for). Finding an
alternative that would provide the funds in a single large payment would be much
better.
Recommendation for next location: Participants generally felt that USP should be the
host school for the next seminar. Because of the turnover of personnel in the
international office at Surrey, we recommend that Brazil be the host for 2013 and Surrey
for 2014.
Recommendations for next topic: participants were asked both in the final session and
through the evaluation forms what topics they thought would be good for the next
seminar, particularly given that USP would be the host. The list of topics includes:
 Food security
 Energy
 World health
 Water resources
 Genetically modified organisms
 Sustainable cities
 Governance
 Natural disasters
 Globalizations and inequality
 Aging society
The topics that received the most support were energy, water resources, sustainable cities
and food security.
16
Appendix 1 – Faculty leader position responsibilities
UGPN – Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar – Climate Change – July 2012
Position Description: Campus Faculty Leader
Qualifications: The Campus Faculty Leader must be a faculty member with expertise and
interest in some aspect of climate change. She/he must also have sufficient time available
between now and the completion of the program to perform the expectations listed below. No
personal compensation is available from the program budget, so the campus faculty leader must
either be paid directly by the campus or be able to perform this role as part of his/her normal
work requirements.
Expectations:
1. Provide campus leadership for development and implementation of the 2012 IDS.
a. Serve as the central point of contact for the program at the campus.
b. Inform relevant colleagues and students about the program.
c. If needed or desired, create and lead a local faculty committee to support the
program.
d. Perform all campus-based logistical and administrative requirements for the
conduct of the program (e.g., permission, safety checklist, formal registration).
2. Recruit a group of 5 doctoral students who will participate in the program.
a. Develop selection criteria that assure an interdisciplinary mix of participants.
b. Advertise the availability of the program.
c. Develop and implement an application and selection process.
d. Select the 5 students who will participate.
e. Select an alternate student who may participate if a student drops out.
3. Mentor the selected students in preparation for the program.
a. Conduct individual and group meetings with the students as needed.
b. Assist the students in logistic preparation for the program.
c. Arrange and participate in any pre-program activities that the program conducts
(e.g., video conference, program web-site).
d. Perform any needed or desired campus-specific evaluation of student performance
(e.g., grades or credit for the experience).
4. Participate in the program on-site in the United States.
a. Accompany the students throughout the program.
b. Serve as the responsible person for the students while they are participating in the
program in the United States.
17
c. Serve in a teaching and mentoring capacity as needed during the program.
5. Serve as a member of the Steering Committee for the program.
a. Serve along with the lead faculty members from the other two partner institutions
and Dr. Larry Nielsen, IDS 2012 Program Leader.
b. Participate in discussions and decisions regarding overall program features (e.g.,
common student selection criteria, program itinerary).
c. Participate in discussions and decisions regarding the academic content, style and
schedule of the program.
d. Assist in the acquisition of experts and other participants who will be part of the
program.
e. Participate in discussions and decisions regarding the cultural, leisure and logistic
aspects of the program.
f. Perform and report an evaluation of the program after its conclusion.
6. Perform other tasks as needed to make the program successful, both on campus and on
behalf of the overall program.
18
Appendix 2 – Announcement of seminar to NC State
UGPN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change
The Science and Management of Climate
Change
July 21-29, 2012
A nine-day invitational experience for doctoral students
with seminars, workshops and group activities in
Raleigh, NC; Coastal NC; and Washington, DC
Hosted by Office of International Affairs, North Carolina State University
Apply to Dr. Larry Nielsen (larry_nielsen@ncsu.edu) by April 30
Background: To enhance our civilizations’ ability to conquer the most important topics of our
times, the University Global Partnership Network (University of Surrey, University of Sao
Paulo, North Carolina State University) is sponsoring an annual interdisciplinary seminar for
doctoral students. The inaugural experience on climate change will be hosted by North Carolina
State University from July21-29, 2012. Activities will include seminars by leading experts in
climate science, policy, environmental change, mitigation, adaptation and communication; group
discussions with leaders in government and civil-society organizations regarding climate change;
presentations by participating doctoral students; projects by teams of students and faculty; visits
to coastal communities impacted by climate change; cultural, historic and recreation activities.
Student participation and selection: Five sub-themes relating to climate change have been
selected for the IDS program. These are: (1) climate science and modeling; (2) climate policy,
law and economics; (3) climate impacts on human individuals and communities; (4) climate
impacts on natural resources; and (5) mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Each
university can invite 5 doctoral students to participate, with the goal that each university will
select one student representing each theme. Selection of participants from each university is by a
competitive process.
19
Costs: All expenses for the seminar will be paid by the UGPN, including lodging (double
rooms), meals, local transportation, admissions, and program-related costs. Students are
responsible for miscellaneous personal expenses.
How to Apply: At North Carolina State interested students must send an application to Dr. Larry
Nielsen (larry_nielsen@ncsu.edu) in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources,
by 5:00 PM, April 30. This application should include a letter of application outlining reasons for
wanting to attend, a letter of recommendation from the student’s supervisor and CV which
includes a list of any publications or conference presentations.
For more information, contact: Larry Nielsen at larry_nielsen@ncsu.edu, telephone 919-5155314.
20
Appendix 3 – Student participant profiles
UGPN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar on Climate Change 2012
Doctoral Student Participants
Danielle de Almeida Bressiani (U. Sao Paulo) – Danielle is creating an integrated decision
support system based on web-mapping of hydrological risks in urban areas. The proposal aims
to integrate hydrological models and adaptation strategies to climate and land use changes on
urban areas. She is an engineering student who went directly to the doctoral program after
completing her undergraduate degree. She also studied at the University of Illinois in the U.S.
Brian Bulla (NC State) – Brian is studying climate change adaptation with a special interest in
environmental justice. He holds undergraduate and Master’s degrees in the areas of history,
international studies, and public administration. He worked in the private sector, state
government and civil service organizations for several years before returning for his graduate
work. He has worked extensively as a volunteer for many health and tourism groups.
Derek Coombs (NC State) – Derek is studying the relationships among climate science and
modeling, infectious diseases and public health. His undergraduate and Master’s degrees are in
the areas of history and public health, with an emphasis on epidemiology. He worked for several
years as a statistician and research analyst for various civil service organizations, public health
organizations and pharmaceutical companies. He is also a volunteer baseball coach at NC State.
Laura Cowen (Surrey) – Laura is studying the psychology of how individuals make choices
regarding energy consumption. Her pervious degrees are from Lancaster University, in
psychology and design/evaluation of advanced interactive systems. She has worked for a major
IT firm for several years, involved in crafting a “smarter energy strategy” for the United
Kingdom and helping the Isle of Wight develop a model sustainable economy.
Sanna Elfving (Surrey) – Sanna is studying environmental law, with special interest in European
environmental law, the rights of Arctic indigenous peoples of Canada and Greenland, and
international trade law. Her previous degrees are in English language and European politics,
business and law. She has extensive experience in IT system administration, having worked in
both university and corporate settings in England and her native Finland.
Sarah Fritts (NC State) – Sarah is studying the impact that forest harvesting for biomass may
have on wildlife populations, particularly as it relates to ground-dwelling vertebrate animals.
Before joining NC State, she completed undergraduate and Master’s degrees at the Universities
of Georgia and Illinois, respectively. She has worked as an English teacher in Germany and on
many wildlife projects across the United States. She is a certified Game Range in South Africa.
Laurie Gharis (NC State) – Laurie is developing an optimization model that will allow forest
managers to grow trees for carbon sequestration rather than just for traditional market values.
She has previous degrees in sociobiology from Texas A&M University and in public
administration at NC State. She has worked for the U.S. Air Force in England and Idaho, and
has also been a high-school science teacher. She completed her doctorate this past May.
21
Emily Gould (Surrey) – Emily is an electrical engineer, studying the development of electric
vehicles and the electric vehicle infrastructure market. She is conducting her doctorate work
while employed with an energy management company. Her undergraduate degree is in
international finance and Master’s is in corporate environmental management. She has worked
with several civil society organizations and the House of Commons on energy related projects.
Denise Imori (U. Sao Paulo) – Denise is studying economics, specifically the connections
among the various aspects of the economic system and their relation to greenhouse gas
emissions. The objective of her dissertation is providing support to public policies and situating
Brazil in the international debate on climate change. She recently received a grant from the North
American Regional Science Council (NARSC) to present her work in their 2011 conference.
Luiz Augusto Manfre (U. Sao Paulo) – Luiz is enrolled in transportation engineering, where his
interests include effects of climate on natural disasters in urban settings. His research goals
include developing methodologies considering climate change that facilitate urban planning, and
help disaster managers and their decision making process. He is currently an exchange student at
the Geosystems Research Institute of Mississippi State University in the U.S.
Michael Rustell (Surrey) – Michael is a civil engineer with strong interests in coastal
environments. He is studying decision support systems that can be used to site liquefied natural
gas terminals in a sustainable manner. He has both undergraduate and Master’s degrees in civil
engineering from the University of Plymouth. He has experience as in the marine reserves, and
helped design the new HMS Raleigh monument in Plymouth, England.
Viviane Silva Romeiro (U. Sao Paulo) – Viviane is studying climate change regulation, with
special focus on national and sub-national climate policies and Carbon Capture and Storage
(CCS) regulatory frameworks. Her research project is to propose a CCS framework for Brazil
that incorporates both positive and negative externalities of the technology. She is an exchange
student at the University of Maryland in the U.S.
Kara Smith (NC State) – Kara is studying changes in the climate variability in the southeastern
U.S. as climate change occurs. For her Master’s degree, also from NC State, she looked at
similar issues relating to Lake Victoria in eastern Africa, especially as they relate to the
generation of hydroelectric energy. Her undergraduate degree is in atmospheric science from
Indiana University. She is very active in national, state and regional meteorological societies.
Maria de Souza Custodio (U. Sao Paulo) – Maria studies in the meteorology program, working
with global atmospheric models such as the HiGEM model and others used in the IPCC reports.
She is assessing the relationship between spatial scales and simulated rainfall in those models,
especially as they relate to periods of high and low rainfall. She also analyzes wind fields at high
and low levels.
Matthew Wakeling (Surrey) – Matthew is studying the improvement of data collection for
weather forecasting systems, especially regarding vertical motions. He has previous degrees in
computer sciences from Cambridge University. He has worked for several years with IT firms,
where he designed databases, optimization programs and client interfaces. He is a landscape
photographer whose work has been displayed in exhibitions since 2008.
22
Appendix 4 – Combined final schedule for seminar
UPGN Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminar on climate Change 2012
Program for Saturday, July 21
Day 1 – July 21 – Saturday – North Carolina State campus
9:32
Pick up U. Sao Paulo students and faculty at RDU airport by Larry
Nielsen and Sarah Slover (Express Jet 5963, from IAD)
2:45
Pick up U. Surrey students and faculty at RDU airport by Larry Nielsen
and Sarah Slover (American Airlines 173, from LHR)
All day
Arrival, check in to Wolf Village (check in at Building G; housing in
Building C; rest
5:15
Gather in Wolf Village lobby
5:30
Leave from Wolf Village for dinner by van and car
5:38
Pick up Luiz Manfre at RDU airport by Sarah Slover (Delta 1774)
6:00-8:30
Group dinner at home of Larry and Sharon Nielsen (dress casual)
8:30
Return to Wolf Village by van and car
Lodging
Wolf Village, NC State campus
Program for Sunday, July 22
Day 2 – July 22 – Sunday – North Carolina State campus (program at 1214 Jordan Hall)
Breakfast (Participants from England and Brazil only)
7:15
Gather at Wolf Village
7:30-8:00
Walk to Fountain Dining Hall (led by Sarah)
8:00-8:30
Breakfast at Fountain Dining Hall
8:30-8:45
Walk to 1214 Jordan Hall (led by Sarah)
8:45
NC State participants arrive at Jordan Hall
Morning
Session 1 – Dimensions of Climate Change
9:00 – 9:30 Introductions, orientation and logistics
9:30 – 10:00 Small group discussion – The questions in our future
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-10:45 Large group discussion – The questions in our future
10:45-11:30 Climate change and agriculture – Dr. Robert Patterson,
Alumni Distinguished Professor, NC State
11:30 -12:00 Discussion
12:00-1:00
Lunch catered on site (Neomonde)
Afternoon
Session 2 – Global aspects of Climate Change
23
Water Resources – Dr. Jonathan Chenoweth, U. Surrey
Discussion
Break
Student Presentations – Policy, Law and Economics
Brian Bulla (NC State)
Viviane Silva Romeiro (U. Sao Paulo)
Sanna Elfving (U. Surrey)
3:15-3:30
Break
3:30-4:00
Public Health – Dr. Leandro Giatti, U. Sao Paulo
4:00-4:15
Discussion
4:15-4:30
Walk to Wolf Village
5:15
Leave from Wolf Village for dinner by van and cars
5:30-7:30
Chancellor’s Dinner at The Point – hosted by Dr. Randy
Woodson, Chancellor, NC State (dress business casual)
7:30
Return to Wolf Village by van and cars
Lodging
Wolf Village, NC State campus
1:00-1:30
1:30-2:00
2:00-2:15
2:15-3:15
Program for Monday, July 23
Day 3 – July 23 – Monday – NC State campus (1214 Jordan Hall) and Nags Head, NC
Breakfast (participants from England and Brazil only)
7:15-7:45
Check out and load belongings onto van at Wolf Village
(you won’t get back to Wolf Village, so take everything with you)
7:45-8:00
Walk to Fountain Dining Hall
8:00-8:30
Breakfast at Fountain Dining Hall
8:30-8:45
Walk to Jordan Hall
8:30
NC State participants arrive at Jordan Hall with belongings
Morning
Session 3 – Physical sciences of Climate Change
9:00-10:00
Student Presentations – Climate Science
Maria de Souza Custodio (U. Sao Paulo)
Matthew Wakeling (U. Surrey)
Kara Smith (NC State)
10:00-10:15 Break
10:15-11:00 Fundamentals of climate change science and structure of
Global climate research – Dr. Frederick Semazzi and
Dr. Pascal Waniha, NC State
24
11:00-11:30
11:30-12:00
12:00
Afternoon
2:00 – 3:15
Discussion
Load bus, pick-up lunch at Jordan Hall (Jason’s Deli)
Leave by bus for coastal North Carolina (box lunch on bus)
Agriculture in coastal North Carolina – Dr. Ronnie W.
Heiniger, Professor of Crop Science,
Vernon James Agricultural Education Center, Plymouth
3:30
Re-board bus for remainder of travel to coastal North Carolina
5:00
Arrive Nags Head, NC; check into motel
6:00
Assemble at motel lobby
6:15-6:30
Walk to Jennette’s Pier
6:30
Dinner at Jennette’s Pier (catered by Kelly’s Restaurant)
Speaker: Dr. Nancy White, Director, UNC Coastal Studies
Institute
Lodging
Comfort Inn Oceanfront South, Nags Head, NC
Program for Tuesday, July 24
Day 4 – July 24 – Tuesday – Nags Head, NC
Breakfast
As you wish Breakfast at Comfort Inn (breakfast room opens at 6 AM)
8:00
Gather in motel lobby
8:00-8:15
Walk to Jennette’s Pier
Morning
Session 4 – Coastal Concerns of climate change (Jennette’s Pier)
8:30 – 9:15 Adaption, Public Policy and the Coast – Dr. Andy Keeler,
UNC Coastal Studies Institute and East Carolina U.
9:15-9:45
Discussion
9:45 – 10:00 Break
10:00 – 11:00 Student Presentations – Adaptation and Mitigation
Michael Rustell (U. Surrey)
Laurie Gharis (NC State)
Danielle Bressiani (U. Sao Paulo)
11:00 – 11:15 Bus from Jennette’s Pier to northern Nags Head
11:15 – 11:45 Historical land use, hazards and adaptation – Cliff Ogburn,
Manager, Town of Nags Head and Ms. Nancy Rascoe,
Nags Head property owner
25
11:45 – 12:00 Bus to southern Nags Head
12:00 – 12:45 Current policy issues affected by shoreline changes and
Sea-level rise – Andy Keeler and Cliff Ogburn
12:45 – 1:00 Bus to Coquina Beach
1:00 – 1:45 Box lunch (catered by Kelly’s Restaurant)
Afternoon
Session 5 – Coastal infrastructure issues of Climate Change
1:45 – 2:00 Bus to Oregon Inlet (south side)
2:00 – 3:00 Coastal change, inlet formation, challenges to
Transportation infrastructure – Dr. Billy Edge,
UNC Coastal Studies Institute and NC State, and
Dr. Reide Corbett, UNC CSI and East Carolina U.
3:00 – 3:15 Bus to New Inlet
3:15 – 4:00 Coastal transportation issues continues
4:00 – 4:30 Bus to motel
Evening
A casual conversation with Outer Banks community leaders
6:00
Assemble in motel lobby
6:15-6:30
Bus to restaurant
6:30 – 8:30 Dinner at Stripers Bar and Grille
8:30
Bus returns to motel
Lodging
Comfort Inn Oceanfront South, Nags Head, NC
Program for Wednesday, July 25
Day 5 – July 25 – Wednesday – Nags Head, NC
Breakfast
As you wish Breakfast at Comfort Inn (breakfast room opens at 6 AM)
8:15
Gather in motel lobby
Morning
Session 6 – Coastal Issues of Climate Change
8:30 – 9:00 Bus to US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility,
Duck, NC
9:15 – 10:30 Tour facility and discuss ongoing research – Dr. J. P. Walsh,
UNC CSI and East Carolina University and FRF staff
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 – 11:45 Student Presentations – Individuals and Communities
Derek Coombs (NC State)
Denise Imori (U. Sao Paulo)
26
Laura Cowen (U. Surrey)
11:45 – 12:15 Summary discussion – Andy Keeler and Larry Nielsen
12:15-1:00
Box lunch (catered by Kelly’s Restaurant)
1:00
Bus departs from Duck to motel
Afternoon
Evening
7:30
Lodging
Free time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BBQ dinner, Comfort Inn (catered by Pigmans’s BBQ)
Comfort Inn Oceanfront South, Nags Head, NC
Program for Thursday, July 26
Day 6 – July 26 – Thursday – Richmond, VA, and Washington, DC
Breakfast and Morning
6:30-7:00
7:15
7:30-11:00
9:15-9:30
11:00
Breakfast at motel (***EARLY BREAKFAST***)
Assemble with belongings in motel lobby, board bus
Travel by bus to Richmond, Virginia
Brief comfort stop (McDonalds, Exit 11, I-64)
Arrive at Rice Center for Environmental Life Sciences,
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond
Afternoon
Session 7 -- Natural Resources and Climate Change – Rice Center
11:15
Welcome by Dr. Len Smock, Director, Rice Center
11:30 – 12:30 Student Presentations – Natural Resources
Luiz Manfre (U. Sao Paulo)
Emily Gould (U. Surrey)
Sarah Fritts (NC State)
12:30
Lunch catered on site (compliments of VCU Center for
Environmental Studies)
12:45-1:45
Research on the James River – Dr. Greg Garman, Director,
VCU Center for Environmental Studies, and Dr. Paul Bukaveckas
1:45
Board bus
2:00
Leave by bus to Washington, DC
5:00
Arrive Washington, DC; check in to lodging (Somers Hall)
Evening
5:45
Assemble in Somers Hall lobby; board bus
6:00
Travel by bus to Georgetown Dock
6:30-7:15
Washington Monuments by Water (Potomac River Cruises)
27
7:15-7:45
Walk to Gadsby’s Tavern
7:45-9:30
Dinner at Gadsby’s Tavern, Old Town Alexandria
9:30-10:00
Bus from Gadsby’s Taven to lodging (say goodbye to bus driver)
Lodging
George Washington University Mount Vernon campus
Program for Friday, July 27
Day 7 – July 27 – Friday – Washington, DC – Board Room, Association of Public
And Land-Grant Universities (1307 New York Ave. NW)
7:00
Breakfast, Pelham Commons (West Hall, GWU)
7:30
Assemble at Somers Hall lobby for travel to site
7:45-8:30
Travel by “Vern Express,” DC Metro and walking to APLU
(led by Sarah Slover)
Session 8: International Climate Change Policy
9-9:30
Keynote address: Nathan Hultman, University of Maryland and
Brookings Institution
9:30-10:30
Panel presentations and discussion
Ms. Helen Guedalla, Head of Energy, Environment Resource Security,
British Embassy, Embassy of United Kingdom
Mr. Eduardo Lessa, Secretary and Head of Environment, Embassy of
Brazil
Session 9: Climate Change and Development
10:45-11:15 Keynote address: Genevieve Maricle, USAID
11:15-12:15 Panel presentations and discussion
David Waskow, Oxfam America
Clifford Polycarp, World Resources Institute
12:30-2:00
Luncheon Keynote speaker: Elliot Diringer, Executive Vice President,
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (catered by Firehook Deli)
Session 10: United States Climate Change Policy and Science
2:15-2:45
Keynote address: Dallas Burtraw, Resources for the Future
2:45-3:45
Panel presentations and discussion
Lara Levison, Climate Action Network
David Trimble, U.S. Government Accountability Office
4:00-5:00
Student and Faculty Discussion
28
Program for Saturday, July 28
Day 8 – July 28 – Saturday – Washington, DC – 216 West Hall, Mount Vernon Campus,
George Washington University
Breakfast
Pelham Commons
8:45
Arrive at 215 West Hall, on Mount Vernon campus
Morning
Session 11 – Comprehensive Assessment of Climate Change
9:00 – 9:45 The big picture of climate change – Ms. Victoria Arroyo, Esq.,
Director, Georgetown University Climate Resource Center
9:45-10:00
Break
10:00-12:00 Extended discussion with Professor Arroyo
12:15-2:00
Lunch and student group presentations and discussion
Afternoon
2:15-2:30
Vern Express to Foggy Bottom
2:30-2:45
Travel by DC Metro (Foggy Bottom to Capitol South)
2:45-3:00
Walk to Capitol Building
3:00-4:30
Tour of U.S. Capitol Building (optional)
Evening
7:00
Arrive at Willard Hotel (travel at your own schedule)
7:00-10:00
Closing banquet, Willard Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW
10:00
Return to GWU Mount Vernon by DC Metro and Vern Express
Lodging
George Washington University Mount Vernon campus
Program for Sunday, July 29
Day 9 – July 29 – Sunday – Washington, DC
Breakfast
Pelham Commons
Morning
NC State participants return to Raleigh
6:00 PM
U. Surrey participants transported to Dulles Airport for 21:05 departure
Lodging
George Washington University Mount Vernon campus (for University
Of Sao Paulo participants)
29