Professor
J. Neelin
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Most Helpful Review
Professor Neelin is very, very nice. That said, yes, you will struggle mightily to remain awake during his morning lectures. However, if you are north campus and you want to get a low-stress science GE out of the way, I cannot possibly emphasize enough that this class is one of the easiest GEs I have ever taken. There is no textbook, so it saves you money, too. The course materials are limited to powerpoint slides that he posts on the website. The handful of homework assignments are essentially free points if you spend a quality hour or so on them. He won't give you a study guide for his exams, but it's irrelevant, because his exams are impossibly easy. If you memorize all of the information on the lecture slides and take quality notes, there is no reason why you should not be able to pass this class with a very good grade. Speaking as a polysci major, I am normally atrocious at math and science. However, I thought this was a very easy class that covered an interesting topic. Yes, you will need to be learning about scientific information, but it's very general. Plus, the second half of the course mostly covers policymaking aspects of climate change, so it almost feels like a north campus class after the midterm.
Professor Neelin is very, very nice. That said, yes, you will struggle mightily to remain awake during his morning lectures. However, if you are north campus and you want to get a low-stress science GE out of the way, I cannot possibly emphasize enough that this class is one of the easiest GEs I have ever taken. There is no textbook, so it saves you money, too. The course materials are limited to powerpoint slides that he posts on the website. The handful of homework assignments are essentially free points if you spend a quality hour or so on them. He won't give you a study guide for his exams, but it's irrelevant, because his exams are impossibly easy. If you memorize all of the information on the lecture slides and take quality notes, there is no reason why you should not be able to pass this class with a very good grade. Speaking as a polysci major, I am normally atrocious at math and science. However, I thought this was a very easy class that covered an interesting topic. Yes, you will need to be learning about scientific information, but it's very general. Plus, the second half of the course mostly covers policymaking aspects of climate change, so it almost feels like a north campus class after the midterm.
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2025 - This professor is the nicest one I've met on campus. He really loves teaching and could talk about this class all day (in a good way). I'm not an A&O major, but he explained everything really well and is always welcoming and understanding of the student's situation as long as you communicate. Classes were not mandatory, but I'd suggest going to them at least to listen and feel the vibe since he only provides the slides on canvas (only provides recording if there is an excused absence). His midterm and final allowed notes, but they are in a short answer format, so it is important to understand concepts! Love this professor and would take again if I was an A&O major.
Spring 2025 - This professor is the nicest one I've met on campus. He really loves teaching and could talk about this class all day (in a good way). I'm not an A&O major, but he explained everything really well and is always welcoming and understanding of the student's situation as long as you communicate. Classes were not mandatory, but I'd suggest going to them at least to listen and feel the vibe since he only provides the slides on canvas (only provides recording if there is an excused absence). His midterm and final allowed notes, but they are in a short answer format, so it is important to understand concepts! Love this professor and would take again if I was an A&O major.
Most Helpful Review
Spring 2019 - Overall, this course was extremely rewarding as an environmental science student. I recognized that the knowledge gained from this course will empower those who want to pursue a variety of careers from atmospheric and oceanic research to climate change policy. It is an interdisciplinary course that requires students to draw information learned previously from multiple fields of science and a familiarity with the IPCC and their reports. The course is mainly project based (70% of your grade) in which you can work in a group or alone. You have free range over the choice of your topic and the final 2-3 weeks of the course are just presentations from your classmates in which discussion and questions are highly encouraged from the class. 20% of your grade comes from a fairly difficult "Quiz" at the end. The students' mastery of the content varied greatly, but if you make an effort to attend OH, ask questions from the TA and Neelin, and study in groups, you'll be alright. Another 5% comes from 3 python labs. The TA helps a lot with these and no prior experience is required; however, this might change. Neelin is a very engaging lecturer with a good sense of humor that he mixes in here and there. He truly cares about his students' learning. I could not recommend this class enough for those who are passionate about 1. the physical science of climate change 2. impacts and vulnerabilities OR 3. how we can solve the climate crisis.
Spring 2019 - Overall, this course was extremely rewarding as an environmental science student. I recognized that the knowledge gained from this course will empower those who want to pursue a variety of careers from atmospheric and oceanic research to climate change policy. It is an interdisciplinary course that requires students to draw information learned previously from multiple fields of science and a familiarity with the IPCC and their reports. The course is mainly project based (70% of your grade) in which you can work in a group or alone. You have free range over the choice of your topic and the final 2-3 weeks of the course are just presentations from your classmates in which discussion and questions are highly encouraged from the class. 20% of your grade comes from a fairly difficult "Quiz" at the end. The students' mastery of the content varied greatly, but if you make an effort to attend OH, ask questions from the TA and Neelin, and study in groups, you'll be alright. Another 5% comes from 3 python labs. The TA helps a lot with these and no prior experience is required; however, this might change. Neelin is a very engaging lecturer with a good sense of humor that he mixes in here and there. He truly cares about his students' learning. I could not recommend this class enough for those who are passionate about 1. the physical science of climate change 2. impacts and vulnerabilities OR 3. how we can solve the climate crisis.
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