Introducing Climate Change into the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Curriculum

• DOI: 10.1096/fasebj.2021.35.s1.01977
• Publication Date: 2021-06-11T01:05:50Z
• Authors: Henry Jakubowski; Nicholas Bock; Lucas Busta; Matthew Pearce; Rebecca Roston; Zachery Shomo; Cassidy Terrell
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Curriculum and Instruction; Climate Change; 4. Education; Higher Education; Biochemistry; Chemistry; 03 medical and health sciences; 13. Climate action; Science and Mathematics Education; Humans; Curriculum; Molecular Biology

AbstractOur climate is changing due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases from the production and use of fossil fuels. Present atmospheric levels of CO2 were last seen 3 million years ago, when planetary temperature sustained high Arctic camels. As scientists and educators, we should feel a professional responsibility to discuss major scientific issues like climate change, and its profound consequences for humanity, with students who look up to us for knowledge and leadership, and who will be most affected in the future. We offer simple to complex backgrounds and examples to enable and encourage biochemistry educators to routinely incorporate this most important topic into their classrooms.