Dr. Barlow’s research is currently focused on individual and community-based logistical and behavioral change for advancing toward a more sustainable, resilient and equitable future. Her specific area of interest is United States citizens and communities, particularly the culture of residential Universities because of the opportunities to both curtail disproportionate consumption and educate the next generation of consumers. The campus and surrounding town provide place-based, applied opportunities to research and develop new methodologies and to test their effectiveness. As we move further into 21st century environmental and socioeconomic challenges, Dr. Barlow's focus has expanded to incorporate personal resilience. In teaching, Dr. Barlow holds a strong interest in communicating the science of Climate Change in ways accessible to non-science majors, thus empowering her students to become peer Climate Change educators.
keywords
Climate change and climate variability, anthropogenic influences on the earth system/earth system influences on humans, climate change education adaptation and resilience, sustainability, energy materials food and water conservation behaviors, voluntary behavioral change, community based social marketing, eco-effectiveness, climate change in polar regions, biomimicry, physical geology education
ATOC 1060 - Our Changing Environment: El Nino, Ozone, and Climate
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2021 / Spring 2022
Discusses the Earth's climate for nonscience majors, focusing on the role of the atmosphere, oceans, cryosphere and land surface. Describes the water cycle, atmospheric circulations and ocean currents, and how they influence global climate, El Nino and the ozone hole. Discusses human impacts from climate change. Recommended prerequisite: ATOC 1050.
BAKR 1600 - Creating a Sustainable Future
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2021 / Fall 2022 / Fall 2023 / Fall 2024
Explores opportunities for moving toward a sustainable 21st century U.S. society. Evaluates socio-economic institutions, values and forces in late 20th century U.S. society that are unsustainable, given 21st century environmental, economic and social challenges. Contemplates societal progress from reflective perspectives and leading visionaries, including CU-generated documents. Explores actions you can adopt now that empower you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.
GEOL 1010 - Exploring Earth
Primary Instructor
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Fall 2018 / Spring 2019 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2021 / Spring 2022 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023 / Spring 2024 / Fall 2024
Introductory geology for majors and non-majors. Studies Earth, its materials, its characteristics, its dynamic processes, and how it relates to people. Separate lab (GEOL 1030) is recommended. Degree credit not granted for both GEOL 1010 and GEOL 1012.
GEOL 1060 - Global Change: An Earth Science Perspective
Primary Instructor
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Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Spring 2022 / Spring 2023 / Spring 2024
Focuses on evidence for planetary warming, climate change, glacier and ice-sheet melting and sea level rise both now and in the recent past. Attempts to develop understanding of the interactions within the coupled Earth system that regulate such changes. Utilizes examples from the geological and instrumental records, and evaluates the global warming forecast.
