PARENT SESSION
Oral Session # 30: Ecology Education II: College.
Presiding: K Klemow
Tuesday, August 5. 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, SITCC Meeting Room 104.
Will telling the students the truth about environmental management scare them away?
Berkson, Jim*,1, Harrison, Autumn-Lynn1, 2, Davis, Michelle1, 1 Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Blacksburg, VA2 Society for Conservation Biology, Arlington, VA
ABSTRACT- Although the science of ecology should be objective, the process of environmental management in many cases is not. Fresh graduates, armed almost solely with the science and theory of ecology are ill prepared to deal with the reality of environmental management in practice. While many universities have tackled the subjective aspects of this field through the addition of courses in economics, human dimensions, and law, there remains little focus on their integration. Too often, our curricula focus on the role science could ideally play in this process; neglecting the roles science actually does play when integrated with politics, economics, and sociology. In response to this omission, we created a capstone course to integrate relevant subjects and issues into a realistic representation of the process of environmental management. We have employed case studies, guest speakers, and lively debates of issues not discussed within the traditional ecology or environmental science curriculum. These issues challenge students' preconceived notions. Inevitably, some students are disheartened and others, inspired when they discover the reality of environmental decision-making. They are not, however, turned away from the field. We have four years of data to suggest that graduates of this course stay within the field of environmental science, despite the discouraging reality. Moreover, most change their desired role within the process leading them towards more satisfying and effective environmental careers. Graduates from this capstone course are armed not only with science, but also with realistic expectations.
Key words: capstone, education, university, management