Climate change is topic for first 2020 Great Decisions lecture

Deborah Thomas, chair and professor in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, is the first speaker of the 2020 Great Decisions Lecture Series.

Her free, public talk is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 22, at UNC Charlotte Center City. The talk will focus on Ronald Bee’s article, from the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions 2020 Briefing Book, “Climate Change and the Global Order.”

Thomas will bring in elements from her research and the article that proposes “climate change has become one of the defining issues of our time. As much of the world bands together to come up with a plan, the U.S. remains the notable holdout.” Thomas will explore what is the rest of the world is doing to combat climate change and the impact on varying parts of the world.

Thomas specializes in hazards and health geography with 26-plus years of experience in the application of geographic information science (GIS) and technology in a variety of social science applications, including health and disaster management. Her teaching and research interests focus on issues of vulnerability and resilience as they relate to both natural and human-induced hazards and health outcomes, commonly emphasizing the role of technology, particularly GIS, in assessing and evaluating the intersection of human-physical systems and the environment. For the past 10 years, Thomas has conducted virtual mentoring and research with the Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences School of Public Health in Mwanza, Tanzania.

The Office of International Programs coordinates the annual Great Decisions Lecture Series for the Charlotte community to discuss pressing foreign policy issues as selected by the Foreign Policy Association. Charlotte Country Day School, the International House, the World Affairs Council of Charlotte and the Magellan Society collaborate to facilitate the series.