State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development Seeks Spring 2019 Teaching Assistants

The Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development is currently accepting applications for Spring 2019 Teaching Assistant positions for the following courses:

  1. SDEV UN1900 Introduction to Sustainable Development Seminar
  2. SDEV UN3310 Ethics of Sustainable Development
  3. SDEV UN3390 GIS for Sustainable Development
  4. SDEV GU4050 US Water and Energy Policy
  5. SDEV GU4250 Climate Change: Resilience and Adaptation
  6. SDEV GU 4350 Public Lands in the American West

Applicants must be current full-time Columbia University students enrolled in a degree-granting program. Students should expect to work 10-20 hours per week on average, but this can vary throughout the semester. Applications will only be accepted by graduate students and undergraduate juniors or seniors. Please note Teachers College and Barnard students are not eligible to apply. Be to check the description for each position for additional restrictions and information. Application available here: https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form336/index.html

The deadline to apply is November 26 at 11:55pm.


Teaching Assistant for SDEV UN1900: Introduction to Sustainable Development Seminar

T 11:40am-12:55pm

The course is designed to be a free flowing discussion of the principals of Sustainable Development and the scope of this emerging discipline. This course will also serve to introduce the students to the requirements of the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development and the content of the required courses in both the Special Concentration and the Major. The focus will be on the breadth of subject matter, the multidisciplinary nature of the scholarship and familiarity with the other key courses in the Program.

Applicants should have knowledge of sustainable development, with previous coursework in the area and be familiar with the structure of the major and the special concentration in the undergraduate program in sustainable development.

Time Commitment & Responsibilities

A teaching assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality. The teaching assistant may be responsible for directing drills, recitations, discussions or laboratory sessions related to courses offered by an officer of higher rank. They will be responsible for meeting and coordinating with the instructor regularly and performing other course-related duties as assigned, like grading written coursework. This also may include developing, distributing and statistically analyzing “peer review” and “self-review” forms.

Applicants must be current full-time CU students enrolled in a degree granting program. Applications will only be accepted by undergraduate juniors or seniors and graduate students.

To Apply

Please post your cover letter stating your interest in the position and a resume (both in PDF format) to https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form336/index.html


Teaching Assistant for SDEV UN3310: Ethics of Sustainable Development

TR 1:10-2:25pm

The TA would perform primarily the following functions:

  1. Maintain an accurate spreadsheet tracking student performance, including contributions to online discussions on Canvas.
  2. Record on the spreadsheet any relevant data provided by the instructor, such as students’ grades on the mid-term and final assignments.
  3. Track the submission of course assignments for timeliness.
  4. If needed, provide assistance with grading students’ work and calculating final grades.
  5. Record student absences on the spreadsheet, on the basis of a classroom sign-in sheet and relevant e-mail.
  6. Record student class participation.
  7. Attend class regularly and occasionally meet with the professor to review any course-related issues or questions.
  8. Assist with editing weekly PowerPoints.
  9. Be responsive to students having technical or other questions.

Time Commitment & Responsibilities

A teaching assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality. The teaching assistant may be responsible for directing drills, recitations, discussions or laboratory sessions related to courses offered by an officer of higher rank. They will be responsible for meeting and coordinating with the instructor regularly and performing other course-related duties as assigned, like grading written coursework. This also may include developing, distributing and statistically analyzing “peer review” and “self-review” forms.

Applicants must be current full-time CU students enrolled in a degree granting program. Applications will only be accepted by graduate students.

To Apply

Please post your cover letter stating your interest in the position and a resume (both in PDF format) to https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form336/index.html


Teaching Assistant for SDEV UN3390: GIS for Sustainable Development

M 1:10-2:25pm; W 1:10-3:25pm

This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of theoretical concepts underlying GIS systems and to give students a strong set of practical skills to use GIS for stainable development research. Through a mixture of lectures, readings, focused discussions, and hands-on exercises, students will acquire an understanding of the variety and structure of spatial data and databases, gain knowledge of the principles behind raster and vector based spatial analysis, and learn basic cartographic principles for producing maps that effectively communicate a message. Student will also learn to use newly emerging web based mapping tools such as Google Earth, Google Maps and similar tools to develop online interactive maps and graphics.

Applicants should have advanced knowledge of geographic information systems software, with previous coursework in the area.

 Time Commitment & Responsibilities

A teaching assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality. The teaching assistant may be responsible for directing drills, recitations, discussions or laboratory sessions related to courses offered by an officer of higher rank. They will be responsible for meeting and coordinating with the instructor regularly and performing other course-related duties as assigned, like grading written coursework. This also may include developing, distributing and statistically analyzing “peer review” and “self-review” forms.

Applicants must be current full-time CU students enrolled in a degree granting program. Applications will only be accepted by undergraduate juniors or seniors and graduate students.

To Apply

Please post your cover letter stating your interest in the position and a resume (both in PDF format) to https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form311/index.html


Teaching Assistant for SDEV GU4050 US Water & Energy Policy

M 6:10-8pm

Providing for clean drinking water, healthy aquatic ecosystems and sustainable energy supplies is a growing challenge in today’s resource-hungry and climate-impacted world. True, lasting water and energy sustainability will require a combination of legal reforms, social cooperation and technical innovation with few if any precedents in US history. GU4050 examines the laws, social forces and technologies that have shaped America’s present-day water and energy policies and considers how these policies must change to achieve long-term sustainability.

Time Commitment & Responsibilities

A Teaching Assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality.  The Teaching Assistant may be responsible for directing drills, recitations, discussions, etc.  They will be responsible for meeting and coordinating with the instructor regularly and performing other course-related duties as assigned, like grading written coursework.

Applicants must be current full-time CU students enrolled in a degree granting program. Applications will only be accepted from undergraduate juniors or seniors and graduate students.

To Apply

Please post your cover letter stating your interest in the position and a resume (both in PDF format) to https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form336/index.html


Teaching Assistant for SDEV GU4250: Climate Change-Resilience and Adaptation

W 4:10-6pm

For much of recent history, climate change policy has focused on mitigation. Reducing emissions and shifting our energy sources away from fossil fuels, for example, are actions that could slow the pace of climate change. But human populations are also vulnerable to changes in the baseline climate, and as the planet continues to warm, policy-makers have also begun to address adaptation. This course will explore dimensions of climate adaptation across sectors and scales. With a thematic focus on pervasive global inequities, students will also consider challenges associated with international development and disaster risk management. An inter-disciplinary framework will enrich the course, and students will learn about perspectives from the natural sciences, law, architecture, anthropology, humanitarian aid, and public policy.

Time Commitment & Responsibilities

A teaching assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality. Working closely with undergraduate students, the TA for this course should be prepared to help with writing assignments and other course requirements. Additionally, the TA will assist with grading both written and oral work submitted by students. To facilitate smooth delivery of the course, the TA is expected to meet and coordinate with the instructor regularly, performing other course-related duties as assigned.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be current full-time graduate students at Columbia University, enrolled in a degree granting program.
  • Strong writing skills are essential, and some background in climate policy is desired.

To Apply

Please post your cover letter stating your interest in the position and a resume (both in PDF format) to https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form336/index.html


Teaching Assistant for SDEV GU4350 Public Lands in the American West

MW 11:40am-12:55pm

Land use in the American West is inevitably dominated by the prevalence of federally managed public lands. Most western states have a land base that is at least 35% public, and competing interests navigate a complex bureaucracy as they vie for limited resources. This course will focus on the federal agencies authorized to make management decisions across those lands: the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Park Service, and others. We will explore the legal and regulatory framework that guides land use decisions, and study enduring resource access conflicts. Pulling from both academic scholarship and the gray literature in political science, environmental sciences, law, and organizational behavior, this course provides an interdisciplinary overview of governance challenges in the American West.

Time Commitment and Responsibilities

A teaching assistant must fulfill the responsibilities as identified by the assigned supervising instructor while maintaining conduct of the highest level of professionalism and confidentiality. The teaching assistant will work closely with undergraduate students, helping them with assignments and presentations. The TA will also be responsible for assisting the instructor with grading and presentation assessment. In order to enhance our unified approach to the course, the TA will be expected to coordinate with the instructor regularly and perform other course-related duties as assigned.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be current full-time Columbia University graduate students enrolled in a degree granting program.
  • Applicants should have a background in political science or policy, and some experience living in and/or studying the West.

To Apply

Please post your cover letter stating your interest in the position and a resume (both in PDF format) to https://fs21.formsite.com/earthinstitute/form336/index.html

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