Course-based undergraduate research (CURE) is a highly successful model to engage students in inquiry and provide authentic research experiences. We have implemented the CURE model into a freshman Scientific Computing course to train students in computational thinking and apply this skill to investigate climate change data. Students are trained in the symbolic computing platform, Wolfram Mathematica® to apply functional programming on typical work-flows in scientific data analysis and data visualization. Students then apply these skills to research climate change data and study impacts of climate change on regions of the world. During the course, students explore various government agency websites and read the IPCC summary for policymakers report. They locate international resources that provide datasets from historical measurements of the climate. Students utilize the programming skills to analyze the data, prepare engaging and interactive visualizations, and connect the numbers to study the impact on human lives and our planet. They present their research updates in the form of short presentations and build their public presentation skills. The course provides a unique experience of learning computational thinking and applying this new skill to the most serious problem of our times. The computational skills from this course enrich the student learning experience across the STEM curriculum. Our assessment results from the national CURE assessment survey have been very encouraging and such courses can serve as effective recruitment device for Chemistry or Environmental Science programs.

CURE for climate change: Engaging the next generation with scientific computing and climate change data analysis

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.