If you build it, the students will come.
In 2008-2009, Nicholas graduate students have organized four seminars and a field trip, adding variety to the curriculum and bringing students and practioners together. Here's the list...
- Land Conservation in Practice; A one-credit seminar providing an overview of the applied skills and techniques needed by students to succeed as leaders of the modern land conservation movement.
- Community Based Environmental Management: A one-credit seminar that examines the concepts and practice of management of environmental resources by local communities through guest lectures, local field trips, and case studies prepared by students.
- Wilderness Management: A two-credit seminar that will cover the
fundamental American concepts of wilderness, the legal and historical
framework for wilderness, the ecological and social issues that underlie
management of a wilderness area, and the development and practical application
of terrestrial wilderness management techniques.
- Art of Communicating Science : A one-credit seminar focusing on how to communicate science effectively to the media, policymakers and the corporate world.
- Clean Energy Field Trip: A one-credit fieldtrip to San Francisco and the Silicon
Valley to learn on-the-ground and view projects
where clean energy technology has moved from the laboratory to large
scale commercialization.
As one of the course planners for the Art of Communicating Science seminar, I can say that starting up a seminar is a lot of work, but the faculty and school are quite supportive. If you find that there is a class that isn't being offered but could really benefit students, find a faculty advisor, draft a syllabus and submit your request to the education board. It takes a lot of work to turn your idea into a 10 week seminar so it helps to find one or two other colleagues to join you in the process.
Ashley Adams (MEM 2009) who is co-teaching Wilderness Management with Dr. Jennifer Swenson, explains why the course planning process has been rewarding for her. "I'm really looking forward to learning the material in depth - you have to really learn it to teach it. Otherwise, it has been rewarding to hear about how many people who say they would be interested in the class, and to feel I'm giving something back to the school."
What other seminars and fieldtrips would you like to see at the Nicholas School? Current class offerings can be found here.
