Local Action: Global Impact Student Global Issues Conference Students in Grades 6, 7,8 Sponsored by the Office of International Outreach, The European.

Local Action: Global Impact Student Global Issues Conference

Students in Grades 6, 7,8

Sponsored by the Office of International Outreach, The European Union Center, & the College of Geosciences

at Texas A&M University

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Time: 9 am - 3 pm, includes lunch

Fee: No charge for students and teachers

Location: Koldus Building, Rooms 110

and111

Conference Requirements

To be eligible to attend the conference, students must submit an environmental

sustainability project either individually or in teams of no more than 4 students

and be willing to actively participate in the conference.

Students will display their projects during a poster session. First place project

researchers will present their projects at the closing ceremony. All participants will

receive a conference certificate.

Schools should pre-register for the conference based on estimated attendance by

emailing Martha Green at [email protected].

Conference is limited to 100 students

Project submission due date: February 4, 2011

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. – World Commission on Environment and Development.  Our Common Future. (1987)

Environmental Sustainability Issues Water • Food • Transportation

Energy • Climate • Waste

Local Action: Global Impact Project Objectives

Projects involve:• Basic understanding of sustainability as a concepts: interconnectedness, systems, sustainability• Local investigation of an environmental issue• Research on environmental issue• Making the connection: How does the local issue impact our world?• Writing: Abstract & discussion of the local problem • Presentation: Linking a local problem to global impact• Poster: Illustration of project key concepts

Projects teach:• Environmental sustainability concepts• Inquiry approach to action research methods• Engage students in a real life learning experience• Teach writing skills: how to clearly present a problem and make a connection between the local problem and how it impacts our world on global proportions• Develop presentation skills: Technology presentation and poster

Local Action: Global Impact Student Global Issues Conference

8:00 am Registration, set up poster session, continental breakfast

9:00 am Key note presentation

10:00 am Environmental education activities

11:30 am Lunch

12:00 to 1:00 Poster session

1:00 to 2:00 pm Awards Ceremony

2:00 – 3:00 pm Tour: Environmental research at Texas A&M University

4:00 pm Visit to the George Bush Presidential Library (optional)

5:00 pm Chinese New Year Celebration (optional)

Key Note Speaker

Dr. William D. HeymanAssociate ProfessorDepartment of Geography

“I developed a broad interest in science and sustainable management of tropical coastal and marine systems from the time I was a child, snorkeling before I could walk.”

Dr. William HeymanAssociate Professor, Department of GeographyTexas A&M University

Education Ph.D., University of South Carolina, Marine Sciences, 1996M.S., University of South Carolina, Marine Sciences, 1992B.S., Tufts University, Biology and Environmental Studies, 1987

BiographyI developed a broad interest in science and sustainable management of tropical coastal and marine systems from the time I was a child, snorkeling before I could walk. I graduated from Tufts University with a major in Marine Biology and Environmental Studies in 1983. I then spent three years working in marine aquaculture in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and the Marshall Islands. I did my MS and Ph.D. through the University of South Carolina, conducting field research in both the Marshall Islands and Belize, finishing in 1996. In 7 years of graduate work, I spent only 5 semesters in residence, gaining me the dubious honor of the student with the most degrees, and least amount of time on campus at USC. Meanwhile, I began working for the International Division of the Nature Conservancy in Belize where I lived for ten years. I am now an Associate Professor of Geography.

Research InterestI am generally interested in the relationship between humans and the environment and utilize a multi-disciplinary approach to study these interactions. In addition to the science, I have dedicated myself to generating practical and useful guidance for resource managers. I collaborate with commercial fishermen; scientists from a wide set of disciplines; and marine area managers in state, federal, and non-government organizations. I use multi-disciplinary approaches to generate practical guidance for resource management and use remote sensing, and GIS. My recent research focuses on the ecology and management reef fish spawning aggregations, especially snappers and groupers. More generally I am interested in the relationship between underlying geomorphology and habitat for marine organisms as a means to provide ecosystem-based-management options and illuminate designs for marine reserve networks.

I have a great interest in providing entertaining, science-based education to my students and the general public, in hopes that this will lead to broad changes in environmental policy and sustainable management of marine resources. I have worked in the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, the Marshall Islands, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Los Roques Venezuela, and most extensively in Belize.

Taking Out the Trash

Presented by Sheila McQueen

College Station Landfill Education Coordinator

POSTER SESSION

Students will be expected to explain and discuss their projects with faculty and reviewers during the poster session.

Awards for a Job Well Done

Facing the Future: http://www.facingthefuture.org/

Get Global! http://www.getglobal.org.uk/ (free PDF files) This resource provides group activities, worksheets, evaluation ideas to help young people taking action step-by-step.

How do we know it's working? http://www.globaldimension.org.uk/resourcesearch/details.aspx?id=1585This toolkit aims to help teachers target their efforts to deliver Global Citizenship effectively and measure the impact of their teaching.

The World Room websitehttp://worldroom.tamu.edu

Sustainability Resources

Zooming Out for a Global View Student Global Issues Conference foe

High School Students

Sponsored by the Office of International Outreach, the European Union Center, the College of Geosciences,

and the Academy for Future International Leaders at Texas A&M University

Wednesday, May 5, 2011

Rudder Theater on the campus of Texas A&M University