Stories about "Environmental Studies"
Video: ‘The light and the forest and the whole system together’ — Caleb Ireland ’23

Friday, March 3, 2023 8:21 am

As he grew up, Ireland loved to roam the forests, fields, and swamps near his rural home. At Bates, he's become an award-winning environmental studies major ready tell stories that "an really inspire and teach people."

Prof of Environmental Studies and Christian A. Johnson Prof of Interdisc Studies Holly Ewing and Lecturer in Environmental Studies & Learning Associate in Environmental Studies Camille Parrish take students in the Soils/Lab course for a field trip to Pettengill Farm in Freeport, Maine. A nineteenth century salt-water farm on the estuary of the Harraseeket River, the farm is owned by Freeport Historical Society(FHS). It includes a saltbox house (ca. 1800) on 140 acres of fields, woods, antique apple orchards and salt marsh. Most interesting are the etchings (sgraffitti) found on the plaster walls in the upper chambers of ships, sea monsters, longboats and animals. The farmhouse remains without plumbing, central heat and electricity and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Mildred Pettengill was its last resident and lived in the house until 1970.The students are digging up soil and making observations (soil profiles) before putting it back where it came from.ENVR 310 - Soils/LabDepending on one's point of view, soils are geological units, ecosystems, the foundation of plant life, a place for microbes to live, building material, or just dirt. This course takes a scientific perspective and explores the genesis of soils, their distribution and characteristics, and their interaction with plants. Field studies emphasize description of soils, inferences about soil formation, and placement within a landscape context. Labs investigate the chemistry of soils and their role in forestry and agriculture.
Bates students dig into the science of dirt in a historic Maine landscape

Monday, December 7, 2020 5:46 pm

Bates environmental studies professor Holly Ewing guides her students to historic coastal Maine farmland for course that digs into the science of dirt.

Zoe Knauss '23 of Buffalo, N.Y., who will declare as an ES major, and ES major Sam Gilman '22 of Mendham, N.J., , dig for soil in a field.Prof of Environmental Studies and Christian A. Johnson Prof of Interdisc Studies Holly Ewing and Lecturer in Environmental Studies & Learning Associate in Environmental Studies Camille Parrish take students in the Soils/Lab course for a field trip to Pettengill Farm in Freeport, Maine. A nineteenth century salt-water farm on the estuary of the Harraseeket River, the farm is owned by Freeport Historical Society(FHS). It includes a saltbox house (ca. 1800) on 140 acres of fields, woods, antique apple orchards and salt marsh. Most interesting are the etchings (sgraffitti) found on the plaster walls in the upper chambers of ships, sea monsters, longboats and animals. The farmhouse remains without plumbing, central heat and electricity and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Mildred Pettengill was its last resident and lived in the house until 1970.The students are digging up soil and making observations (soil profiles) before putting it back where it came from.ENVR 310 - Soils/LabDepending on one's point of view, soils are geological units, ecosystems, the foundation of plant life, a place for microbes to live, building material, or just dirt. This course takes a scientific perspective and explores the genesis of soils, their distribution and characteristics, and their interaction with plants. Field studies emphasize description of soils, inferences about soil formation, and placement within a landscape context. Labs investigate the chemistry of soils and their role in forestry and agriculture.
Picture story: “Thankful to get off campus and my hands dirty”

Thursday, October 8, 2020 4:01 pm

Follow along as Bates environmental studies students go off campus and dig into the science of dirt at a stunning coastal Maine site.

Meet new faculty: Tyler Harper and science fiction that goes beyond just beach reading

Friday, September 18, 2020 9:13 am

Harper researches how science fiction depicts human extinction while asking, "Who gets to live in new worlds?"

My Last Year of Teaching: Jane Costlow’s departure prompts reflections on past, present, and future

Thursday, June 11, 2020 9:17 am

It was the Tuesday after Commencement, and Jane Costlow paced around her Hedge Hall office, up to her elbows in books, boxes, papers, and assorted memorabilia.

With ‘The EngAging Project,’ Ellrodt ’20 aims to ease the ache of loneliness in old age

Thursday, May 14, 2020 10:06 am

With the help of 50-plus people who shared experiences and expertise, an environmental studies major has published a new resource for lonely and those who support them.

My Last Year: ‘Long goodbyes lead to too many tears’

Friday, April 3, 2020 3:41 am

With the college's move to remote learning, Jane Costlow, in her final year, saw her classroom teaching career end in a way she never could have imagined.

Purposeful Work: Spotlight on Environmental Careers6-7 p.m. Environmental Career Panel Discussion in Commons 2217:10 p.m. Concurrent Breakout Session I There was a second breakout session and networking reception that I didn't photograph.Philip Dube '16, second-year graduate student at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.Emma Conover '16, Ceres's water program, where she works to mobilize food and beverage companies to address water risks in their agricultural supply chain.Mike Lydon ;04, a Principal of Street Plans, an international award-winning planning, design, and research-advocacy firm based in Miami, New York City, and San Francisco.Lucy (Brennan) Perkins '14, joined the City of South Portland's sustainability office to assist in the developments of campaigns and outreach materials that educate the community about sustainability initiatives and garner new support for policies and programs.Hannah Broadley '10, biologist, ecologist, and entomologist, with a Ph.D., whose area of focus is the management of invasive forest insects. She is currently a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Massachusetts and works with a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture.Jeffrey Porter '85, considered one of the top environmental lawyers in the country.
To succeed in an environmental career, pick a problem and become an expert, say Bates alumni

Thursday, March 12, 2020 5:35 pm

Dive deep into your chosen field by getting involved both locally and internationally, and by keeping tabs on a rapidly changing world.

My Last Year of Teaching: ‘I really love the one-on-one interaction’

Friday, March 6, 2020 10:38 am

Jane Costlow shares stories and insights from 34 years of advising senior thesis students.

he collegeÕs Philip J. Otis Committee invites members of the Bates community to attend:The 23rd Annual Otis LectureMonday, November 4, 7:30pmOlin Concert HallRESERVE TICKETSTickets free but required.Ross Gay, author of The Book of Delights, will deliver the 2019 lecture:ÒDelight, Gratitude, Joy: Entangle MeÓRoss Gay is the author of three books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. His collection of essays, The Book of Delights, was released by Algonquin Books in 2019.Ross is also the co-author, with Aimee Nezhukumatathil, of the chapbook ÒLace and Pyrite: Letters from Two Gardens,Ó in addition to being co-author, with Richard Wehrenberg, Jr., of the chapbook, ÒRiver.Ó He is a founding editor, with Karissa Chen and Patrick Rosal, of the online sports magazine Some Call it BallinÕ, in addition to being an editor with the chapbook presses Q Avenue and Ledge Mule Press. Ross is a founding board member of the Bloomington Community Orchard, a non-profit, free-fruit-for-all food justice and joy project. He has received fellowships from Cave Canem, the Bread Loaf WriterÕs Conference, and the Guggenheim Foundation. Ross teaches at Indiana University.GayÕs lecture is made possible by the Philip J. Otis Õ95 Endowment.Jane speaks with Visiting Assistant Professor of Africana Cassandra Shepard in the Olin Arts Center lobby after the lecture/presentation. Ross visited Shepard's class earlier in the day.
My Last Year: Jane Costlow encourages young faculty to be themselves

Thursday, January 30, 2020 5:24 pm

As she approaches retirement, Costlow considers her progress through the cycle of faculty mentoring.

Load more