Studying and understanding climate encompasses all of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). But these are broad categories, and it doesn’t do climate science justice to place all of the people that study climate in these four simple categories.
In high school, “science class” branches into physics, chemistry, and biology. In college, there are many kinds of engineering courses – chemical, mechanical, electrical, and science classes further branch into classes like biochemistry (chemical processes within living organisms) physical oceanography (physics and physical processes of ocean water and motion), and lots more.
For complex topics like climate change, scientists’ specialties branch out even further. But even though each scientist concentrates on his or her branch of research, they are all working on the same tree. Some of the branches during this International Glaciology Summer School include…
How do glaciers respond to climate change?
What can remote sensing tell us about glacier conditions?
How does the geology of a place give clues into its past and present?
What are the dynamics of surging and tidewater glaciers and ice streams?
How can we use computer models to understand processes happening in glaciers and ice sheets?
What are the environmental and meteorological factors affecting the balance of ice mass in glaciers?
To find the answers to these questions, we don’t just need scientists in general. We need scientists of all kinds – each one an expert in his or her specific field. And we need those scientists to work together, just like in this Glaciology Summer School, so that each one contributes a piece of the puzzle. And all the better if scientists communicate that research to the public, so that the bigger picture starts to emerge for all of us. So stay tuned to hear from the Summer School scientists here on this blog!