This short article explores the academic journey of Leo Goldsmith, the nature of his research in college and graduate school, and what he's done as a climate and health specialist for the United States Global Change Research Program.
Students will learn that Leo's undergraduate years were filled with uncertainty and deep reflection, he eventually did research that combined his interests in LGBTQ+ issues and climate change, and he now researches how human health is affected by climate change.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This article is written by a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
This article shows that it's OK to change your path while you're in college.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should know the difference between equity and equality.
Students should have a basic understanding of the difficulties that LGBTQ+ people face.
Differentiation
This article could enhance a class discussion on the discrimination that LGBTQ+ people may face when it comes to health services or disaster recovery.
This article could supplement a lesson on how climate change may disproportionately affect marginalized groups.
This article could be part of a lesson about environmental justice and what laws and regulations on pollution, land use, and zoning should or could be changed or implemented to achieve environmental equity.
This article could augment a class discussion on how climate change impacts the physical and mental health of various groups.
Scientist Notes
This resource is a brief article written by Leo Goldsmith, a climate and health specialist for the US Global Change Research Program. A queer and transgender man, he briefly discusses how that impacted his studies and research interests. In this article, Goldsmith talks about his career path, past research, and current work. The article links to his previous work, which primarily focuses on impacts of climate change and disasters on marginalized communities, particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Reading: Informational Text (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.9-10.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them.
Reading: Science & Technical Subjects (6-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.11-12.2 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; summarize complex concepts, processes, or information presented in a text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.
National Health Education Standards
Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
1.12.3 Analyze how environment and personal health are interrelated.
