Departmental Periodic Program Review AY 2020-21
Environmental Science (BS)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Environmental Science and Ecology at the University, composed of a vibrant group of teacher-scholars, offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science and minors in Environmental Science and Environmental Studies. Our excellent and rigorous undergraduate environmental science major is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to understand and solve environmental problems, think critically and creatively, and communicate effectively. The fields of study encompassed by the undergraduate environmental science program include: aquatic ecology and biology, terrestrial ecology and biology, aquatic and terrestrial ecology and biology, wetland ecology, earth sciences, and environmental chemical analysis. Regardless of the chosen field of study, students are challenged to develop technical and practical skills as well as the intellectual depth and breadth necessary to obtain jobs in the environmental field and/or to pursue further educational opportunities.
Our faculty and staff are active scholars and over the last five years have secured ~$2.5 million of external funding, published 66 articles in peer-reviewed media, and presented scores of papers at scientific conferences. They promote active, hands-on learning activities in a variety of settings, from the classroom and laboratory to the field. In addition, students are provided many opportunities to conduct independent study projects, pursue their own research, participate in internships, obtain paid research technician positions on externally-funded projects, and volunteer to help faculty and graduate students with their research. For example, during the 2019-2020 academic year, 19 of our students conducted independent studies and 41 of our students were employed on research grants or contracts. Faculty and staff often accompany undergraduate students to regional, national, and international conferences where they can present their research work, interact with specialists in their field, and establish contacts for future jobs. In 2019-2020, our students presented 38 communications at professional meetings. Since our last PPR, seven of our undergraduate students have also been first or co-author of scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals. Many of our alumni have been successful in securing admission to graduate programs or positions as environmental professionals.
Our Department was able to address several recommendations of the Joint Action Plan from our last PPR (2015-2016). The name of our Department was changed to the Department of Environmental Science and Ecology to better reflect the nature of our program. Faculty and staff created a curriculum map for our undergraduate and graduate programs and revised their assessment plans. Although new classes are now offered in our undergraduate and graduate programs, we have not yet investigated the opportunity to offer a greater diversity of general education and public policy courses. Finally, the creation of a lounge in Lennon Hall room 136 was not addressed by the University administration, although several requests have been made by our Department and the departments of Biology and Earth Sciences. The lounge could serve as a multipurpose room and enrich students professionally and personally.
The SWOT analysis conducted as part of the current PPR revealed well-known strengths of our Department such as its active and engaged learning and its record of productivity (e.g., research grants, publications, presentations). Our dependence on other departments to teach courses within our core undergraduate curriculum, the lack of maintenance and facilities support, and the lack of a common area for faculty and student interactions were identified as three primary weaknesses. Opportunities could arise from the hiring of new active, young, dynamic, diverse faculty, which could teach courses in new subfields of our major (e.g., environmental justice and environmental ethics or policy). Finally, the Department of Environmental Science and Ecology is facing two existential threats:
- the recent or impending departure of two faculty members, which will greatly weaken our program if these positions are not refilled immediately, and
- a possible decline in undergraduate enrollment due to demographic changes in western and central New York State.
Our Department has developed several recruiting strategies to address the second threat and strongly urges the University administration to allow timely searches to replace the two open faculty positions. Failure to fill these open positions could cause long-lasting damage to one of the most productive, successful, and vibrant departments at the University.
Environmental Science (MS)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Environmental Science and Ecology at the University, composed of a vibrant group of teacher-scholars, offers a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Ecology and a combined BS/MS degree program. The Master of Science is a thesis-based program that spans a broad array of subjects focused on organisms and their environment. Our rigorous graduate program is designed to provide students with the skills necessary to analyze and understand environmental systems, predict environmental change, and participate in environmental management. Students develop depth in specific areas (aquatic ecology, terrestrial ecology, wetland ecology, environmental chemistry, or earth science) through focused course work. In addition, graduate students under the direction of a faculty member conduct original research and complete a high-quality thesis suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. Most of the program’s graduate students are at least partially supported by external funding, in addition to resources provided by the Department and University. Once the thesis is ready for approval, an oral defense is required, in which students present their major findings to members of their advisory committee.
Our faculty and staff are active scholars and, over the last five years, have brought in ~$2.5 million of external funding, published 66 articles in peer-reviewed media, and presented scores of papers at scientific conferences. They promote active hands-on learning activities in a variety of settings, from the classroom and laboratory to the field. In addition, students are given opportunities to conduct independent study projects and pursue their own research or internships. Faculty and staff accompany graduate students to regional, national, and international conferences where they present their research work, interact with researchers in their field, and establish contacts for future jobs. Over the last five years, 14 of our graduate students authored or coauthored scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and our alumni have been successful in securing admission to PhD programs or positions as environmental professionals.
Our combined BS/MS degree enables highly qualified students to complete their Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in environmental science and ecology in an accelerated fashion, in as little as five years. Students normally apply to this combined degree at the end of their junior year. The requirements for these graduate students are identical to those for our Master of Science degree.
Our Department was able to address several recommendations of the Joint Action Plan from our last PPR (2015-2016). The name of our Department was changed to the Department of Environmental Science and Ecology to better reflect the nature of our program. Faculty and staff created a curriculum map for our graduate program, revised its assessment plan, and added several new courses in the program. However, the creation of a lounge in Lennon Hall room 136 was not addressed by the University administration, although several requests have been made by our Department and the departments of Biology and Earth Sciences. The lounge could serve as a multipurpose room and enrich students professionally and personally.
The SWOT analysis conducted as part of the current PPR revealed well-known strengths of our Department such as the many opportunities it provides for active and engaged learning and its record of scholarly productivity (e.g., research grants, publications, presentations). The three main weaknesses identified by the SWOT analysis were our dependence on other departments for teaching courses in the core curriculum of our undergraduate program (where many of our graduate students originate), the lack of maintenance and facilities support, and the lack of a common area for faculty and student interactions. New opportunities could arise by hiring new active, young, dynamic, and diverse faculty members, who could teach courses in new subfields of our major such as environmental justice, environmental ethics, or environmental policy. The Department of Environmental Science and Ecology is facing two existential threats:
- the recent or impending departure of two faculty members, which will greatly weaken our program if these positions are not refilled immediately, and
- a possible decline in undergraduate and graduate enrollment due to demographic changes in western and central New York State.
Our Department has developed several recruiting strategies to address the second threat and strongly urges the University administration to allow timely searches to replace the two open faculty positions. Failure to fill these open positions could cause long-lasting damage to one of the most productive, successful, and vibrant departments at the University.