Human activity has undeniably altered the physical and ecological landscape. Will those alterations, though, last long into the future? Dr. Jacob Hamblin guides students through an exploration of this and other topics in the honors colloquium course “Dawn of the Anthropocene”. In the course, students explore the ways in which humans have dramatically altered the landscape and how different cultures have responded to those changes, along with the surprising results of human actions that will last for millennia.
Dr. Jacob Hamblin is a professor within the College of Liberal Arts at Oregon State University. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of California Santa Barbara in 2001 and came to Oregon State University in 2009. His work focuses primarily on the history and politics of environmental issues, technology, and science.
Dawn of the Anthropocene exemplifies the reasons that Dr. Hamblin chooses to teach within the Honors College. “I teach in the Honors College because the colloquium is a great way to bring together students and faculty members on subjects related to Environmental Arts and Humanities, an initiative here at OSU”, he said. “Each week our students read something assigned by a different faculty member who brings a unique disciplinary perspective—historical, philosophical, literary, rhetorical, and many others—to bear on environmental issues such as climate change.” Beyond his work in HC colloquia on campus, Dr. Hamblin also co-led the Honors College study abroad experience in London during the summer of 2017, teaching a class on scientific controversies both in the present day and throughout history.
Referencing the diverse group of students that sign up each year for Dawn of the Anthropocene, Dr. Hamblin said “My students come from a variety of disciplines. My own is the history of science, so I’m comfortable with humanities students and with science/engineering students”, he said. “The university at its best is where we can have civil dialogue on some of the toughest questions, and gather thoughtful people who might disagree on them.”
Dr. Hamblin also offers a few key pieces of advice for honors students: “I’d advise students to try to identify limits they have imposed on themselves, and then push against them. Take classes, meet professors, and develop your own worldview that doesn’t just conform with your chosen discipline or your job prospects.”
Dr. Hamblin has published three books, each relating to environmental issues associated with military history. He is currently writing a book about the historical use of environmental arguments to promote nuclear technologies in the developing world during the second half of the twentieth century.
Recently, Dr. Hamblin was featured on “99% Invisible” – a podcast dedicated to those stories and facts that are often overlooked in day-to-day life. The podcast, engaging in a discussion of weather modification in warfare, addresses both the historical and ethical problems of modifying the atmosphere for military gain. (The episode, entitled “Making it Rain”, can be found on the 99% Invisible website located here).
By Christopher McCracken: Student Media Writer, Honors College
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