CHOICE 3

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- difference between weather and climate

- atmospheric structure, radiation balance, greenhouse effect, wind circulation, low-pressure systems/high-pressure systems, tropical cyclones, tornadoes

- general ocean circulation (Munk, major currents, Conveyor Belt)

- Geographic distribution and classification of climates

- current climate change

- global water cycle, hydrologic balance, water balance, energy balance above a cultivated plot to estimate evapotranspiration

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Understanding the weather and knowing how to use the climate data as an ecologist or naturalist.

- methods for measuring climate, bioclimatic indices;

- Computer lab assignment: climate data, modern records (one century), oscillations, and trends;

- Weather overview, dominant conditions: from major biomes to local climate;

- average climate vs. extreme events, their roles and impacts on biodiversity;

- Group project (presentation): regional themes, shared oral presentation;

- Past and future climate change and its impacts on biodiversity.

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By the end of this course, students will have acquired the essential basic knowledge needed to properly prepare and carry out a science communication initiative tailored to a specific target audience, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to design educational materials and outreach workshops for the general public.

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Universities are often perceived as inaccessible to a large segment of society. As part of the UniverlaCité initiative, which aims to bring the university experience to priority neighborhoods, students will develop science workshops designed for students in REP schools. 

The EU will offer students the opportunity to:

1- share their own experiences and apply the knowledge they have acquired at the university in order to best meet the needs of society.

2- Identify and develop skills in science communication through the design and production of educational materials tailored to the target audience.

The course will consist of tutorials and project monitoring (SPS) on predefined topics. The sociocultural situation in vulnerable urban areas will be addressed during the first tutorial. This first tutorial will also serve to lay the groundwork for the course, provide a detailed overview of the UniverlaCité program, and offer a broad introduction to science communication.

The following tutorials will serve as sessions during which students, divided into groups, will be asked to propose activities to be implemented. The constraints provided by the teaching team will be: the target audience, the theme (which will be defined by the teaching team and updated each year), and the requirement to propose “off-campus” activities.

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Major human and animal health challenges related to global changes, namely:

• the degradation of natural environments, leading to a decline in the quality of natural resources (various forms of pollution) and a loss of biodiversity
• climate change
• the urbanization of living environments
• new treatment approaches
• the globalization of trade
• the standardization of lifestyles

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In today’s societies, science lies at the heart of numerous ethical, economic, and societal issues. The goal of this course unit is to encourage students to reflect on their knowledge and practices through a historical approach to the development of scientific knowledge and through discussions on the bioethical aspects of science, the role of researchers in society, and the relationship between science and society. The goal is to raise students’ awareness of how scientific arguments are used in society, to engage in debates that bring together conflicting, well-supported viewpoints, and to develop their critical thinking skills. This course is therefore designed to broaden students’ perspectives, allowing them to take a step back and maintain a scientific approach—in other words, to “look up from the handlebars.”

- 7CM = 10.5 hours for the History of Science: A Panhistorical and Pangewographic Approach

- 4 class periods = 6 hours to introduce the concepts of bioethics and the critical approach that will be necessary for the discussions (methodology of controversy, complexity, issues at stake, appeals to authority)

- 2CM = 3 hours on the role of scientists in society (historical perspective and discussion of potential pitfalls)

- 2 TDs = 3 hours on cognitive biases, concepts in epistemology, linguistic pitfalls, the concept of evidence, and major types of fallacious reasoning

- 4 sessions of 2 tutorials each = 4 × 3 hours = 12 hours of discussion on topics at the heart of scientific and societal controversies: GMOs, vaccination, pharmacogenetics and genetic testing, endocrine disruptors, feeding the planet, demographic challenges, climate change, transhumanism, cloning and assisted reproduction, animal testing, neuroscience and marketing, biological control, nanotechnologies, ... Starting with a news article, students work in groups to produce a presentation (which counts toward their grade) aimed at providing historical context, presenting well-reasoned opposing viewpoints (based on ethical and scientific arguments), and then facilitating a debate. Each debate session (3 hours) will have a specific theme; researchers or faculty members will be invited to serve on the panel and provide a summary at the end.

Working in groups throughout the course, students will produce a literature review on a topic of their choice, presenting a well-structured argument illustrated with carefully selected examples, while situating the subject within the context of the history of science and incorporating bioethical considerations. The goal is not simply to trace the history of a subject, but rather to emphasize its connections to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the ethical questions it raises.

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By the end of this course, students will have acquired the essential basic knowledge needed to properly prepare and carry out a science communication initiative tailored to a specific target audience, both orally and in writing. They will also be able to design educational materials and outreach workshops for the general public.

View the full page

View the full page

Universities are often perceived as inaccessible to a large segment of society. As part of the UniverlaCité initiative, which aims to bring the university experience to priority neighborhoods, students will develop science workshops designed for students in REP schools. 

The EU will offer students the opportunity to:

1- share their own experiences and apply the knowledge they have acquired at the university in order to best meet the needs of society.

2- Identify and develop skills in science communication through the design and production of educational materials tailored to the target audience.

The course will consist of tutorials and project monitoring (SPS) on predefined topics. The sociocultural situation in vulnerable urban areas will be addressed during the first tutorial. This first tutorial will also serve to lay the groundwork for the course, provide a detailed overview of the UniverlaCité program, and offer a broad introduction to science communication.

The following tutorials will serve as sessions during which students, divided into groups, will be asked to propose activities to be implemented. The constraints provided by the teaching team will be: the target audience, the theme (which will be defined by the teaching team and updated each year), and the requirement to propose “off-campus” activities.

View the full page

Major human and animal health challenges related to global changes, namely:

• the degradation of natural environments, leading to a decline in the quality of natural resources (various forms of pollution) and a loss of biodiversity
• climate change
• the urbanization of living environments
• new treatment approaches
• the globalization of trade
• the standardization of lifestyles

View the full page