UMaine Extension Follow a Researcher expedition to Poland begins Nov. 5
Teachers, students and the public are invited to follow two graduate students from the University of Maine Climate Change Institute on their expedition to Katowice, Poland in the fifth Follow a Researcher® expedition, “From UMaine to the UN: Climate Science and Policy,” Nov. 5–Dec. 21.
Anna McGinn and Will Kochtitzky are traveling to COP24, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to engage with world leaders who are negotiating global climate change policies.
Kochtitzky’s research focuses on glaciers in Canada and Alaska. McGinn is studying the social science associated with climate change policy. In the Follow a Researcher® initiative, they will share their perspectives on the intersection of physical and social science research, and the opportunity to interact with global policymakers.
“A central piece of our attendance at the COPs is to draw connections between these international efforts and the state of Maine,” says McGinn. “Attending the COPs presents a unique opportunity for researchers in Maine to explore how scientific research feeds into international decision-making on climate change to build relationships with leading policymakers, physical and social scientists, and practitioners from around the world.”
Participants will be able to experience the negotiations through blog posts, tweets, live video conferences, and interviews with country negotiators, heads of nongovernmental organizations, and other delegates.
Participating schools and individuals will be offered the opportunity to send a “trip flag” with McGinn and Kochtitzky, which will be displayed at the conference. Register online by Nov. 5. Follow a Researcher® 2018 is presented with support from UMaine’s Alton ’38 and Adelaide Hamm Campus Activity Fund.