One Ocean Expedition Course on Climate Science, Policy, and Human-Nature Connections
A UT Austin Portugal sponsored ocean mission
From May 5 to August 25, 2025
Application period runs until February 1, 2025
The UT Austin Portugal Program, through its Space-Earth Interactions area, is pleased to announce its support of the One Ocean Expedition Course on Climate Science, Policy, and Human-Nature Connections, co-organized by the Universities of Bergen, Harvard, John Hopkins, and Texas at Austin.
Candidates sponsored by the Program
This training program is particularly designed for PhD students. Nevertheless, applications from Master’s students will also be considered.
To candidates affiliated with Portuguese institutions, the Program will grant five spots aboard the tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl, which will be sailing from Ponta Delgada (Azores) to Nuuk (Greenland).
Financial assistance provided through UT Austin Portugal will cover accommodation and full board while on the ship. Candidates may also request additional support to cover expenses with travel to and from the venue, as well as accommodation on land. To this end, they should include in their application a letter of support from their home institution (e.g. faculty advisor). Such requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the sponsor’s funding eligibility rules.
Interested in diving into a unique international learning experience? Then this is your shot.
Application deadline is February 1, 2025. Learn more here.
The course in a glimpse
The motivation:
Climate change is a major scientific, technical, and policy challenge, requiring interdisciplinary approaches that cover topics related to energy, oceans, governance, and ethical sustainable transitions. It requires an understanding of the diverse knowledge systems, worldviews and values that are connected across our oceans. Climate change and energy transitions constitute a popular topic for students and staff, but the record in interdisciplinary climate teaching is more limited.
The course approach:
The Interdisciplinary Course in Climate Science, Policy, and Human-Nature Connections will provide a holistic introduction to the many sides of climate-related scholarship. The participants will form interdisciplinary teams and explore various the diverse facets of climate change and the oceans, including opportunities, challenges, policy, ethics and worldviews. We will explore how we know and understand the world through the eyes of natural science, policy, innovation, indigenous, and local knowledge and art. Such knowledge will provide an important and valuable foundation for pursuing more specialized climate-related topics in students’ respective fields.
What students will get with the course:
The field course segment takes place on board the tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl over three weeks, which offers unique opportunities for in-depth learning and for building international academic networks for students and staff.
We will provide students with basic knowledge of cross-disciplinary climate-related topics and scientific traditions, with skills to address their research needs, and with personal experiences and networks to facilitate their further professional development. An overarching framing of the course will be the history of science in different disciplines – from geophysical sciences, social sciences, health sciences, psychology, humanities, law, to fine arts – complemented by knowledge systems built upon worldviews, indigenous, and local knowledge.
The grade will be pass/fail. We aim for courses awarding 10 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) at each level.
Course Structure and Tentative Schedule
May 5 – June 28, 2025: 5-week introductory online lectures and group work (2 hours per week)
5-7th of July 2025: Workshop in Ponta Delgada Azores
8th – 29th of July 2025: Field course Azores-Nuuk
30th – 31st of July 2025: Open ship and workshops in Nuuk
Final reports are due on 25 August, 2025, at noon.
Applications under the UT Austin Portugal Program
Only Master’s and PhD students affiliated with a Portuguese institution will be eligible for funding under the Program.
To apply, you must complete this form by February 1, 2025. When filling out the box “Academic Home Institution” in the form, make sure to indicate, in addition to your home institution, the UT Austin Portugal Program so you can apply for the corresponding financial assistance.
Also, to be eligible for funding under the Program, your recommendation letter must be from a faculty from your home institution (e.g.: your supervisor; the director of the PhD program you are enrolled in). The recommendation letter must be uploaded to the application form before submission.
By submitting the form, you declare that the information provided therein is accurate and true.
Contacts
For queries related to course content and structure, eligibility requirements, assessment and ECTs credits:
Dr Patrick Heimbach, Area Director for Space-Earth Interactions, UT Austin Portugal (email address: heimbach@utexas.edu).
Official Website
Detailed information about the course can be consulted in its official website.
