An article from The New Indian highlights how James Shope, RCEI Affiliate and Assistant Extension Specialist in Climate Services at Rutgers University, presented New Jersey’s innovative approach to climate education at the NYC Green School Conference.
The piece focuses on a statewide, multi-university program that brings together four institutions to provide region-specific climate education. This initiative, supported by the “Expanding Access to Climate Change in New Jersey Student Learning through Climate Change Learning Collaborative” grant, connects education, research, and community engagement to teach students about environmental challenges.
During the session “Regional Climate Education Initiatives – Lessons from State-Level Innovation,” Shope explained how collaboration enhances student learning. He noted, “While each university operates independently, together we support climate change education across the state.” This underscores the program’s strength in balancing independence with cooperation to achieve broad impact.
Shope also emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, saying, “We represent a swath of different expertise relevant to climate change, which allows us to provide students with comprehensive learning experiences.” His comments highlight how the initiative draws from diverse disciplines to create more holistic and practical educational opportunities.
The article frames this work as part of a broader conversation about scaling local initiatives to meet national and global climate goals, reinforcing the critical role of universities as climate hubs.
Read the full article here.
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