annual report 1 august 2015 submitted by andrew …1 august 2015 submitted by andrew j. guswa,...

CEEDSannualreport,August2015 1

CenterfortheEnvironment,EcologicalDesign,andSustainability

SmithCollege

AnnualReport

1August2015

Submittedby AndrewJ.Guswa,Director(outgoing)

RobertNewton,Director(incoming)


ExecutiveSummaryTheCenterfortheEnvironment,EcologicalDesign,andSustainability(CEEDS)preparesallSmith students to lead on issues of environment and sustainability. In 2014‐15, SmithCollegereceived$3.5million inendowmentsupport forCEEDS, solidifying itsrole in theeducationofourstudents.Headingintothe2015‐16academicyear,wewillwelcomeandwelcome back students who have never known a Smith without the EnvironmentalConcentrations or the Bechtel Environmental Classroom. All of the CEEDS programscontinuetogrowanddevelop,engagingmoreandmorestudentsfromacrossdisciplines.2014‐15sawthelaunchofasecondEnvironmentalConcentrationonClimateChange,theopening of a low‐ropes challenge course at the MacLeish Field Station, updatedenvironmentalmonitoring,innovativecurricularenhancementsacrosscampus,numerousfieldtripsforstudentsandfaculty,andopportunitiestoengagewithenvironmentalleadersthrougharangeofworkshopsandcolloquia.WealsowelcomedtoSmithDanoWeisbord,DirectorofCampusSustainability,andCamilleWashington‐Ottombre,assistantprofessorinEnvironmental Science and Policy, and we look forward to the arrival of Alex Barron,assistantprofessorinEnvironmentalScienceandPolicythissummer.On1July,Prof.RobertNewtonbeganhistermasdirector,andthissummerhehasworkedwithsixstudents,stateregulators,andstafffromFacilitiesManagementtodevelopinnovativeandsustainablewaysofmanagingthesedimentaccumulationinParadisePond.

Regularoperatingexpenses (includingall salaries and compensation)during2014‐2015,totaled$337,776andCEEDShadanadditionalexpenditureof$146,052ofone‐timefunds.

1 MissionandOutcomesBuilding on a strong tradition of women’s leadership at Smith, the Center for theEnvironment,EcologicalDesign, andSustainability (CEEDS)brings together faculty, staff,and students from the natural sciences, social sciences and history, humanities, andengineeringtoaddressenvironmentalquestionsandchallenges.Ourmissionistograduatewomenwhoexcelat integratingknowledgetosupportenvironmentaldecisionsandactions.Thismission,andCEEDSitself, isintendedtocomplementandenhancethewiderangeofcurricularpathwaysthatstudentscanchoosetostudytheenvironmentatSmith.CEEDSisaboutlinkingknowledgeacrosstheliberalartsandcriticallyapplyingthisknowledgetoreal‐worldsolutions.

Inpursuitofthesegoals,theactivitiesoftheCenteraredirectedtoward

Enhancingthecurriculum Sponsoringintegrativeenvironmentalprojects Usingourcampusasamodelofsustainability Integratingenvironmentalresourcesandinformation

Sections3through6ofthisreportareorganizedaccordingtothesecategorieswithdetailsonspecificactivities.

Coverphoto:Viewof theMacLeishFieldStation fromakite (photocredit:ReidBertone‐Johnson).


CEEDSisdrivenbyeducationaloutcomesratherthanactivities;thatis,wechoosetofocusontheimpactoftheCenter.Throughtheprograms,activities,andcollaborationsfacilitatedandsupportedbytheCenter,weintendthatSmithstudentswhoengagewithCEEDSwill

MakeConnectionsStudentsbringtogetherknowledgeanddatafromdifferentfieldswithintheunifyingcontextoftheenvironment.

SeeMultiplePerspectivesStudentslearntoseeenvironmentalissuesfrommultipleperspectivesbyinteractingwithfaculty,staff,alumnae,otherstudents,andcommunitymemberswithdifferentbackgrounds,experiences,andknowledge.

GetOutsideStudentslearnfromthecommunitiesandbuiltandnaturallandscapesinwhichtheyliveandstudy.

TakeActionStudentstakeonenvironmentalprojectsinsideandoutsideofthecurriculumanddrawupontheirliberalartseducationinpursuitoftheseprojects.

CommunicateEffectivelyStudentsdevelopskillsinlisteningtoandcommunicatingwithotherstofacilitatedecisionsandaction.

BuildMeaningfulCareersStudentsfindmeaningfulinternshipsandemploymentinenvironmentalfieldsoverarangeofsectors(graduateschool,business,non‐profit,government).

Additionally,asaresultoftheCenter’sexistence

FacultyareSupportedMembersofthefacultyuseCEEDSasaresourcetosupportandenhancetheirteachingandscholarship.

AlumnaeConnectSmith alumnae connect with the college, current students, and each other to shareknowledge,experiencesandexpertiserelatedtotheenvironmentandsustainability.

SmithGainsRecognitionSmith enhances its reputation as amodel of environmental sustainability, as a place forstudentstolivesustainably,andasoneofthebestplacestostudytheenvironment.

SmithEvolvesInnovative ideas that prove successful within CEEDS are adopted and implementedthroughoutthecollege.


2 GrowthandDevelopmentTheroleofCEEDSintheeducationofSmithstudentscontinuestogrowanddevelop.Duringthe2014‐2015year,CEEDSinteractedwiththousandsofpeople–fromstudentsandfacultytocommunitymembersandlocal leaders.OurenergiesweredirectedtowardsincreasingourvisibilityandconnectionsoncampusandwithinthegreaterFiveCollegearea.Tothisend, the year saw collaborations deepenwith a number of Smith offices and programs,several local non‐profit organizations, and members of the Five College consortium –Amherst,Hampshire,MountHolyoke,andUMASS‐Amherst.

Image2:CEEDScollaboratedwithDiningServicesat thisyear’sannualCiderPressing tooffertastingsoflocalcheesesandheirloomapples.

2.1 Personnel

Asof1July2015,theCEEDSstaffcomprisestheDirector,AssistantDirector,FieldStationManager, Environmental Research Coordinator, and Administrative Assistant.EnvironmentalFellows,appointedfromtheSmithCollegefaculty,providestrategicguidance


tothedirectorandstaffandactivelyadvanceCEEDSprograms.Separateadvisoryboardsexist to set policy and make decisions related to the MacLeish Field Station and theEnvironmentalConcentrations.Table1providesalistofCEEDSstaffandaffiliatedfaculty.During 2014‐15, CEEDS also supported 7 student interns who engaged in a variety ofprojectsbothonandoffcampus.Withtheclosingofthe2014fiscalyear,AndrewGuswa’stermasDirectoroftheCentercametoanend.RobertNewtonbeganasthenewDirectorofCEEDSonJuly1,2015.

Table1:CEEDSstaffandaffiliatedfaculty,2014‐15.

StaffDirector AndrewGuswa

AssistantDirector JoanneBenkley

FieldStationManager ReidBertone‐Johnson

Env.ResearchCoordinator PaulWetzel

AdministrativeAssistant SaraKirk

EnvironmentalFellows JesseBellemare,BiologicalSciences,EnvironmentalScienceandPolicy(ES&P)

DanielGardner,History

AnnLeone,FrenchandLandscapeStudies(LSS)

JamesLowenthal,Astronomy

AmyRhodes,Geosciences,ES&P

L.DavidSmith,BiologicalSciences,ES&P

MacLeishAdvisoryBoard AmyRhodes(Chair),Geosciences,ES&P

JesseBellemare,BiologicalSciences,ES&P,LSS

ReidBertone‐Johnson,CEEDS,LSS

ScottJohnson,Athletics

AndrewGuswa,exofficio

AdvisoryBoardforEnvironmentalConcentration:SustainableFood

ElisabethArmstrong,StudyofWomenandGender

JoanneBenkley,CEEDS

BarbaraBrehm‐Curtis,ExerciseandSportStudies

MichelleJoffroy,SpanishandPortuguese

AnnLeone,French,LSS

NancySternbach,SpanishandPortuguese

PaulWetzel,CEEDS

AndrewGuswa,Engineering,ES&P,LSS


AdvisoryBoardforEnvironmentalConcentration:ClimateChange

JesseBellemare,BiologicalSciences,ES&P,LSS

JoanneBenkley,CEEDS

ElliotFratkin,Anthropology,ES&P

NathanaelFortune,Physics

DanielGardner,History

AndrewGuswa,Engineering,ES&P,LSS

AliceHearst,Government

DanielleIgnace,BiologicalSciences,ES&P

JamesLowenthal,Astronomy

DeniseMcKahn,Engineering

RobertNewton,Geosciences,ES&P

AmyRhodes,Geosciences,ES&P

SusanSayre,Economics,ES&P

ElizabethSpelman,Philosophy

GregoryWhite,Government,ES&P


2.2 AlumnaeAdvisoryBoard

TheCEEDSalumnaeadvisoryboardsharestheirprofessionalexpertiseand insightswithCEEDSstaffandEnvironmentalFellowsandinturnsharesourmissionandsuccesseswithalumnaeandexternalaudiences.Membershipcomprises:

Donna Attanasio ‘81, Senior Advisor for Energy Law Programs at The GeorgeWashingtonUniversityLawSchool

Katherine Borgen ’64, Board Chair of Rachel’s Network; Trustee, The NatureConservancy(CO);Director,BorgenFamilyFoundation

LeslieCarothers ‘64,VisitingScholarat theEnvironmentalLawInstitute;member,BoardofDirectorsoftheCenterforClimateandEnergySolutions

AiméeChristensen‘91,FounderandCEOofChristensenGlobalStrategies

DeborahDuncan‘77,DirectorandSeniorAdvisorofFremontGroup;Trustee,SmithCollege

IlonaJohnson‘06,AssociateLilkerEMOEnergySolutions

Erinn McGurn ‘94, Co‐founder and Executive Director of SCALEAfrica;Owner/Principal of SCALEStudio; member, Board of Directors of the AlumnaeAssociationofSmithCollege;member,STEMAdvisoryBoardforthePartnershipforAfterSchoolEducation(PASE)

Jan Van der Voort Portman ‘78, Trustee, The Nature Conservancy of Montana;HonoraryLifeTrustee,TheNatureConservancyofOhio;MemberoftheBoard,Rare

TheAdvisoryBoardmetthisyearviaaSkypeconferencecalltodiscusstheongoingworkandgoalsofCEEDS.Thenext in‐personmeetingwith theBoard isscheduled forOctober2015.

Thisspring,twoofGardner’sstudents,LeslieHillsamer’16andCaitlynVincent‘17,presentedpapersontheirworkattheBardCollegeAsia/EnvironmentStudentResearchConference.

Gardnerhasalsobecomeasoughtafterexpertonthetopicandcontinuestopublishpiecesregularly, because, as he says “it is essential that Americans understand something aboutChina’senvironment,aboutpollution.Itisnotjusttheir(China’s)problem.It’sourproblem,too,sincemuchofitcomesfromthemanufacturingofexports,manyofwhichcometotheU.S.WeneedtorecognizethatwearecontributingtosmogandpollutioninChinabyourownconsumption of goods. We cannot remain parochial in our views, and we cannotcompartmentalizetheairwebreathe.”GardnerwritesinlaytermsabouttheenvironmentinChinaasawaytoinformothersand,intheprocess,learnmorehimself.Hehaswrittenop‐edsforpublicationsliketheLosAngelesTimes,theNewYorkTimes,TheGuardian,theChristianScienceMonitor, and the InternationalHerald Tribune.He has been interviewed by newsoutletslikeTheGuardian,ForeignPolicy,theNationalBureauofAsianResearch,RadioFreeAsiaandVoiceofAmerica.HeisnowintheprocessofwritingabookforOxfordUniversityPressonenvironmentalpollutioninChina.


2.3 GrantProposals,Gifts,andFundraising

In2014‐2015,CEEDSstaff,inconjunctionwithSmith’sOfficeofDevelopmentandSponsoredResearchOffice,submittedtwograntproposalsinsupportofourprograms.

Title: CommunityCenteredEnvironmentalProblemSolving:APilotProject

Agency: ThoreauFoundation

Amount: $35,000

Summary: TheultimategoalofthisprojectistochangethefocusofenvironmentaleducationatSmithCollegetowardsmoreexperiential,inquiry‐oriented,community‐basedstudies.EightstudentsfromSmithCollegewillworkwithregulatorsandnonprofitenvironmentalgroupstodevelopinnovativemethodsformanagingthesedimentsthataccumulatebehindsmalldams.Duringanintensive10‐weekprogramoverthesummerof2015,thesestudentswillmonitorandanalyzearangeofcontrolledexperimentsthatattempttoflushsedimentthroughthedamthatcreatesParadisePondontheMillRiver.

Status: NotFunded

Title: CenterfortheEnvironment,EcologicalDesignandSustainability

Agency: Namewithhelduponrequest

Amount: $200,000

Summary: SupportforoperationalandprogrammaticexpensesoftheCenterfortheEnvironment,EcologicalDesign,andSustainability.

Status: Funded;1July2015–30June2016

Inadditiontothegrantproposals,theCenterfortheEnvironment,EcologicalDesign,andSustainabilityalsoreceivedanumberofgiftsandcommitmentsfromalumnaeandfriends.Giftsgreaterthan$1000include

Pledge/Giftamount Donor Intent

$2.5million Anne (Attfield) Hubbard ’55andTomHubbard

Endowment

$1million MarciaMacHarg‘70 Endowment

$25,000 LynnDonaldson‘70 Currentuse

$25,000 CameronScottAvery Currentuse

$20,000 KatherineSharpeBorgen‘64 Currentuse

$10,000 LoisPerelson‐Gross‘83 Currentuse

$6,500 MaureenOgden‘50 Currentuse

$2,000 WymandJanPortmanFund Currentuse


$2,000 DonnaAttanasio‘81 Currentuse

$1,000 ErinnMcGurn‘94 Currentuse

3 EnhancetheCurriculum

3.1 EnvironmentalConcentrations

CEEDSofferstwoEnvironmentalConcentrationsthatprovideaframeworkforstudentstointegratetheiracademicandexperientiallearningaroundcross‐disciplinaryenvironmentaltopics: Climate Change and Sustainable Food. Each concentration comprises fourcomponents: a gateway course, core courses selected from across the five colleges inconsultationwithafacultyadvisor,twopracticalexperiences,andaproject‐basedcapstonecourse.In2014‐15,24studentswereaffiliatedwithourEnvironmentalConcentrationsinSustainableFoodandClimateChange.

3.1.1 GatewayCourses

Studentschoosebetween twogatewaycourses thatpresentenvironmental issues fromarange of perspectives: LSS 100, Landscape, Environment, and Design, and ENV 100,Environment andSustainability:Notes from theField. ENV100 is a courseorganizedbyCEEDS staff that exposes students to real‐world practitioners in a broad range ofenvironmentalfields.

Thisyear,speakersinENV100rangedfromlocalfarmersgivingatouroftheirfarmtothesenior attorney and Director of the China Program for the National Resource DefenseCouncil.The2014line‐upalsoincludedonealumna,RouwennaLamm‘08,whospokeaboutherworkastheNationalProgramDirectorforAllianceforClimateEducation,anon–profitorganizationfocusedoneducatinghighschoolstudentsaboutclimatechange.AppendixAprovidesacompletelistofthe2014‐2015ENV100andLSS100speakersandtheirlecturetitles.

3.1.2 CapstoneProject:SustainableFood

ThegoaloftheSustainableFoodcapstoneclassistoprovidestudentswiththeexperienceofworking together on a real project. As a team, the classworkswith a “client” gatheringinformation,conductingsurveys,creatingmaps,andeventuallymakingrecommendations.ThroughoutthesemesterstudentsapplytheknowledgeandskillstheyhavelearnedduringtheirtimeatSmithtowardtheirparticularproject.Invariably,theyalsolearnatremendousamountaboutteamwork,communication,projectmanagement,andmeetingacommongoal.

Thisyear,inlightofthenewMassachusettsDepartmentofEnvironmentalProtectionbanondisposalofcommercialorganicwastesbyinstitutionsthatdisposeofmorethanonetonofthesematerialsperweek,studentsinthecapstoneclassinvestigatedtheCollege’ssystemfordisposingoffoodwaste.Thisincludedareviewoftheactualmaterialflowaswellaswaysto increasestudentparticipation incompostingprograms.Thecapstoneclass triedtore‐envision“waste”atSmith.Theycollecteddataonthesizeoftheorganicwastestreamandlookedatallaspectsoftheorganicwastesystemfromfooddisplayandserving,packagingfrom condiments, and bulk purchasing. Students also considered high waste‐producingeatingoptionssuchasGrab‐n‐GodiningroomsandtheCampusCenterCafé.


The studentsmade several important conclusions from their investigations.Onewas thepossiblecampuspurchaseandoperationofan in‐vesselaerobicdigester.Suchadigesterwouldreducedisposalfeesandallowthecompostingofsoyutensilsandpaperproducts,whilerecoveringthecapitalcostsofthedigesterinfouryears.

The students also felt that one of the primary goals of the College should be to educatestudentsinsustainablelifepractices.Theclasssuggestedthatsustainable‐livingeducationbeginassoonasnewstudentsarriveduringorientationweek.Studentscouldbetrainedthento use the composting system and other resource saving programs on campus. TheyreasonedthatSmith’slegacycouldonlybeenhancedbyusingthecampusasaclassroomandteaching students how to steward the resources that sustain them, thusmaking itmorepossible for graduates to fulfill their responsibilities to the local, national and globalcommunitiesinwhichtheylive.

Image3:Studentswentonamini‐retreatwithstafffromCEEDSandtheWurteleCenterforWork and Life to reflect on their work and experiences within the EnvironmentalConcentrations.

3.1.3 LinkingAcademicsandAction

Anintegralpartoftheconcentrationsarethepracticalexperiencesthatthestudentstakeon.Thisyearourstudentstookpartininternshipswithsevendifferentorganizations,fromBookandPlowFarminAmherst,MAtoCornellUniversity’sMcKnightFoundationCollaborativeCropresearchProgram in Ithaca,NewYork to theThirdMillenniumAlliance inEcuador.Their work encompassed everything from maintaining a healthy aquaponics system totakingonthelogisticsofhigh‐volumefarmproductiontotestingsoilsamplestodevelopingand maintaining an online resource for researchers and development practitioners tohelpingcreateanagriculturalandartisanalmarketplace.Seetheboxesbelowformoreabouttheexperiencesoftwoofourstudents.


TakingAction:SiiriBigalke‘16JSiiriBigalke‘16JworkedasaninternattheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment(ICSD) in Jerusalem.While there, Siiri worked on a host of projects with the diversecommunitiesintheJerusalemareatopromoteenvironmentalsustainability.Herprimaryprojectwastohelpleadamonthlywomen’sinterfaith(Muslim,Christian,Jewish)meetingwith the goal of empoweringwomen to become community leaders and find commonground through a shared sense of environmental awareness and stewardship in theirrespectivefaiths.

“Climatechangeisaverycomplexissue.FormeitisoftendifficulttoknowwhichavenueIcantakeinordertopromotethemosteffectivechange.Whilemywork at ICSD did not involve technical research about the impacts ofclimatechangeontheJerusalemcommunity, itwasnonethelessagrowingexperiencebecauseIwasabletoexperiencesustainabilitythroughdifferentreligious and cultural lenses. I discovered that trying to build mutualunderstanding between Jerusalemites also builds respect for theenvironment.Thisexperiencetaughtmetheimportanceofusing“place”asatoolinordertopromoteunderstanding.InJerusalem,“place”isthesourceofallcontentionin thiscity.Yet italsohashugepotential tobring IsraelisandPalestinianstogether–throughtheirmutualreverenceofthisHolyLand.Whenusingthelandand the environment as a springboard forunderstanding, it becomesevident that religious and cultural barriers do not existwhen it comes toenvironmentalrespect.”

Image4:Siiri,thirdfromleft,withsomeofherICSDcolleaguesinJerusalem.


TakingAction:IsabelCochran‘15

IsabelCochran’15workedasaninternatEssexFarminEssex,NewYork.Whilethere,Isabel and her fellow interns experienced all of what is involved with running adiversifiedorganic farm.Herdailyworkofanimal/dairychoresandvegetable‐relatedtasksincludedmovinganimals,planting,weeding,harvesting,washing,slaughteringandmore.

“This experience was life changing for me. I learned more than I everthoughtpossibleatafarm,wasexposedtosomanydifferentideas,metsomanydifferentpeoplewhoarepassionateaboutagricultureandthinkanddiscuss critically how agriculture fits into addressing our currentenvironmental problems. I learned to value the work that goes intoproducingmyownfoodandtovaluegoodfood.Inolongerwanttoeatfoodthat has been mass produced, severely adulterated, pumped full ofchemicalsanddisrespected,becauseIknowthepleasureIfeelwhenIeatfoodthathasbeenproducedwiththought,care,andrespect.Iknowthetoilthatwasrequiredforthefoodtoreachmyplate,andIknowthejoythatfoodcanbringtopeople.Overall,IhavegreatrespectforthefoodIeat,acriticaleyeforchoosingthefoodIeat,arespectforhardphysicalwork,andanunderstandingthatfarmingisnotajobforthosewhoarenotwillingtoworkhardwhilethinkingevenharder.Farmingrequiresalotofknowledge,attention to detail, critical thinking, and ability to research.”

Image5:Theonionharvestinthebarnafteralong,hardday’swork.


3.2 EventsandWorkshops

3.2.1 ConcentrationEvents

To complement our Environmental Concentrations, CEEDS hosts or co‐sponsors eventsrelated to the topics of sustainable food and climate change, and also helps support andpromotesucheventswithintheFiveCollegeConsortium.Examplesfromthisacademicyearinclude:

Aworkshop: “Re‐Storying the Land: Race, Place and Voice in America” on OteliaCromwellDay thatengagedstudents, facultyandstaff inaconversationabout therelationship between people, land, and place. Organized in partnership with theOteliaCromwellDayCommittee.

A field trip for CEEDS staff and students in the SWG230Gender, Land and FoodMovementclasstoparticipateintheRacialEquityintheFoodSystemgatheringinHolyoke,sponsoredbylocalorganizationPVGrows.

Agleaningfieldtrip incollaborationwith localorganizationRachel’sTable for thesecondyearinarow.

A lecture: “Climate Justice and Indigenous Peoples: Moral, Cultural andEnvironmentalIssues,”byKyleWhite,assistantprofessorofphilosophyatMichiganStateUniversity,incollaborationwiththephilosophydepartment.

A lunchtime conversation: “Equal Exchange and Working for Sustainable FoodSystemswithalumnaGabrielladellaCroce,’12.Gabriella,whohasbeenworkinginthe sustainable food field primarily in Central America, returned to campus in aneventco‐sponsoredwiththeCenterforCommunityCollaboration.

A lecture: “Methane Emissions Make a Natural Gas Bridge to Nowhere,” by BobHowarth,abiogeochemistatCornellUniversitywhohaswrittenseveralpapersaboutgreenhouse gas emissions associated with natural gas extraction by hydraulicfracturing.CEEDScollaboratedwiththegeologydepartment(aspartofthe5‐Collegegeosciencelectureseries)andES&P.

AhydroponicsworkshopandlecturebyDr.MartinSchreibman,incollaborationwiththeSmithstudentchapterofEngineersforaSustainableWorld.

Performances of “Vang” and “ Map of My Kingdom”, two one‐act plays by MarySwander,PoetLaureateofIowa,incollaborationwithUMASSArtsCouncil,UMASSStudent Farming Enterprise, and the UMASS departments of English, resourceeconomics,andcommunications.


3.2.2 OtherEvents,Lectures,andFieldTrips

CEEDSalsohostsorco‐hostsnumerousengagingspeakersandeventsduringtheyear.Someexamplesfrom2014‐15include:

Apanel:UnitingthePlanet:BringingFaith,ScienceandCommunityOrganizingLeadersTogethertoPromoteEnvironmentalJustice

AlunchbagconversationwithBarbaraFinamore,seniorattorneyandAsiaDirector,ChinaProgram,NaturalResourcesDefenseCouncil.

The2014People’sClimateMarch

Some60Smithstudents,staff,andfacultyjoinedwithover400,000othersinthePeople’sClimateMarchinNewYorkCityonSeptember21st.Thatday,twodaysbeforethescheduledUnitedNationsClimateSummit,millionsofpeoplearoundtheworldgatheredatmorethan2,000ralliesin162countriestodemandactionfromtheirleadersonclimatechange.TheSmithstudentswhoparticipatedwereadiversegroup:theycamefromacrossthecollege,andincludedstudentsfromeveryclassyearandfrommajorsacrossallthedivisions.WiththesupportofCEEDS,studentstooktheleadontheplanningandorganizingforthiseffort,whichincludedcoordinatingwithcommunityandnationalorganizations.Asadirectresultofthisworkandtheeventitself,studentsmadeconnections‐betweenthevariedindividualissuesthattheycaredabout(e.g.sustainableagriculture,foodaccess,tribalrights,fracking)and the larger issue of climate change; students took action and had to communicateeffectivelyinsomanyways‐beingpresentandspeakingup,andonsuchascaleandwithsomanyothersenergizedandrechargedeveryonesotheyfelttheycouldcomebacktoSmithand continue to learn and work on solutions to environmental issues without feelingoverwhelmed and hopeless about the future. See the [CEEDS] blog post about this:http://smithceeds.wordpress.com/2014/09/23/from‐apple‐orchards‐to‐the‐big‐apple‐smith‐students‐take‐to‐the‐streets/

Image6:SomeofthemanySmithiesatthePeople’sClimateMarch.


AnaturewritingworkshopwithpoetandwriterAllisonDemingattheMacLeishFieldStation,co‐sponsoredwiththePoetryCenter.

Alecture:“TheEndofNight,”byPaulBogard,professorofEnglishfromJamesMadisonUniversity,incollaborationwiththeastronomydepartmentandtheCityofNorthampton,withsupportfromtheCollege’sendowedlecturefunds.

Alecture:“RadicalListening:ADoctor’sExperienceSavingLivesandRainForestinIndonesianBorneo”byDr.KinariWebb,incollaborationwithES&Pandthepre‐healthprogram.

AconversationbetweenstudentsandJeffreySachs,economist,directorofTheEarthInstitute,QueteletProfessorofSustainableDevelopment,andProfessorofHealthPolicyandManagementatColumbiaUniversitywhilehewasoncampusforhislecture“TheAgeofSustainableDevelopment,”aspartofthePresidentialColloquiumSeries.

AseriesofeventsduringEarthWeekrelatedtothetheme“ParadiseatSmith:CelebratingourWaterfront;EmbracingourWatershed.”

AstaffandfacultydevelopmentfieldtriptotheDeerIslandwastewatertreatmentfacilityinBostonHarbor.

3.2.3 IntertermWorkshops

ReidBertone‐JohnsonandCarolBerner(fromEducationandChildStudy)taughtLSS110J:Interpreting the New England Landscape for oneweek of Interterm. This course, whichstartedasanon‐creditcourseinJanuaryof2014,wasapprovedforcreditthisyearbytheCommitteeonAcademicPriorities.SixteenstudentsenrolledintheJanuary2015course.

StudentstookanaturalhistorywalkguidedbyPaulWetzel,andlearnedabouttheculturalhistoryofthesiteandregionfrombiologicalsciencesprofessor,JesseBellemare.StudentsalsolearnedabouttheprocessandpoliciesofLivingBuildingChallenge(LBC)andworkedwithReidBertone‐JohnsontounderstandthenuancesoftheLBCandthewaysinwhichitcontinues to influencework at Smith College. The class then engaged in visual thinkingstrategieswithMaggieLindfromtheSmithCollegeMuseumofArt,tolearnnewwaystohelpvisitors interpretwhat they see in the landscape, and theyworkedwithCarolBerner topracticeandprepareactivitiesforvisitorstoexperienceaspartoflearningaboutthefieldstation.

On the last day of the course, 40 sixth graders from the Smith College Campus SchoolparticipatedinactivitiescreatedbytheSmithstudents,introducingthemtothenaturalandcultural history of the field station and to the Living Building Challenge. They trackedanimals,usedvisualthinkingstrategiestointerprettheirenvironment,andexploredoneofthemostsustainablybuiltbuildingsintheworld.


Image7:StudentsfromLSS110Jexperiencingthelandscapeinanewway.

3.3 CurricularEnhancementGrants

Each year CEEDS invites proposals from faculty for modifications and enhancements ofexistingcourses thatarecongruentwith theCEEDSmission.Over thepast fiveacademicyearsCEEDShassupportedtwenty‐fivefacultymembersfromacrossallacademicdivisionsastheyhaveenhancedtheircoursestoenabletheirstudentstoengagewiththeenvironmentin newand innovativeways. For 2015‐16,we are sponsoring fourprojects by faculty inchemistry, engineering, geosciences, and Spanish and Portuguese. Appendix B providesdescriptionsofalloftheprojectsfundedthusfar.


StudentsGetOutside:CurricularEnhancementGrantsinAction

ProfessorsAmyRhodesandMichaelBarresiworkedtogethertodevelopresearch‐basedcourses that addressed water quality issues related to extraction of natural gas byhydraulicfracturingmethods,alsoknownas“fracking.”Theirgoalsweretocharacterizethe chemistry and potential biological toxicity of surfacewaters (streams and a lake)locatedproximaltofrackingactivities.GEO301measuredtheinorganicgeochemistryandstableisotopiccompositionofthesampledwaters.BIO159Yisolatedallorganicsfromthesampledwatersandusedthezebrafishmodelsystemtoassesswhetherthesepurifiedcompoundscouldaffectembryonicdevelopmentaswellasactivateestrogenicsignalingintheembryo.

ThestudysitefortheclasseswasarurallocationinnortheasternPennsylvania(FiddleLake, Ararat Township, Susquehanna County) where natural gas development of theMarcellusShaleisatpreliminarystagesofdevelopment.Theclassessampledbothwithinwatersheds where shale gas extraction pads were constructed (but with no drillingactivity), andwithinwatershedswhere development for shale gas extraction had notoccurred.Followingthefieldtrip,thestudentsanalyzedtheirsamplesintheCenterforAqueousBiogeochemicalResearch(CABR)andtheZebrafishResearchCenter.Theresultshelpedcharacterizethebaselinewaterqualityandenvironmentaltoxicityconditionsforthe streamsoutsideofdrillingareas,which included identificationofnonpoint sourcepollution already present and its effects on embryonic zebrafish development andendocrinedisruption.Inaddition,theyaimedtoseeifwaterqualityconditionsofstreamsproximaltofrackingdifferedfromthebaselineconditions.Studentsineachcoursewereinvested and interested in learning the results and interpretation generated by bothclasses and subsequently presented posters of their results at the Life SciencesSymposiumforCourse‐BasedResearch.


ConnectionsAreMade:CurricularEnhancementGrantsinAction

LaboratoryinstructorJanVriezenmodifiedhisbiologycourse,BIO205:IntroductiontoMicrobiology, to include data from the MacLeish Field Station. Traditionally, this is acourseinwhichstudentscharacterizebacteriathatareunknowntothembutknowntotheinstructor.Whileapositivelearningexperience,theeducationalvalueislimiteddueto the constraints of the approach itself: the unknowns are not really unknown. Thisconundrumiseasilysolvedbyallowingstudentstocharacterizebacteriatheydiscoverthemselves. In themodified course, students isolated soil bacteria fromMacLeish forcharacterization in the lab. Relevancy was added by implementing the Small WorldInitiative,anationalattempttofindandcharacterizeantibioticproducingbacteria.Thismeantthatstudentsdidnotjustcharacterizeabacterialisolate,theygottocharacterizebacterialstrainsthatinhibitindicatorlawns,indicativefortheproductionofatoxin.Fortheirindicatorlawn,studentscouldchoosebetweenseveralbacteriathatareharmlessrelativesofpathogens.UsingsoilfromtheFieldStationprovidedawonderfulopportunitytodohypothesistestingandpredictthat:(1)themicrobialloadishigherinrichratherthaninpoorsoil,(2)thenumberofbacteriathatinhibitanindicatorlawnishigherinpoorsoilswhere it ismorebeneficial to produce antibiotics, and (3) due to the absence ofpredominantgroups,thediversityishigherinthosepoorsoils.

Image8:StudentsfromBIO205collectingsamplesthroughlayersofsnowatMacLeish.

The experience testing the hypothesis was astonishingly positive. As hypothesized,preliminarydatashowsthatthebacterialloadishigheringrasslandthaninforestland.Thenumberofantibioticproducingbacteriadependsontheindicatorlawnpointingatnichespecificityofcertainantibioticproducers.Italsoappearsthatatanyspecificsite,thepattern“top”vs“deep”isreversedforEscherichiacoliandStaphylococcusepidermidis.ForE.coli,samplingdeeperwillincreasethefrequencyofantibioticproducers,whileforS. epidermidis this is reversed. Interestingly, this pattern is seen in forest as well asgrassland samples. Those results were unexpected. Some isolates were further


3.4 EnvironmentalMonitoring

To support research and understanding in the environmental sciences and improvequantitative literacy among all students at Smith College, the Center supports anenvironmentalmonitoringprogram.QuantitativedataontheenvironmentsaroundSmitharemadeavailabletofacultyandstudentsforuseincoursesandprojects.AttheMacLeishFieldStation,wecontinuouslymeasureprecipitation,temperature,atmosphericpressure,relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, and soil temperature. Theinstrumentationanddatacollectionatbothweatherstationswereupgradedthisyear.TheCenteralsopublishedthefirstAnnualWeatherReportsfromtheMacLeishFieldStationfor2013and2014(seestorybelow).

CEEDS also supported several field projects with our Distributed Temperature Systems(DTS).Theseinstrumentsusefiber‐opticcablestomeasuretemperatureevery25cmeveryminuteforupto8km.Thecablescanbeputinstreams,buriedintheground,placedintreecanopies,locatedinbuildings,ortowedthroughtheocean.DTSinstrumentswereusedtomeasure groundwater inflow along a kilometer of Avery Brook in support of a projectoverseenbyRobertNewton(geosciences).AsecondDTSdeploymentwasusedtomeasureforestfloortemperaturespriortoleafoutandjustafterleafoutinastudyoftheeffectsofclimate change on Bazzania species of moss (overseen by Jesse Bellemare, biologicalsciences). Each of these projects involved Smith students in some aspect of the datacollectionoranalyses,providingthemwithhands‐onexperiencetothisnovelmonitoringtechnology.

characterized, first using 16S rDNA sequencing, and later employing bacteriologicaltechniques. This indicated that the diversity of antibiotic producers was highest ingrasslandtopsoil,andlowestindeepforestsoil,differentfromourhypotheses.

Pedagogicallytheapproachtakenwasalsoverysatisfying.First,beingaresearchbasedcourse,assignmentssuchaskeepingalab‐notebookareveryimportant.Inaddition,thefactthata‐priorisethypothesesmaynotbecorrectandthatintellectualre‐adjustmentisrequiredisforeigntomanystudents.Withthecorrecthypothesisthereisnofailing,justlearning. Also, because all isolates were unknown, students could not explain their“unexplainables”asincorrecttesting.Manystudentshadnothadtheseexperiencesinthepast.Mostimportantly,becausethestudentsdiscoveredtheirstrainsthemselves,andtheprojectwasopen‐ended,projectownershipincreasedandthestudentsdeliveredmuchhigherqualityworkintheformofverygoodreportsandpresentations.


CommunicatingEffectively:AnnualWeatherReports

The weather stations at MacLeish measure the weather every second, average thatinformationevery10minutesandrecordit.That’salotofnumbersandnoteveryoneneedssomuchinformation.Forthosewhowanttoknowthehighsandlowsandgeneraltrends,CEEDSproducedannualweather reports for2013and2014.Thinkof themasweatherpicturebooks.EnvironmentalMonitoringIntern,IsabelCochran’15,calculatedthereportstatisticsandcreatedthemonthlysummaries.Afewweatherhighlightsarelistedbelow;toview or download the full weather reports, please visit our website:http://www.smith.edu/ceeds/macleish_monitoring.php.

2013 2014

HighestTemperature(°C) 34.9(July17th) 31.6(July23rd)

LowestTemperature(°C) ‐20.2(Jan.24th) ‐21.4(Jan.6th)

Greatest Maximum RainEvent(mm)

85.1(July23rd) 92.7(Aug.13th)

AnnualPrecipitation(mm) 1305.2 1348.1

GrowingSeason(days) 188 184

FirstAutumnFreezeDate October26th October19th

LastSpringFreezeDate April21st April18th

Image9:EnvironmentalMonitoringInternIsabelCochran’15inthefield.


4 SupportingProjects

One of the key activities for the Center is the sponsorship of integrative environmentalprojects in which students, faculty and staff work together toward solutions toenvironmentalchallenges.Currently,studentsareworkingonlocalprojectsrelatedtotheAmerican chestnut restoration, sustainablewatersheds andwaterways, and the invasivehemlockwoollyadelgid.

4.1 SustainableWatershedsandWaterways

WithgeneroussupportfromtheStephenBechtelFund,CEEDSsupportedarangeofprojectsrelatedtoSustainableWatershedsandWaterwaysin2014‐15.Prof.RobertNewton(geosciences)workedwithfivestudentsandMr.GaryHartwellfromFacilitiesManagementfromMaythroughJulytoinvestigatethepotentialforflushingsedimentsfromParadisePond.Alldamsdisrupttheflowofriverscausingsedimenttoaccumulateintheirimpoundments,and,unlessthissedimentisremoved,theywilleventuallybecomefilled.Incontrasttodredgingthepondduringlowflows,theSmithteamisworkingwithstateregulatorstodeterminethefeasibilityofflushingsedimentthroughthedamanddownstreamduringhighflows–aprocessthatmorecloselymatchessedimentmovementinanaturalchannel.

Image10:AerialviewofsedimentaccumulationinParadisePondtakenbyaSpatialAnalysisLabdrone.

ProfessorsCarolBernerandAlRudnitskyfromtheEducationandChildStudydepartment,workingwithonegraduateandthreeundergraduateSmithstudents,areleadingayear‐longseriesofworkshopstoengage localelementaryschool teachers in learningabouthowtoincorporatewatershedsandwaterwaysintotheirregularclassroomteaching.Theteacherswillcometogethertolearnfromeachother,developcurriculaandsharematerials.


OnMay6,CEEDSsponsoredafieldtriptotheDeerIslandwastewatertreatmentfacilityinBoston. Sixteen faculty and staff engaged with Charlie Tyler, Program Manager for theMWRA,andPeterShelley,PresidentoftheConservationLawFoundation,gaininginsighttothelegalactions,politics,economics,historyandengineeringofthesuccessfulclean‐upofBostonHarborinthelate1990s.

4.2 AmericanChestnutRestoration

Toengagestudentswithconceptsofconservationandrestoration,CEEDShascollaboratedwithTheAmerican Chestnut Foundation (TACF) for the past three years to establish anAmerican chestnut seed orchard at theMacLeish Field Station. The purpose of the seedorchardistogrowupthelast(5th)generationofcross‐bredchestnutstoproduceblight‐resistant hybrid nuts. The resulting 6th‐generation hybrid treeswill have 94%Americanchestnut genes and 6% Chinese chestnut genes. This year, approximately 600 Americanchestnuthybridnutswereplantedintheseedorchardtoreplacenutsthatdidnotsurvivelastyear’splanting.Twelvestudentsspentatotalof40hoursassistingPaulWetzelandtwomembersofTheAmericanChestnutFoundation,BrianClarkandDenisMelican.Additionalnutswillbeplantednextyearastheybecomeavailablefromthebreedingorchardsintheregion.Thenutsthatwereplantedwillbeallowedtogrowforthreeyearsbeforetheyareintentionallyexposedtothefungalblight.Ofthe1200totaltreesplanted,approximately20areexpectedtoshowresistanceandgrowtomaturity.Thenutsfromthoseblight‐resistanttreesproducewillthenbedistributedthroughouttheNortheast.

Image11:Paulwiththeeducationalsignnearthesnow‐coveredAmericanChestnutseedorchard.


4.3 HemlockWoollyAdelgid

ResearchonthehemlockforestecosystemsatMacLeishFieldStationcontinuedin2014‐15,withmembersoftheBellemare(BIO),Rhodes(GEO),andIgnace(BIO)labsparticipatinginfield research exploring a range of ecological, biogeochemical, and ecosystem‐levelquestions.ThehemlockforestsatMacLeishandinthesurroundinglandscapearecurrentlyunderthreatfromtwoexoticinsectspecies,thehemlockwoollyadelgidandtheelongatehemlock scale. Both insects were accidentally introduced from East Asia to Eastern U.S.forests during the 20th century. In their native ranges, these insects co‐existwith Asianhemlockspecies,buttheEasternhemlocknativetoNewEnglandandtheEasternU.S.doesnothaveresistance to their feeding,and large insectpopulations rapidlybuildupon theneedlesandsmalltwigsofinfestedhemlocktrees.Thiscausesneedlelossand,eventually,treedeclineanddeath.AlthoughrelativelyfewtreesatMacLeishhavediedfromtheinvasiveinsectsto‐date,areasfurthersouthinNewEnglandandinotherpartsoftheEasternU.S.haveseenhighhemlockmortalityinthelast1‐2decades.

With the decline of hemlock, the forest ecosystem is expected to change dramatically ‐hemlockisaslow‐growing,evergreenconiferousspeciesthatcreatescool,shadyconditionsunderitscanopies,whileitistypicallyreplacedbyfast‐growingdeciduoustrees,likebirches,when it dies. This shift in forest composition has been linked to changes in ecosystemprocesses,suchashownutrientscyclethroughforests,andalterationofplantandanimalcommunitiesintheforestunderstory.TheongoingresearchatMacLeishseekstodocumenthowourhemlock forests are currently functioningandwhatbiodiversity they sustain inadvanceoftheexpectedlossofhemlocktreesincomingyears.

StudentresearchinthelabofJesseBellemare,ledbyElizabethBesozzi'16,hascomparedforestflooranimalcommunitiesbetweenadjacentpatchesofhemlockandbirch‐dominatedforest at MacLeish to explore how animal communities might change with the loss ofhemlock. This work has documented higher abundances of red backed salamanders, animportant"keystonespecies"inforestfloorfoodchains,inthehemlockforests.Inaparallelproject,Michelle Jackson '15 has experimentally testedhow a small‐statured understoryplantspecies linkedtohemlockforests,theliverwortBazzaniatrilobata,mightfareiftheforestoverheadshiftstodeciduoustreeswithmorelightanddrierconditionsontheground.Resultstodatesuggestthattheliverwortmightdeclinealongsidehemlock,astheuniquecoolandlow‐lightenvironmentalconditionscreatedbytheevergreencanopyofhemlockappeartobenecessaryfortheplants'survival.Morebroadly,AlizaFassler'17,hasledworksurveying how organic material accumulates on the forest floor under hemlock versusdeciduousforestcanopies,withresultsto‐datesuggestingamuchgreaterquantityoforganicmaterialandcarbonstoredintheforestfloorsofhemlockecosystems.Thisindicatesthatthelossofhemlockfromtheseecosystemsmighttriggerareleaseofcarbonfromtheforestsaswell,astheorganicmaterialappearslikelytodecomposeandreleasecarbondioxideasconditionschangeintheunderstorywithlossofevergreencanopy.

Newworkbystudents inDanielle Ignace's lab in thedepartmentofbiology isseekingtobetterdocumenthowthisdecompositiontakesplaceandunderwhatconditions,usingLiCortechnology to directly measure carbon dioxide release from the forest floor. Elizabeth,Michelle, and Aliza, along with a number of their student collaborators and coauthors,presented the results of their MacLeish‐based work at Smith College's CelebratingCollaborationssciencepostersession,andalsobroughttheirposterstoabroaderregionalaudienceattheNortheastNaturalHistoryConferenceinSpringfield,MAinApril.


Image12:HemlockbranchwithconesattheMacLeishFieldStation.

5 CampusasaModel

5.1 AdaandArchibaldMacLeishFieldStation

The Ada and Archibald MacLeish Field Station is a 240‐acre patchwork of forest andfarmlandlocatedinWestWhately,MAthatprovidesopportunitiesforfacultyandstudentstopursueenvironmentalresearch,outdooreducation,andlow‐impactrecreation.[See6.4for more information on outdoor education]. The field station now includes a student‐designedfruitorchard,arestorationchestnutorchardaffiliatedwiththeAmericanChestnutFoundation, a low‐ropes challenge course, and four miles of student‐designed and builttrails.

More than1,600 total visits to the field stationby students, faculty, staff, andnon‐Smithaffiliatedcommunitymemberswererecordedin2014‐15.Twenty‐fourclassesfromSmithvisitedasapartoftheircoursework,totalingcloseto500students.Amongthesevisitorswere 30 environmental professionals from Central and South America visiting UMass, acollectionofeightcampussustainabilityfolksonaconferencefieldtrip,andmorethan400peopleusingthenewchallengecourse.Additionally,hundredsofstudentshaveengagedinresearch,used the siteas inspiration,participated in site‐specificdesign, goneonguidedtours,andusedtherecreationaltrails.AppendixClistsallofthecoursesatSmiththatusedtheFieldStationthisyear.

5.2 CampusSustainability

TheOfficeofCampusSustainability(OCS)wentthroughatransitionthispastyearwithachangeinleadershipandexpansioninstaffing.DanoWeisbordwashiredastheDirectorofCampusSustainabilityandSpacePlanningandEmmaKerrwashiredtofillanewCampusSustainabilityCoordinatorposition.OCSstaffspenttheyearstrengtheningtheHouseEco‐Reps program,workingwith students on special studies to integrate their research into


campus operations, and building partnerships with Facilities Management and theoperationalsideofthecampus.Throughoutthistime,CEEDSstaffcontinuedtoworkwiththeofficetodevelopprogramsandprojectsthatlinktheCenterwithSmith’soperationsandtofacilitatefacultyandstudentresearchcollaborationsthatfurtherthemissionoftheOCS.

Forexample,thisfallPaulWetzelandstudentsintheenvironmentalconcentrationcapstoneclassworkedcloselywithDanoontheirprojecttoevaluatethequantityofSmith’sorganicwasteandtechnologytomanagethatwaste.IncollaborationwiththeOCS,thisprojectwillcontinue with students in the 2015 capstone working to expand the analysis, look atpotentialcommunitypartners,exploredifferenttechnologies,andanswerquestionsaboutSmith’sclimatefootprint.

Inaddition,Pauladvisedtwosustainable foodconcentrationstudents,LilyCarlisle‐Reske’17andClaireWesta’17,inaspecialstudiesthatinvestigatedthepossibilityoftheCollegecommittingtotheRealFoodChallenge.TheRealFoodChallengeisacampaigntoshift$1billionofexistinguniversitybudgetsawayfromindustrialfarmsandjunkfoodandtowardslocal/community‐based,fair,ecologicallysoundandhumanesources‐whattheycall“realfood”‐ by 2020. During the fall semester, Lily and Claire worked closely with FrannyKrushinsky, the new Sustainability and Culinary Manager in Dining Services, tocomprehensivelyevaluatehowmuch“realfood”DiningServicescurrentlyuses.TheirworkdirectlysupportstheongoingeffortsofSmithCollegeDiningServicestodevelopsustainable,localandhealthyfoodpractices,effortsthatthisyearhavebeenfundedbyatwo‐yeargrantfromtheHenryP.KendallFoundation.

Eatingfoodalwaysinvolvesleftovervaluableorganicresources.Thisspring,PauladvisedEleanorAdachi’17inaspecialstudiesprojecttoconductasystemanalysisofcompostinginstudenthouses.Eleanorgathereddata throughsurveysand“trash”audits.Sheestimatedthatacompostingprograminthehouseswoulddivert26‐39tonsoforganicmatterannuallyfromthelandfill.

CEEDS has continued to lead conversations with Facilities Management regarding theefficientandeffectiveuseofCollegevehicles.CEEDSoffsetsitscarbonemissionsfortraveleachyear,andthisyearCEEDSpurchasedoffsetsequivalenttofivemetrictonsfromTerraPass.

6 CommunicationandCollaborationCEEDSisrecognizedasanimportantresourceforcollaborationandtheplacetocomeforinformationabouttheenvironmentatSmith.CEEDSstaffmembersconnectstudents,faculty,andvisitorstoenvironmentalorganizationsinourcommunityandresourcesrelatedtothecurriculum,projects,operationsandfacilitiesatSmith.Thiscentralizationisofgreatvalueto our community and helps to reinforce Smith’s commitment to the environment andsustainability.

6.1 CEEDSBlogandOtherMedia

CEEDShasapproximately390fansonFacebook(www.facebook.com/pages/Smith‐College‐Center‐for‐the‐Environment‐CEEDS/) and our posts regularly reach as many as 2,000people.Wenowhave184followersonTwitter(@SmithCEEDS),andwecontinuetotweetaboutouraccomplishments,ourevents,andrelatednewsitems.Approximately500peopleregularly read our blog [CEEDS] (smithceeds.wordpress.com), which has become anincreasinglycollaborativeendeavor.Wecontinuetoencouragestudentsandfacultyengaged


in environmental work of all sorts, both on and off campus, to use our social mediaconnectionsasameansofsharingtheirexperienceswiththelargerSmithcommunity.Withthehelpof student interns,CEEDSmanagesanemail ListServ [ENVIRO],whichprovidescurrent students (570+), alumnae (330+), and interested faculty/staff (80+) withinformation about events, internships, job opportunities, graduate schools, funding andmore.ThisyearOdessaAguirre’15andLilyCarlisle‐Reske’17workedasCEEDSinternstosupportouroutreachandcommunicationefforts.

6.2 SupportingStudentsandStudentOrganizations

Thisyear,CEEDSworkedwithindividualstudentsandstudentorganizationstoco‐hostandsupportavarietyofevents.CEEDScontinuedtoprovidesupportand/orameetingandeventspace for the Community Garden, Eco‐Reps, Green Team, Divest Smith College, andEngineersforaSustainableWorld.

CEEDSsupportedMadeleineLifsey '15inherspecialstudies"AnimalAgricultureandthePhilosophy of Sustainability" with the philosophy department. During the fall semester,Madeleineinterrogatedthewaysinwhichcurrentenvironmentalethicsandenvironmentalsustainabilitydiscoursecanworkwithandagainstvariousformsofanimalagriculture.

CEEDSfacilitatedstudentparticipationintheWomen'sCleanEnergyInternSocialhostedbythe Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), a night of networking with leadingwomen in the clean energy industry, including MassCEC's CEO, Alicia Barton. StudentparticipantsincludedAlisonGrady'15,NicoleDeChello'15,MayaKutz'15,IsabellaCasini'17,YoungjooAhn'18,HattieSchapiro'18,andIzzyOwen'18.

CEEDS supported Alexandra Davis '18 and Jessica Tran '18 in attending theNet ImpactConferenceinMinneapolis,MN.AlexandraandJessicaarecurrentlyexploringwhetherthereisenoughinteresttolaunchaSmithNetImpactchapter.

CEEDS is again supporting a summer intern towork in the SmithCommunityGardenasSummerManager.InadditiontobloggingforCEEDS,studentDanielleJacques‘16willhostweedwalksandworkparties,worktore‐configuredthegardencompostingsystem,improvesignage,workwithDiningServicesstafftoprovidefreshproducefortheCampusCenterandengagedstudents,facultyandstaffoncampusforthesummerintheworkofthegarden.

6.3 AlumnaeOutreach

Throughout 2014‐2015, CEEDS staff and Environmental Faculty Fellows worked closelywithEnvironmentalScienceandPolicy,LandscapeStudies,andtheAlumnaeAssociationtosharethemissionandpotentialofenvironmentalprogramsatSmithwithalumnae,friends,andpotentialdonors.

Specificeventsfor2014‐15include:

January2015Dinner,breakfast,andconversationswithMarciaMacHarg’70.

March 2015, “Iceland’s Volcanoes: A Hotspot of Volcanic Activity”, presentation by AmyRhodesduringaSmithAlumnaetriptoIceland.

May2015,“Water,Food,andClimate–LeadershipforaSustainableWorld,”presentationbyAndrewGuswaduringReunionweekends(1stand2nd).

May2015,WalkingtourofthehistoricMillRiver,ledbyAndrewGuswaduring2ndReunionweekend.


May2015,AndrewGuswawasthedinnerspeakerfortheClassof1970reunion.

Image13:AlumnaoncampusforreunionfillCEEDStolearnmoreaboutissuesofwater,foodandclimatefromdirectorAndrewGuswa.

6.4 SpatialAnalysisLab

The Spatial Analysis Lab is a campus‐wide resource that supports the use of geographicinformationsystems(GIS)andvariousformsofspatialanalysisinresearchandcourses.Asnearlyallenvironmentalissuesinvolveageographiccomponent,theresourcesoftheSALareintegraltotheworkofCEEDS.TheSALcuratesanddisseminatesGISdataandteachesGPSandGISskills toSmith faculty, staff, andstudents. Forexample, studentshaveusedTrimbleGPSunitstomapdataontheAmericanchestnutandfruittreegrovesatMacLeish,tomap themovement of local invasive plant species, and to continuework on ongoingprojectsalongtheMillRiver.AvailabilityofGeospatialPositioningSystems(GPS)andthesupport and expertise that the SAL provides for collecting and managing data remainsinvaluabletotheworkofCEEDSanditscommunitypartners.

In2014‐15,CEEDS financiallysupported thepost‐baccalaureateposition in theSAL.Thisstaffpositionbenefitsfacultyandstudentsacrossthedivisions,and,inadditiontoclassandresearchsupport,allowstheSALtoofferworkshopsandtimelyopportunitiesfortheSmithcommunitytoengagewithreal‐worldissues,liketheEbolacrisisinAfricaortheearthquakeinNepal.

6.5 OutdoorEducation

High5AdventurecompletedconstructionofSmith’slow‐ropeschallengecourseinlateJulyof2014.Twoweekslater,thirteenSmithfacultyandstaffparticipatedinaworkshopledbyHigh5AdventureLearningCenterstafftolearntobefacilitatorsonthechallengecourse.


Withinonlyafewweeksofthattraining,morethan200students(primarilyResidenceLifestaff)experiencedthechallengecourse firsthand,andtheywerequickly followedbytheStudent Government Association, house councils, several athletic teams, the OutdoorAdventurePrograms,andotherclasses.Seventystudentsparticipated inactivitiesonthechallengecourseonMountainDayalone.

Image14:StudentsfromEmersonHouseworktogetherontheAround‐the‐Worldelement.

Additionalstudentsandstaffhavejustcompletedanotherroundoffacilitatortrainingonthechallenge course and look forward toprovidingopportunities for evenmore students tobenefitfromtheleadershipdevelopment,teambonding,andgeneralfunthatthecoursecanprovide. CEEDS anticipates increased use by Summer Programs at Smith as well as theincorporationofthechallengecourseintoorientationandleadershipprogramsofferedbytheOutdoorAdventureProgram.

6.6 Five‐CollegeCollaboration

Withatwo‐yeargrantfromtheMellonFoundation,administeredthroughFiveColleges,Inc.,CEEDS collaborated with environmental programs from Amherst, Hampshire, MountHolyokeandtheUniversityofMassachusettstoawardfacultygrantsinsupportofbridgingtheliberalartsandprofessionalprogramsinenvironmentalfields.Projectsrangedfromco‐teachingofcoursestoembeddingprofessionalmaster’sstudentsinclassesattheliberalartscolleges.In2014‐15,thegrantsupportedfourcollaborations.

RobertRyan,ProfessorintheDepartmentofLandscapeArchitectureandRegionalPlanningat UMass partneredwithMicheleWick, lecturer in the Psychology Department at SmithCollege,onacourseongreeninfrastructure.Twenty‐oneundergraduatesandthreegraduate


students drew on literature and research from the behavioral sciences to inform theirdesignsforasustainablecampus.

GraduatestudentSuzanneCoxjoinedProfessorKateBallantinetoteachRestorationEcologyatMountHolyoke.Suzanne’sexperiencewithlarge‐scaleconstructionprojects(contractors,permits,inspectors)contributedanapplication‐orientedperspectivetothecourse.

Profs.ChristineHatch(UMass)andKateBallantine(MountHolyoke)broughttogethertheirclassesonEcohydrologyandWetlandsEcologyandManagement,respectively,toconnectundergraduate and professional students in similar fields. Interactions throughout thesemester culminated in a joint weekend fieldtrip to Tidmarsh Living Observatory, acranberry bog restoration project near Plymouth, MA. Students carried out ecosystemassessmentsofthesiteandsharedideas,stories,andexperiences.

Prof.DanGardneratSmithCollegecollaboratedwithKateBentsen,agraduatestudentfromUMass, on his course, Environment and Society in Contemporary China. Bentsen helpedrevisethesyllabusto includepertinent,effectivereadings.ThecoursefocusedonChina’senvironmentalchallengesinthecontextoftherapidsocial,economic,andpoliticalchangesofthepast30years.Bentsenbroughtadetailedunderstandingofthesciencebehindmanyofthecountry’senvironmentaldevelopmentswhichhelpedstudentsbetterunderstandtheenvironmentalissuesChinafacestoday.

6.7 ResearchattheFieldStation

SmithCollegeresearcherscontinuetostudythelong‐termpotentialimpactofthedeclineinhealthoftheEasternhemlockforestatthefieldstation.AmyRhodesandherlabhaveon‐going geoscience research studies monitoring groundwater chemistry differences andchangesovertimewithindifferentplotswithspecificvegetativediversity.JesseBellemareand his lab are using dendrochronology (tree‐core dating) to help piece together theconnectionsbetween landscape/landusechangeand theculturalhistoryof thesite.MegThacherandJamesLowenthalfromtheastronomydepartmentusethesiteregularlywiththeirclassesandhavebeguntorecordthebrightness/darknessofthenightskyfor long‐term monitoring. Paul Wetzel from CEEDS is working with The American ChestnutFoundation intheirRestorationChestnutSeedOrchardandonastudyofblight‐resistantchestnutsnaturalizedin15canopy‐gapplotsdispersedthroughouttheforestatMacLeish.

ResearchersfromtheUMassdepartmentofgeosciencesalsocontinuetomonitortwoUnitedStates Geological Survey (USGS) wells and maintain several different research projectsconnected to the wells. David Bout and his doctoral student, Amy Hudson, assist SteveMabee,StateGeologistandDirectorof theMassachusettsGeologicalSurvey, in recordingtemperature,waterlevel,andspecificionandisotopeconcentrationsinbothwellsaspartofalong‐termregionalclimatechangestudy.

Inadditiontotheseon‐goingprojects,newresearchisonthehorizon.AdamRosenblatt,aPostdoctoral Associate at Yale University’s Climate and Energy Institute, will soon beinstallingcagesaroundsomeofoursite’sgoldenrodaspartofaregionalexperimentthatheis conducting. Evan Grant, from the U.S. Geological Survey, Patuxent Wildlife ResearchCenter,S.O.ConteAnadromousFishLaboratory,inTurnersFalls,MA,isalsoabouttobeginastudyoftheeffectsoffreezingsoilonsalamanderpopulationsattheMacLeishFieldStation.


AppendixAENV100SpeakersandLSS100SpeakersENV100September8 Dano Weisbord, Director of Sustainability & Space Planning, Smith

College, Northampton, MA Introduction to class; Sustainable development from campus to the globe: Oh, it’s ducks

September15 Nate Frigard and Jen Smith, Farmers, Crimson & Clover Farm, Florence, MA Tour of Farm. Rain or shine, wear appropriate clothing

September22 Lynne Pledger, Waste Policy Consultant, Hardwick, MA Trashing the climate: Waste policy solutions

September29 Andy Pressman, Agricultural Specialist, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Jaffrey, NH Why Local Food Matters

October6 Andrew Fisk, Executive Director, Connecticut River Watershed Council, Greenfield, MA Hydropower, Climate Change, and the Public Interest – what’s the deal?

October13 Fall Break October20 Jonah Keane, Director, Mass Audubon Connecticut River Valley

Sanctuaries, Easthampton, MA Mass Audubon: Conservation, education, and advocacy in the Pioneer Valley

October27 Robert DeConto, Professor of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA Probing Climate Change in the Arctic

November3 Rouwenna Lamm,* National Program Director, Alliance for Climate Education, Somerville, MA A New Generation of Leaders: High school students in the climate movement

November10 Paul Wetzel, Environmental Research Coordinator, CEEDS, Smith College, Northampton, MA Wading Birds, Sugar, and Climate Change, Oh My! Will the Everglades be restored?

November17 Ted Ames, Visiting Research Scientist, Bowdoin, Stonington, ME Insights into the cod debacle in the Gulf of Maine


November 24 Barbara Finamore, Senior Attorney & Asia Director, China Program, National Resources Defense Council, New York, NY NRDC Environmental Policy Development in China: the role of an NGO

*Smithalumna

LSS100

January26 Reid Bertone-Johnson, Landscape Studies; MacLeish Field Station Manager, Smith College, Northampton, MA New Perspectives and Dynamic Landscapes

February16 Brian Donahue, American Environmental Studies, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA Mending Wall: Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands and a Vision for New England Conservation

February23 Peter Del Tredici, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, MA Immigrant Ecology

March2 Leigh Graham, Urban Studies and Planning, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY To play or protect? Competing meanings of Rockaway Beach after Superstorm Sandy

March9 James Wescoat, Department of Architecture, M.I.T, Cambridge, MA Rurban and Peri-Urban Water Planning in India: A Landscape Approach

March23 Jack Ahern, Landscape Architecture, UMass-Amherst Cultivating Novel Urban Ecosystems to Build Resilience Capacity

March30 Mark Hamin, Director, Master of Regional Planning Program, Outreach Coordinator, Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, UMass-Amherst Erotechnics and Civilization: Theories and Practices Concerning Social Relationships among the Sexes in mid-20th Century Urban Landscapes

April6 Jesse Bellemare, Biological Sciences, Smith College A Natural and Cultural History of the MacLeish Field Station

April13 Gabriel Arboleda, Environmental Design, Hampshire and Amherst Colleges Beyond Participation: Indigenous Peoples and Housing Agency in Guyana

April20 Steven Moga, Landscape Studies Program, Smith College, Northampton, MA Down in the Bottoms: Lowland Names and Landscape Change in the Nineteenth Century American City

April27 Carolina Aragon, Visiting Lecturer, Smith College Landscape Studies Program; Visiting Lecturer, UMass-Amherst, Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Program Sparking our Imagination

*Smithalumna


AppendixBCurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsto‐date2015‐2016CurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsAndrewGuswa(EGR):EGR100AdaptthecurriculumandmaterialsinEGR100:EngineeringforEveryonetocenteronwater.DevelopacourseinwhichstudentscanengageincriticalanalysisofhistoricalandcontemporarywaterissuesandinfrastructureinCaliforniaandwesternMassachusettsinordertogainanunderstandingofthetechnical,environmental,economic,political,legal,andculturalinfluencesandconstraintsonengineeringworks.ReyesLázaro(SPP),DeniseMcKahn(EGR),andCristinaSuárez(CHM):CHM346,EGR388,EGR390andCLT204/SPN356Developcurriculumandmaterialsfortheirrespectivecoursesthatwillprovideaframeworkforformaldialogueinwhichchemistsandengineerscanengageliteraryscholarsontheimpactoftechnologyontheenvironmentandsocietyandviceversa.JackLoveless(GEO):GEO/ENV150Transitiontheapplicationtopicsinthecoursetohaveageoscience,environmentalscience,and/orpolicyfocuswithareal‐worldapplication.ChangethestructureofthefinalprojecttoemphasizethepracticalnatureofGISandspatialanalysisinaservicelearningsettingwithalocalpartner.MalcolmMcNee(SPP):POR220Modifythecoursebydevelopingtwomulti‐modalcomponents‐ondroughtconditionsandthewatercrisisinSãoPaoloandinfrastructuredevelopmentinRiodeJaneiroinpreparationforitshostingofthe2016OlympicGames‐thatwouldthenbeexploredthroughanumberofthemes.2014‐2015CurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsMichaelJ.F.Barresi(BIO)andAmyL.Rhodes(GEO):BIO159YandGEO301Cooperatively develop curriculum and materials for BIO 159Y–From Environment toEmbryo:AnInterdisciplinaryResearchCourseandGEO301‐Aqueousgeochemistrythataredesigned to investigate the potential environmental impacts of hydraulic fracturing(fracking) of the Marcellus Shale for natural gas extraction, an environmental researchquestionthathashighrelevancetothescientificcommunityandsociety.JudithKeyler‐Mayer(GER):GER250:TheEnvironmentalCultureofGermanyRedesignGER250–Advanced IntermediateGerman intoGER250–TheEnvironmentalCulture of Germany in order to foreground Germany’s deep‐rooted engagement withenvironmentalissues.DevelopstudentunderstandingofGermanenvironmentaldiscoursebyexamininganddiscussingliteraryandjournalistictextsinGerman,whilealsodevelopingabasisforcomparativestudiesthroughtripstotheMacLeishFieldStation.


(Chris)JanVriezen(BIO)andChrisWhite‐Ziegler(BIO):BIO205ModifyBIO205–Microbiologylabcurriculumandmaterials.Insteadofteachingatestableenvironmental microbiological hypothesis using a standard set of lab‐strains, use “realunknown” isolates fromsoilsobtainedby studentsatavarietyofMacLeishFieldStationsites,whichwill allow for the study of different biotopes and comparison of bacteriocinproducingbacteria.2013‐14CurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsJesseBellemare(BIO):BIO115:Biodiversity,Ecology,andConservationLabDevelopaformalmanualthatwill1)increasefocusonappliedconservationissueswithaneye towards integrating science and policy 2)make extensive use of theMacLeish FieldStation and theBechtel classroom, and3) enhance the emphasis onoriginal, student‐ledresearch.NailaMoreira(ENG):ENG118:Water:ScienceandPoliticsDevelopaunitonsustainablewaterinfrastructuretoenhancesciencewritingbyintroducingexperientialinformationthroughphysicalinteractionandobservation.Encourageaproject‐basedlearningapproachthroughengagingwiththeenvironmentwithinaunitonflooding.PaulettePeckol(BIO):BIO268/269:MarineEcologyandLabModifythecoursetoincludeaunitthatengagesstudentsinthinkingaboutcomplexfisheriesconsiderations through direct experiencewith different types ofmariculture facilities inMaine. Develop internship partnership with the facilities to enable Smith students tocontinueto learnaboutenvironmentallysound,sustainablepracticesofsmall‐scale,openandclosedmariculturefacilities.GregoryWhite(GOV):GOV242:InternationalPoliticalEconomySignificantlymodify thecourse to incorporateenvironmental issuesandanalysisdirectlyandsystematicallywithafocusonfiveissueareas:development,oil,food,consumption,andclimatechange.2012‐13CurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsCaroleLearned‐Miller(EDC):EDC345:ElementaryScience&MathTeachingMethodsDevelopcurriculumtoteachstudentsscienceandmaththroughoutdoorexperimentsandprojects. Encourage a project‐based learning approach through engaging with theenvironment.L.DavidSmith(BIO)&KatherineSchneider(ART):BIO261InvertebrateDiversityLaboratory,ARS163DrawingI,ARS362PaintingIICreateaninterdisciplinarystudyofinvertebratesbybringingstudentsandfacultytogethertosharetheirperspectivesandknowledge.CollaboratetopaintanddevelopinformationalsignagetoplaceneartheBurtonlobbyaquarium.AnnalieseBeery(PSY):NSC315:NeuroendocrinologyLaboratory,PSY192:ResearchMethodsinPsychology


BringstudentstotheMacLeishfieldstationtostudyandsampleanimalbehavior.Engagestudentsinthinkingabouthowenvironmentandlife‐historyaffecthormones.JustinCammy(JUD):JUD125/REL225:JewishCivilization:Topic:EnvironmentalismTeach a course on Judaism and environmentalism which explores environmental ideas,imperatives, and philosophical problems posed by the Torah, Talmud, medievalphilosophersandmysticsconnectingtheseproblemstopresentday.JustinCammy(JUD):GES103:GlobalEngagementSeminar:JerusalemBringstudentsinJerusalemtoconnectwithProfessorLaster,whowillgiveatourthroughareas from urban centers through desert wilderness and across political boundaries ofconflict,studyingwater.2011‐12CurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsJamesMiddlebrook(ART):ARS386:TopicsinArchitectureDevelopinterpretivesignageaboutsustainablesystemstobeusedatMacLeishFieldStationandtheBechtelEnvironmentalClassroom.Organizeafieldtrip,opentoallSmithfacultyandstudents,toacertified“LivingBuilding.”MichelleJoffroy(SPP):SPN372:Women,EnvironmentalJusticeandSocialActionConnectstudents tocommunity‐basedprojects inWorcester,Holyoke,andBostonwheretheywillutilizecasestudiesfromon‐goinggender‐based,environmentaljusticecampaigns.ReidBertone‐Johnson(LSS/CEEDS):LSS250:LandscapeandNarrativeDesign projects in Ward 3 building on the previously conducted Rapid EthnographicAssessmentProcedure(REAP).DevelopinterpretativesignsfortheBechtelEnvironmentalClassroom.SaraPruss(GEO):GEO108:OceanographyDiscussionsections/LabDevelopcurriculumandmaterialsrelatedtotheearthquakeandTsunamiinJapan.OrganizeanoceanographiccruiseclasstripwhichisopentoallSmithfacultyandstudents.2010‐11CurricularEnhancementGrants:AwardeesandProjectsJesseBellemare(BIO)andKatherineHalvorsen(MTH):BIO364/365:PlantEcologyandLab,MTH245:PracticeofStatisticsReciprocal learning: connecting real life ecology‐based research design and analysis forbiologyandstatisticsstudents.DanielGardner (HST/EAS): EAS 220: Environment and Society in Contemporary ChinaDevelop a course thatwill enable students to view the society, politics, and economy oftoday'sChinathroughthelensofenvironmentalconcerns.VirginiaHayssen(BIO)andJonCaris(ENV):BIO272/273:VertebrateBiologyandLab,BIO362/363:AnimalBehavior:MethodsEcologicalliteracyandGIS:mappingthevertebrateecologyoftheMacLeishFieldStation.


VirginiaHayssen(BIO)andJamesMiddlebrook(ARH):ARS283IntroductiontoArchitecture:SiteandSpace,BIO272/273:VertebrateBiologyandLabCollaborative project between a vertebrate biology class and an architecture studiodesigningandconstructingviablebirdhousehousesforMacLeishFieldStation.ReidBertone‐Johnson(LSS):LSS250/255/389:AllLandscapeStudiesstudiosEngagestudentsinacommunityparticipationdesign/planningscenarioinNorthampton.DeniseMcKahn(EGR):EGR388:PhotovoltaicandFuelCellSystemDesignEngagestudentsindesigningaphotovoltaicsystemfortheMacLeishFieldStation.PaulNewlin(PPL):PPL222:USEnvironmentalHistory&PolicyEnhanceunderstandingofthepowerstructureatplayinenvironmentalcasestudiesthroughtheuseofpowermaps.PaulettePeckol(BIO):BIO268/269:MarineEcologyandLabFostereducationalskillsandmarineenvironmentalliteracythroughprojectcollaborationwithanEasthamptonHighSchoolclass.CandiceSalyers(DAN):DAN252:IntermediateDanceCompositionIncorporateinterdisciplinaryperspectivesonthemeaningof'ecology'andthespace,design,movement,andlivingcomponentsofMacLeishFieldStationintoasubstantialsite‐specificperformanceproject.

AppendixCSmithcoursesthatvisitedthefieldstationin2014‐15ARS173:Cross‐disciplinaryFoundationsARS390:FCAdvancedSeminar‐Art&SocialPracticeARS400:SpecialStudiesinStudioArtAST100:AsurveyoftheUniverseAST102:Sky&TimeAST103:Sky&TelescopesAST111:IntroductiontoAstronomyAST113:TelescopesandTechniquesAST224:FC24StellarAstronomyBIO154/155:ConservationBiologyBIO205:MicroBiologyBIO364:PlantEcologyDAN216:ContemporaryIV/ImprovisationDAN553:ChoreographybyDesignEGR110:FundamentalEngineeringPrinciplesENG118:Water,Science&PoliticsENG118:WritingaboutPlace&TravelENV201/202:CollectingandAnalyzingInformationESS940:OutdoorSamplerESS940:WildernessSkills


FYS133:ReadingtheLandscapeInterterm:LSS110J:InterpretingtheNewEnglandLandscape503:WritingWords,BuildingStories701:AnimalTracking

annual report 1 august 2015 submitted by andrew …1 august 2015 submitted by andrew j. guswa,...

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