COORDINATING ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES: RAÚL ROMERO-CALCERCRADA (courses 2014/15 to 2016/17)
Knowledge area:
Geography.
Brief biography (approx. 100 words):
Graduate and Doctor in Geography from the University of Alcalá. His specialty is Environmental Geography, interested in analyzing the environmental impacts of human activity and promoting sustainability in rural and protected areas, using Geographic Information Technologies. During his professional development he has worked in an interdisciplinary environment, enriched by training at the Institute of Economics and Geography-CSIC, King's College of London (United Kingdom), Finish Forest Research Center-METLA (Finland), Environmental Technologies Area- URJC, among others. Currently he is a member of the Scientific Council of the Spanish Committee of MaB (UNESCO) and of the Section Board of Diversity Magazine.
Challenges and achievements during the years he was coordinator, strengths and weaknesses of the degree during this stage:
First Renewal of Accreditation in 2015: Favorable.
The Degree in CC.AA. was provided with horizontal and vertical coordination through the Coordinator of the Degree Degree (and the respective Course Coordinators) which, among other things, made it possible to detect overlaps and minimize situations of student work overload. . Likewise, the Internal Quality Assurance System was fully functional, guaranteeing the continuous collection and analysis of information and results relevant to the effective management of the degree, especially learning outcomes and stakeholder satisfaction. .
The graduated students had very high satisfaction with the knowledge acquired and the skills developed. The teaching evaluation of the Degree by the students was high and they strongly agreed that monitoring and learning were made easier for them. For their part, the degree teachers had high satisfaction with the organization, in general, of teaching, with the number of class hours, with the student's workload.
The weaknesses at that time were the small number of optional subjects and, to a lesser extent, job placement, although not enough time had yet passed to carry out reliable surveys and the situation of the labor market in those years was not adequate.
Personal opinion on the impact of the degree on society:
In the current context, marked by the effects of Global Change on the economy and society, the Degree in Environmental Sciences becomes essential. Environmental scientists with a balanced and multidisciplinary training in natural and social sciences have a unique professional projection that differentiates them from other graduates, which allows them to act at various levels of decision-making. This training guarantees professionals with an integrated approach and broad perspective necessary for the design of policies and actions that guarantee a sustainable future.
This transversality allows environmentalologists to understand the processes that occur both in nature and in landscapes, and how humans are active agents in these processes. These professionals have a multidisciplinary approach and can cover areas such as biology, chemistry, geology, sociology, economics, among others. For example, environmental geography provides a systemic understanding of the interaction between man and nature and their landscapes, necessary to understand the processes, phenomena and act on the contemporary challenges to which environmental scientists must respond.
Training in this discipline empowers individuals to analyze and diagnose the effects of human action, promoting sustainable and equitable solutions from a social, economic and natural point of view. Likewise, it enhances the ability to critically evaluate the impact of human activities and develop mitigation and adaptation strategies. In a world facing new challenges, the knowledge and skills acquired by environmental scientists are essential for the sustainable development and harmonious coexistence of human societies on Earth.
Environmental science professionals are essential agents of change, being able to influence public policies, resource management, environmental education and public awareness, contributing significantly to a more sustainable and resilient future of human societies.