Seminar of Science of Sustainability and Climate Change

General characterization

Prerequisites

None

Bibliography

Pelo próprio conceito desta Unidade, os alunos devem explorar eles próprios bibliografia para suportar os seus argumentos para os debates e para o Ensaio. Os professores e oradores referem nas suas apresentações a bibliografia relevante, que é muito variável como o tema e serve antes de mais para demonstrar como referir e usar dados, relatórios, artigos, etc. e não como objectos de estudo em si mesmos.
According to the very concept of this Unit, the students are to themselves explore the bibliography needed to support their arguments at the debates and for the essay. The professors and speaker surely present bibliography (hugely variable according to the theme debated) but this serves more as examples of how to search and quote relevant scientific works, reports, data, etc. than as study material.

Teaching method

The Seminar sessions include talks that encourage debate, between the presenters as well as between students. Basic layout of the sessions: (i)
opening address, with the professor, a guest speaker, or else two teams of students, that present viewpoints on a topic. For more vivid debates,
there are contrasting, complementary or even opposite viewpoints. Students pose “killer questions” criticizing the different viewpoints. The
Seminar also provides a venue to addressing how senior practitioners approach “wicked problems”.

Evaluation method

Evaluation:
(i) Debate with another team of students with contrasting views on a same issue (40% weight; set of evaluation criteria disclosed to the students).
(ii) Written essay of 6 -10 000 characters on one of the topics debated (40% weight, set of evaluation criteria disclosed to the students).
(iii) Auto-evaluation, one page of self assessment of the academic, professional and private life performance regarding SD and CC (20% weight).

Subject matter

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: