Join Dr. David Robinson, Chairman of the Department of Geography at Rutgers University and New Jersey 's State Climatologist.for a discussion on the facts and fiction of Climate Change. Scenarios presented in the movie, A Day After Tomorrow, will serve as a starting point for the discussion. Students should be familiar with the movie,  (at minimum, the portions listed below) and should prepare questions ahead of time for Dr. Robinson.

Videoconference Outline:

• Welcome/Introductions: Moderator will give a brief introduction of the program and introduce the principal speaker.
• Presentation: The principal speaker will give a 5 minute presentation
• Question/Answer Session: Moderator will call on each participating school to ask one question each per round.  Rounds of questions will continue as time permits.  The schools will ask questions in alphabetical order.
• Closing Remarks: The Moderator will close the question and answer session, and students will hear closing remarks from the principal speaker.
• Conference Conclusion

Preparing for the videoconference event:

Familiarize Students with the Movie

• Purchase or rent the video, "The Day After Tomorrow.” Preview and then watch the video with your class.
• OR if you are unable to purchase or rent the movie, watch the video segments listed here through the International Movie Database: Cracking Ice; Theatrical Previews; Tidal Wave; Death Fall; Twisters in LA and Runaway Ship.
• OR, if you are unable to do either, research information about the movie listed in Wikipedia or the PBS website listed under "Program Resources." Remember, the purpose of having all students be familiar with the movie is to establish a common ground for questions and discussion.

Encourage Student Research

• Use the website links listed in Program Resources to encourage student research into the subject, and for the preparation of questions for Dr. Robinson.
• Add any other teacher strategies or materials that you feel will enhance the students' experience. Remember that the purpose of using information from the video is to provide all participants with a common ground for questions and discussion.

Develop Questions: Students will develop questions for Dr. Robinson based on assumptions, events and predictions set forth in the movie and regarding contemporary issues related to climate change. Teachers will review questions for appropriateness and content. Students will write questions on note cards for the videoconference. We will call on schools in round-robin fashion during the videoconference events.

About the Science in the Cinema Program

Science in the Cinema, in its original form, is a free film and lecture series intended for a broad range of individuals who enjoy the cinema and have an interest in science and medicine. Selected films touch on a variety of medical and scientific topics. Following each film, an expert discusses the science depicted in the film and takes questions from the audience. These discussions also include the ethical implications raised by the film. Science in the Cinema programs, in this form, was only available to live audiences.

Through the use of videoconferencing our Science and the Cinema program uses technology to accomplish the same goals. It allows students to interact directly with scientists and researchers in their respective fields of expertise without leaving their school. These projects also challenge the students by engaging them in discussions on the ethical and moral issues that the advancement of science and technology places on the world community. Projects are being developed that will include experts in the fields of medicine, genetics, anthropology, cellular biology, and toxicology.

About Dr. David A. Robinson

Dr. David A. Robinson is chairman of the Department of Geography at Rutgers University, and also serves as New Jersey 's State Climatologist.  His bachelor's degree is from Pennsylvania 's Dickinson College and his doctorate from Columbia University . Before arriving at Rutgers, Dave was an associate research scientist at Columbia 's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and a visiting scientist at the National Climatic Data Center . He has been state climatologist since 1991. Professor Robinson's research interests are in applied climate, especially related to New Jersey , and in climate dynamics and change, particularly focused on global snow cover. He currently chairs a National Research Council panel, sits on the American Meteorological Society's Applied Climatology Committee, is a member of the lead climate advisory committee for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and has recently joined Liberty Science Center 's Learning and Teaching Advisory Committee. Dave has chaired the American Meteorological Society's Polar Meteorology and Oceanography Committee, and was recently president of the American Association of State Climatologists.