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Aerial View of Islands

Contemporary Issues in Science

a new approach to science curriculum for non-majors

About CISC

Contemporary Issues in Science Courses (CISC)

The CISC series consists of two interdisciplinary, team-taught courses designed for non-science majors to explore fundamental scientific concepts and their societal impacts. These courses aim to enhance scientific literacy, critical thinking, and evidence-based reasoning among students.

 

Team-Taught Format: Faculty from different disciplines collaborate to present a broad, interdisciplinary perspective on scientific topics. Each lecture is led by an expert in a relevant field, ensuring content is both accurate and engaging.

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Lecture & Discussion Format: Classes incorporate a mix of lecture-based content, active learning exercises, and student discussions to encourage critical thinking. Guest lecturers provide real-world context for the topics covered in the courses.

Planet Made of Plastic

Course Offerings & Resources

Check out the CISC websites and NSF Funded Resource Projects

Earth with Data Connections

Contemporary Issues in Science: Cosmos, Earth, & Humanity

Iceberg

Contemporary Issues in Science: The Environment

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NSF-funded stories illustrating scientific work, bias mitigation, knowledge development, and detection of misinformation.

Course Coordinator

My name is Dr. Tamara Powers

I am an Instructional Associate Professor at Texas A&M University, dedicated to transforming science education for non-majors. My vision is to cultivate scientifically literate Aggies, regardless of their field of study.

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I lead efforts to innovate the science curriculum by collaborating with faculty to develop interdisciplinary courses that bridge science and the liberal arts. These courses emphasize critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, and the ability to analyze complex socio-scientific issues. My goal is to empower students to become informed, engaged citizens who can confidently navigate scientific topics that impact their health, society, and the world around them.

Want to get involved?

Feel free to reach out if you're at A&M and interested in contributing lecture content, or if you're at another university and would like to implement some or all of the content modules in your course.

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Texas A&M University

Department of Chemistry

P.O. Box 30012

College Station, TX 77840

© 2023 by Tamara Powers. Proudly created with Wix.com

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