The denial of scientific evidence represents an increasingly serious problem. False information and conspiracy theories about climate change have confused the public and stalled support for mitigation policies, obfuscated peoples’ recognition of the biodiversity crisis and contributed to the success of far-right populist campaigns like Brexit. But why do people believe in conspiracy theories and/or […]
All environmental professionals, from conservation biologists to environmental educators, from climate adaptation professionals to resource managers, need to understand the essentials of effective advocacy. Advocacy has been core to effective environmental outcomes for generations. We will learn through advocacy-based case studies, debates about the ethical role of advocacy relative to one’s career, and exploration of […]
This course examines the biology underlying our attempts to conserve diversity at the level of genes, species, communities, and ecosystems. We will learn about the major issues and problems in conservation biology, and the tools biologists use to accomplish their conservation goals. We will apply qualitative and quantitative tools from population biology, and community and […]
This course examines the diversity of plant communities found in central New England with special attention to the impact of topography, substrate, and disturbance regimes on community composition and structure as a means to understand ecological community dynamics in any part of the world. As a largely field-based course, both qualitative and quantitative means will […]
On this five-day trip, we will examine the geoecology of glaciated coasts in New England using Cape Cod as a model system. Course topics will include landscape to local-scale depositional and erosional processes as influenced by coastal climate and disturbance; barrier island dynamics and the ecological role of estuaries; salt marsh ecology and restoration; geological and […]
The course examines and applies ecological principles to each student’s local landscape, wherever they are in the world. Students will explore the ecology in their local environment, learn to observe patterns and processes, ask ecological questions, apply theory, complete field sampling, and share and compare results with their colleagues in an online forum. Students will […]
Young children are natural storytellers, making sense of the world through imaginative, dramatic play. Young children are also inclined to move! They explore their surroundings and express ideas and feelings with their bodies. This course highlights the importance of story and motion in children’s daily lives and focuses on ways to use storytelling, story acting, […]
This course explores issues of human rights by analyzing critical challenges and envisioning possible solutions. Specific issues include modern slavery, child labor, human trafficking, racism, gender inequity, poverty, power, and privilege. The course also examines acts of human courage, collaboration, conscious consumerism, systemic change, and global citizenship. It invites students to find in themselves and […]
Introduction to Humane Education explores the principle of doing the “most good and least harm” and applies this ethic with innovative thinking and action to the field of education. The course looks at humanity and the world through a historical lens and offers a vision for a better future that relies on reason, compassion, evidence-based […]
In this course, students explore issues of intersectionality, racism, and racial justice within the specific context of veganism. Through structured conversation as well as research, reflection, and practical application, students learn how to educate effectively and seek solutions that address overlapping systems of racial injustice and animal exploitation. Course Materials: Students should contact the course […]