About Us
Focus the Nation at the University of Central Florida is an on-campus organization dedicated to discussing and advocating global warming solutions, both nationally and here in the region of Central Florida. Our diverse group is comprised of students, both undergraduate and graduate, alumni, faculty members, and people from the surrounding community who have an interest in tackling climate change.
Nationally, Focus the Nation continues to coordinate teams of faculty and students at over a thousand colleges, universities and K-12 schools in the United States, to collaboratively engage in a nationwide, interdisciplinary discussion about “Global Warming Solutions for America”.
Focus the Nation is based in educational institutions, but also is engaging Americans in their churches, mosques, synagogues, businesses and civic organizations. The intent is to focus the growing concern in the country about global warming, and to create a serious, sustained and truly national discussion about clean energy solutions, linking students and citizens directly with our political leaders.
Focus the Nation teams have been creating campus dialogue, sponsoring talks and debates, integrating discussion of climate solutions into curricula, and drawing in faculty from across the curriculum. From Oregon to Ohio, and Alabama to New Hampshire, professors focus on global warming solutions in their classes, and travel with their students to interdisciplinary discussion sessions and forums. Because Focus the Nation engages thousands of organizers, and tens of thousands of educators, millions of students have the opportunity to be involved.
More information is provided at the national Focus the Nation page:
Guiding Principles
Participation in the national educational initiative called Focus the Nation on Solutions to Climate Change is guided by the desire to create a learning experience for our community that:
| 1. | Provides the stuff to grapple with the moral and ethical dilemma of our time and that of generations to come, defining cohort experience that will matter; |
| 2. | Provides avenues to think about the urgent topic of global warming with the kinds of critical acuity, knowledge, and experience that is generated by/created in/attracted to a research university, especially one that favors community partnerships; |
| 3. | Fosters the learning that enables us to dream of revolution in technology, culture, natural resource management, and social institutions that pave a peaceful path to a globally prosperous decarbonized global society; |
| 4. | Challenges us to lead in the design and management of livable communities and successful enterprises that are sustainable, globally, regionally, nationally, and locally; |
| 5. | Participates in a series of national events that link university community leaders across the nation, region and state; and, |
| 6. | Focuses the nation on solutions to climate change. |