Enrollment for President Johnson’s first-ever class underway, will be selective

Maya Neyman
Wed, 03 Nov 2021 00:14:59 +0000
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Next semester, President Johnson will teach “Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Neutrality,” a project-based course on reducing carbon emissions. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State

After over a year of being a Buckeye, University President Kristina M. Johnson is stepping out of her administrative office and back into academia this coming spring semester to teach her first Ohio State course.

Next semester, Johnson will teach “Pathways to Net Zero Carbon Neutrality,” a project-based course on reducing carbon emissions, according to Ohio State News. The class will meet Wednesdays from 3:15-6 p.m. in Denney Hall.?

The class, focused on intensive group work, will have students collaborate in small teams to create a strategic technology energy plan, or STEP, to decrease the university’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, according to Ohio State News.?

Johnson and Jay Kasey, senior vice president for Administration and Planning, will co-teach the course, university spokesperson Ben Johnson said. The course will also feature guest lecturers, including faculty experts and community partners.

Barry Tolchin, academic adviser for civil environmental and geodetic engineering, said many students have expressed interest in the course since it was announced.

“I think it is incredibly related to what our faculty do. It’s incredibly pertinent to the future of our planet,” Tolchin said. “It’s, if nothing else, going to help our students sort of speak the language that a lot of our faculty speak, when it comes to the environmental impact on our planet moving forward.”

The application for the course is now open with a Nov. 15 deadline. Students interested in the course must answer three questions about sustainability and personal goals.?

Around 18 students will be chosen, according to Ohio State News.?

Students of all majors are encouraged to apply and those selected by a panel will be enrolled by Nov. 23, Ben Johnson said.?

“The president is always very interested in converging research, the idea that we can solve the world’s biggest problems by bringing together experts from a wide variety of fields,” Ben Johnson said. “I would encourage any student who’s interested in climate change, and some possible solutions to climate change, to consider applying.”

Kiara Mahon, a third-year in civil engineering, applied for the class — saying she is hoping to work in the environmental sector with climate resiliency in the future.

“To speak and work with President Johnson — her credentials alone are astounding. It’s one of the greatest opportunities that this university will see, in my opinion,” Mahon said. “She’s dedicated her life to this stuff. I mean, we’re probably never going to have the opportunity to speak to somebody with this much knowledge on the topic.”

Mahon said she believes admission into the course will be competitive, with being picked like winning the lottery.?

“Maybe with that 1 percent chance you can make a difference, maybe you could,” Mahon said.?