Our Icy Oceans
Course Description
Our polar oceans are changing faster than almost anywhere else on the planet. In both hemispheres, rising temperatures and melting ice are transforming ocean circulation, marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and even global geopolitics. In this course, we will explore what makes these icy oceans so sensitive to climate change and how these seemingly distant environmental shifts may affect our global society. Together, we will investigate how the ocean, cryosphere, and atmosphere interact; how these dynamics ripple through the broader Earth system; and the challenges of studying these harsh and remote environments.
Through lectures, readings, and in-class discussion, students will engage with cutting-edge research and big-picture questions about the future of the polar regions. We will also take a field trip to Monterey Bay to meet polar scientists and learn firsthand what it takes to conduct research in the cold, challenging conditions of the polar regions.
Meet the Instructor: Earle Wilson
“I am a physical oceanographer specializing in ice-ocean interactions and their impact on our climate. Growing up on a tropical island, I was always drawn to the ocean but never imagined studying the polar regions. That changed when I took my first oceanography course in college and discovered the intricate interconnectedness of the ocean and the profound influence of the polar regions on the global climate.
“Studying polar climate science is both exciting and sobering. These regions remain under-explored, and we are still uncovering fundamental scientific questions. At the same time, they are on the front lines of human-induced climate change. In my research, I use a wide array of tools, techniques, and observations to better understand our polar oceans. With this seminar, I aim to inspire curiosity and a passion for exploring these complex regions and their far-reaching impacts on our world.”
