parker committed to breaking down communication barriers in environmental journalism

Meaghan ParkerMeaghan Parker, executive director of the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), visited Wesleyan University earlier this month to present “Talking about the Weather: Communicating Complexity in the Era of Climate Change,” an event sponsored by the College of the Environment. As a previous editor at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Parker’s work has a strong focus on actionable ideas that can realistically be implemented in journalism and education. Her talk emphasized the roles that journalists play in environmental education, from raising awareness to holding politicians accountable, and how journalists can be more effective at communicating the intricacies of the environmental movement, current events, and the subtle relationships they often have with each other.

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sayet shares importance of revitalizing traditional foodways

On Feb. 28, students in ENVS201/soph seminar greeted guest speaker Rachel Sayet, an anthropologist/educator from the Mohegan Tribe, who spoke about revitalizing traditional foodways in New England and beyond. ENVS201, taught by COE Director Barry Chernoff and assistant professor of environmental studies Helen Poulos, introduces students to critical methods for conducting research on environmental issues, as a primer for performing research in the ENVS major.

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ucsb’s kuris discusses research

Schistosomiasis (a disease caused by parasitic worms) affects 200 to 300 million people worldwide. On December 3, the COE welcomed evolutionary biologist Dr. Armand Kuris of University of California, Santa Barbara to campus, for a discussion about his research on the disease in Kenya and Senegal. Dr. Kuris’s work has shown that transmission control through predation on snail intermediate hosts may be necessary to achieve elimination of schistosomiasis in Africa. More photos can be found here.

coe celebrates the schumann institute

On October 26, 2018, foundation advisors David and Ford Schumann and foundation trustee Timothy Crowley joined COE Director Barry Chernoff, the Robert F. Schumann Professor of Environmental Studies, and Antonio Machado-Allison, the Menakka and Essel Bailey ’66 Distinguished Visiting Scholar in the COE, on a tour of Wesleyan University’s student-run Long Lane Farm

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wesleyan’s 2018 pumpkin fest

On October 13, 2018, Wesleyan U and Middletown communities came together to celebrate the season at Pumpkin Fest, our annual fall festival held at Wesleyan’s student-run Long Lane Farm. More than 400 attendees enjoyed farm tours, produce and baked goods for sale, kid-friendly crafts, local vendors, free veggie burgers and apple cider, a pie-eating contest, musical performances, and more. The annual event is cosponsored by the COE. Click here for tons of photos!

2018 where on earth are we going? symposium

Each year, our Where on Earth Are We Going? symposium focuses on a topic of critical environmental importance, bringing to Wesleyan the people who are at the forefronts of these issues. The theme of our 2018 symposium reflected the focus of the COE’s 2018-19 Think Tank: how humans relate to and value the non-human part of the world. This year’s event featured presentations by College of the Environment faculty Justine Quijada, assistant professor, Depart. of Religion (“Is Animism Good to Think With?”), and Fred Cohan, professor, Depart. of Biology (“Motivating Environmentalism through Our Visceral Fears of Infections”).

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