Environmental Studies

The environmental studies cross-disciplinary minor allows students to study nature and the relation of humans to the natural world. In addition to the course work for their major, students in the environmental studies area minor gain cross-disciplinary perspectives on environmental issues. The environmental studies department also aims to create a community of concern among students and faculty for the environment through a combination of academic and co-curricular opportunities.

St. Mary's Project (SMP)

Projects can be scientific investigations of part of the campus environment, community service projects involving related research or analysis, creative projects drawing on the arts, or research and reflection on local or global environmental issues. Recent project examples include:

• Places we call home: Exploring the importance of environment in creating a community
• Conserving endangered fauna and their habitats: A comparative study of four national parks in Australia and the United States
• Biological succession as an environmental teaching tool
• Socio-economic aspects of agricultural land preservation
• The effects of environmental regulation on the health of the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem

Travel Abroad

Students often use travel abroad to enhance their understanding of environmental issues. The Environmental Studies Field School in Costa Rica allows St. Mary's students the opportunity to learn about conservation issues in a tropical developing nation.

Life After St. Mary's

Students who minor in environmental studies often choose to pursue careers or graduate studies that combine their interests in environmental studies and their major. Recent graduates have taken placements with the Peace Corps, pursued graduate studies in marine biology in the Artic, and become environmental educators.

Special Opportunities

St. Mary's River Project (SMRP) allows students to investigate matters related to the water quality and ecological health of the St. Mary's River and the Chesapeake Bay. Students also work to promote stewardship and awareness of important environmental concerns within the local community.

The Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC) is a student activist group that organizes events to promote environmental awareness on campus and in the local community. Recent SEAC projects have included campus-wide recycling, weekly St. Mary's River clean-ups, and an annual ecological festival including music, speakers and activities related to the environment.

The environmental studies department also sponsors a lecture series. Past topics have included:

• Flame retardants in the environment
• Science and public policy: A panel discussion
• Adventures of an eclipse chaser
• Leaf optics: Assisting the engines of photosynthesis

For more information, visit the Environmental Studies Department Web site at
http://www.smcm.edu/environmentalstudies/index.html