Climate and Energy Justice Practicum

The Climate and Energy Justice Practicum gives students the opportunity to work on projects covering a wide range of timely and pressing applied topics and policies related to climate justice, energy justice, and just transitions.  Students work with federal, state, and local partner organizations (including government agencies) on current projects and developing policies. Students will be assigned to small groups (2 or 3 students, depending on enrollment and project scope) to produce a work product under the supervision of the organization and the professor.  Projects will vary in scope and content based on student interest and the needs of the partnering organization. Project topics might include community participation in regulatory matters (e.g. permitting of pipelines), advancing climate justice and clean energy priorities for disadvantaged communities in New York State, community air monitoring in disadvantaged communities, among others. Students might also have the opportunity to work with a specific local community on climate justice or energy transition-related matters. Some students will continue to work on their projects over the summer as part of their capstone projects for the Climate School, supervised by Professor Foster.

Class sessions will be of two types.  The weekly meetings will include readings and lectures on specific climate and energy issues and their intersection with questions of justice for disadvantaged communities. Some class sessions will also consist of (a) small group conversations between the instructors and each group and (b) intermediate presentations of results, progress and problems given by each group to the entire class. In the final two sessions (weeks 6 & 7) each group will present their draft project analysis in a 45-minute presentation to the class. Final projects will be completed and turned in before the end of the exam period.