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The Graduate School of Geography offers programs for both undergraduate and graduate study. Areas of focus include nature and society; globalization, cities and development; earth system science and geographic information science (GIS).
"...if you want to be a geographer...be the best. Take your graduate work at this school in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University." —Texas, James Michener, 1985, p. 504. |
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Undergraduate Program in Earth System Science
Earth Systems Science (ESS) examines the structure and function of the Earth’s
lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere and how these systems
interact with one another. This integrated science, which focuses on connections
between these Earth System components, is at the heart of some of our most
pressing physical science and nature-societal issues, including global climate
change, water availability, and the loss of biological diversity.
Clark's ESS program emphasizes the patterns and processes across the Earth's
surface (to include both land and ocean), serving as an introduction to the
Earth Sciences or Geosciences. Intensive field study, satellite remote sensing
analysis, geographical information science (GISc), and computer simulation are
all used as tools for understanding, monitoring, and predicting Earth System
behavior. The ESS track of the Environmental Science major trains graduates for
a wide range of professional endeavors as well as more advanced studies
involving physical geography, to include landscape ecology, land-atmosphere
interactions, hydrology, biogeochemistry, remote sensing, and GISc.
Comparison with Geography and other Environmental Programs at Clark
ESS is unique from other geographic and environmental science majors and
concentrations at Clark. In comparing these areas of studies, keep in mind these
factors:
- ESS shares interests with but differs from the Environmental and
Conservation Biology (ECB) track of the Environmental Science major (which
is focused on ecosystems) and the Environmental Science & Policy (ES&P)
concentration (which is focused on policy).
- The ESS concentration differs from Clark's Global Environmental Studies
(GES) major and the Human-Environment track of the Geography major because
both of these programs are social science entries into environmental issues,
not programs of study focusing on the biophysical functioning of the Earth
System.
- Majors in ESS not only develop strong biophysical training in Earth
Systems Science, but also in analytical remote sensing and GISc tools that
pervade this arena of science.
Earth Systems Science Core Faculty
Karen Frey, Ph.D.
Climate change, Arctic environments, land surface hydrology, remote sensing, GIS
Email: kfrey@clarku.edu
Dominik Kulakowski, Ph.D.
Ecology and biogeography, Rocky Mountain forests, sub-alpine forests of Europe
Email: dkulakowski@clarku.edu
John Rogan, Ph.D.
Landscape ecology, fire ecology, remote sensing, GIS
Email: jrogan@clarku.edu
Christopher A. Williams, Ph.D.
Land surface hydrology, ecosystem ecology, hydroclimatic variability and change,
global water and carbon cycles
Email: cwilliams@clarku.edu
Advising sheet for ESS
Use this form to plan your course of study and also to keep track of your
progress towards completing the major requirements.
ESS advising sheet (PDF)
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