Connecticut College Goodwin-Niering Center for Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies

CERTIFICATE SEMINAR

Certificate Seminar Schedule 2007-2008
Certificate Seminar ES 290/396/496
Spring 2008

Goals
There are two main goals for the seminar: 1) to provide opportunities for in-depth discussion of current environmental issues with invited speakers and senior students, and sharing of information among students with diverse interests; and 2) to provide practical assistance in the planning and presentation of internships and projects.

Theme: Green Business

Book: "Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage" by Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston.

Requirements
•    Attend ALL sessions of the seminar. Arrive on time and remain until the end of each       session. There are only seven sessions each semester and attendance is important. A       student who misses a session, having obtained prior permission of the instructor, for       reasons such as illness or family emergency, will attend an environmental lecture and       write a 2-page paper summarizing its content, due at the last class session (April 24th).
•    Prepare for each guest speaker by writing three questions based on the assigned       reading. Post questions to the course website and actively participate in the discussion.
•    Prepare for book discussion by writing a 3-page critique and participate in classroom       debate. Read Parts One and Two by February 28th and complete the book by March       27th
•    Make classroom presentations of projects (seniors) and proposals (juniors).       Participate in discussion of the presentations and provide both written and spoken       critiques for improvement.

Grading
The certificate seminar is a pass/not pass course. Grades will be assigned based on consideration of the above requirements as follows:
Seniors
•     Senior integrative project presentation 30%
•     Written and spoken participation in seminar 60%
•     Critiques of senior presentations 10%
Juniors
•     Proposal for internship and senior integrative project 30%
•     Written and spoken participation in seminar 60%
•     Critiques of senior presentations 10%
Sophomores
•     Written and spoken participation in seminar 80%
•     Critiques of senior presentations 20%

If you have a physical or mental disability, either hidden or visible, which may require classroom, test-taking, or other reasonable modifications, please see me as soon as possible. If you have not already done so, please be sure to register with Susan L. Duques, Ph.D., in the Office of Student Disability Services, at Extension 5428.

Schedule:
Note that the seminar usually meets on Thursday evenings. Time and location vary depending on the event. The schedule will be updated on the course web site. Please check it periodically.

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Spring Semester, 2008

January 24 6:00 to 8:30 PM Ernst Common Rm	Reception : Welcome into the program for sophomores with Center faculty, students and staff. Update on certificate plans for juniors and seniors.
January 31 7:00 to 9:00 Ernst	Recommended Speaker: Greg Cajete, Science Educator and Director of Native American Studies, University of New Mexico, "Native Science: Implications for Sustainability and Ecological Consciousness." Co-sponsored with the Education Department.
February 14 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Internship Presentation (Cara Donovan): Student presents internship or resesarch project with time included for discussion and feedback from seminar participants. Seminar participants critique presentation. Senior Integrative Projects (Eliza Greenman, Kathryn Gutleber, Gabe Sidman): Seniors present their projects with time included for discussion and feedback. Seminar participants critique presentation.
March 6 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 210	Invited Speaker: Ted Saunders '83, President Eco-Logical Solutions, Director of Environmental Affairs, Saunders Hotel Group, "The Bottom Line of Green is Black." Discussion with speaker, faculty and students following presentation. Discussion of Analytic Methods (Christina Comfort, Cara Donovan, Kelsey Jacobsen, Bianca Kissel, Lindsay Michel): Seniors doing spring independent studies describe methods they will use.
Due Date March 27	Book Critiques
March 27 or April 3 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Book Discussion with Invited Guest: Lee Higdon, President, Connecticut College, "Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage" by Daniel C. Esty and Andrew S. Winston.
April 10 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Presentation: Candidates for Center's Postdoctoral Fellowships in Environmental Communications present to faculty and students.
Due Date April 10	Proposals for Internship and Senior Integrative Project (Juniors)
April 17 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Senior Integrative Projects (Christina Comfort, Cara Donovan, Kelsey Jacobsen, Jessica LeClair): Seniors present their projects with time included for discussion and feedback. Seminar participants critique presentation. Junior Proposals ( Rebeccah Beachell, Jeff Nemec, Jamey Smith, Samantha Wright) Juniors present plans for summer internship and senior integrative project to the seminar participants. Time will be included for discussion and feedback.
Wed. April 23 11:50 to 1:05 NLH 112	Public Presentation of Senior Integrative Projects in Biology Seminar (Christina Comfort, Kathryn Gutleber, Kelsey Jacobsen, Jessica LeClair): Presentations by Center seniors.
April 24 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Senior Integrative Projects (Bianca Kissel, Lindsay Michel, Katherine Serafin): Seniors present their projects with time included for discussion and feedback. Seminar participants critique presentation. Junior Proposals (Sarah Ayres, Hans Eysenbach, Rick Hederstrom, Katherine Sacca, Mike Seager, Andrew Watts): Juniors present plans for summer internship and senior integrative project to the seminar participants. Time will be included for discussion and feedback.
May 1 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Public Presentation of Senior Integrative Projects (Cara Donovan, Eliza Greenman, Bianca Kissel): Presentations by Center seniors and other ES, ECON and GOV seniors.
May 8 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Public Presentation of Senior Integrative Projects (Lindsay Michel, Katherine Serafin, Gabe Sidman): Presentations by Center seniors and other ES, ECON and GOV seniors.
Due Date May 9	Completed Senior Integrative Projects (Seniors)

Saturday, May 17
Certificate Ceremony
Ernst Common Room
1:30 to 3:00

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Certificate Seminar Schedule 2007-2008
Certificate Seminar Syllabus ES 395 and 495
Fall Semester, 2007

The Certificate Seminar is a four-semester seminar, conducted both fall and spring semesters, for the sophomores, juniors and seniors participating in the Certificate Program. It is designed to help prepare students for their junior-year internships and senior integrative projects (SIP). This course is also specifically designed to foster a peer-to-peer learning situation in which students who have gained expertise in their chosen area of environmental interest by their senior year share their knowledge with the class. The senior students provide a significant portion of the course content. Students from each of the classes benefit from their interactions at different stages of their Certificate Program and from their participation as a member of a team with shared experiences over a three-year period.

Goals
There are two main goals for the seminar: 1) to provide opportunities for in-depth discussion of current environmental issues with invited speakers and senior students, and sharing of information among students with diverse interests; and 2) to provide practical assistance in the planning and presentation of internships and projects.

Theme
Restoring Natural Habitats

Requirements

Attend ALL sessions of the seminar. Arrive on time and remain until the end of each session. There are a few sessions each semester and attendance is important. A student who misses a session, having obtained prior permission of the instructor, for reasons such as illness or family emergency, will attend an environmental lecture and write a 2-page paper summarizing its content, due at the last class session (December 6).
Prepare for each guest speaker by writing three questions based on the assigned reading. Hand in the questions at the beginning of class and actively participate in the discussion.
Write a two page summary of the Rachel Carson Centennial Celebration OR the Endowed Lecture, due at the last class session (December 6).
Participate in group discussions on assigned readings for the theme of Restoring Natural Habitats.
Make classroom presentations of internships (seniors) and proposals (juniors). Participate in discussion of the presentations and provide both written and spoken critiques for improvement.

Grading
The certificate seminar is a pass/not pass course. Grades will be assigned based on consideration of the above requirements as follows:
Seniors
• Internship presentation 30%
• Written and spoken participation in seminar 60%
• Critiques of senior presentations 10%
Juniors
• Proposal for internship and senior integrative project 30%
• Written and spoken participation in seminar 60%
• Critiques of senior presentations 10%

Schedule
Note that the seminar usually meets on Thursday evenings. Times and locations vary depending on the event. The schedule will be updated on the Course web site. Please check periodically.

If you have a physical or mental disability, either hidden or visible, which may require classroom, test-taking, or other reasonable modifications, please see me as soon as possible. If you have not already done so, please be sure to register with Susan L. Duques, Ph.D., in the Office of Student Disability Services, at Extension 5428.

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Fall Semester, 2007

September 6 6:00 to 8:30 Buck Lodge	Dinner Reception: Welcome back for juniors and seniors with Center faculty and staff. Discussion of summer internship experiences and certificate program plans.
September 13 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Senior Internship Presentations (Eliza Greenman, Kathryn Gutleber, Katherine Serafin, Jessica LeClair, Gabe Sidman): Seniors present internship or research project with time included for discussion and feedback from seminar participants. Seminar participants critique presentation.
Due Date September 20	Final Internship Reflection Paper and Senior Integrative Project Modifications (Seniors)
September 20 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Senior Internship Presentations (Christina Comfort, Kelsey Jacobsen, Bianca Kissel, Lindsay Michel): Seniors present internship or research project with time included for discussion and feedback from seminar participants. Seminar participants critique presentation.
Friday, Sept. 21 2:00 to 5:00 Chu Room, Shain	Rachel Carson Centennial Celebration: Keynote speaker, Maril Hazlett, University of Kansas, "Rachel Carson: Controversy and Common Ground." Followed by panel discussion and exhibit of Lear/Carson Collection.
Saturday, Sept. 29 5:30 to 7:45 pm Hood Dining Rm	Goodwin-Niering Center Certificate Students Banquet: Fall weekend banquet for certificate students, their parents, and friends of the Center. Seniors present highlights of their internships.
October 18 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Guest Speaker: Robert Baldwin, Associate Professor of Art History, "Nature as Urban Culture: Burgher Reality in the Landscape Art of Pieter Bruegel" Discussion of Analytical Methods (Eliza Greenman, Kathryn Gutleber, Jessica LeClair, Katherine Serafin, Gabe Sidman): Seniors doing an individual study this fall or honors thesis describe SIP methods.
Saturday, Oct. 20 1:00 pm Harkness Chapel	Richard Goodwin Memorial Service
Wednesday, Nov. 7 8:00 to 9:30 Ernst Common Room	Endowed Lecture: Robert Askins, Karla Heurich Harrison '28 Director of the Goodwin-Niering Center and Professor of Biology, "Conservation Across Landscapes: The Importance of Large Nature Reserves" Discussion with speaker, faculty and students following presentation.
November 15 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Guest Speaker: Scott Warren, Jean C. Tempel '65 Professor Emeritus of Botany, "Tidal Marsh Restoration" Discussion with speaker, faculty and students following presentation. Discussion of Theme Readings
Due Date November 29	Internship Learning Agreement and Proposal for Senior Integrative Project (Juniors – spring study away only)
December 6 7:00 to 9:30 Blaustein 203	Guest Speaker: Dana Warren, Cornell University, Department of Natural Resources, "Impacts of Deforestation and Stream Restoration". Discussion with speaker, faculty and students following presentation. Discussion of Theme Readings. Junior Proposals (Spring study away only – Kelsey Jacobsen, Kathryn Gutleber, Gabe Sidman): Juniors present plans for summer internship and senior integrative project to the seminar participants. Time will be included for discussion and feedback.

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