The Northern Climate Network at Northern Michigan University will kick off its new colloquium series with "So, What Do We Know About Climate Science?" on Friday, Sept. 11. Norma Froelich, a climatologist and professor in the NMU earth, environmental and geographical sciences department, will give the presentation at noon in 1318 Jamrich Hall. The public is invited.

Climate change and its potential consequences--from economic and political to social and ecological--are recurring themes in conversations, media reports and academic discussions. Some want simple answers: How many degrees warmer will it be in 50 years? How much more/less precipitation will Marquette get in the future? What percent of recent warming is due to human activities? But the answers are rarely simple. Froelich will provide a broad overview of the global climate system, which is a complex set of interrelated components and processes that operate on a range of temporal and spatial scales. She will explain why understanding that complexity is the first step in predicting future climate variability. 

The Northern Climate Network is a student-led, campus-wide consortium providing opportunities for faculty, staff, students and community members to discuss and learn about climate change in our region. For more information, contact climate@nmu.edu.