Description and History:
The Environmental Scholars Program provides a combined internship and advanced research program for Boston College students during a year-long, six-credit course. Environmental Scholars work with the Environmental Studies Program, the Lynch School of Education and the Urban Ecology Institute (UEI) on a combined multi-year research project to measure the impacts of human development on urban and suburban ecosystems. One team of scholars will work with the Institute to develop innovative methods for managing those impacts.
Each year scholars choose to work in one of three groups: Field Biology, Environmental Education or Environmental Policy. Field Biology Scholars will conduct research at Boston College’s Field Station on Cape Cod and on projects in the Greater Boston area. Policy Scholars collaborate with UEI’s Sustainable Cities Program, working with attorneys and staff on innovative methods for managing environmental impacts on natural resources in urban and suburban areas, or assessing urban resident’s priorities for urban environmental transformation and supporting community members towards their goals. Education Scholars participate in UEI's Education Program, providing support to public middle and high school teachers and students at urban field sites, both on and off their school campuses. These programs are creating a national model for research and protection of urban ecosystems.
Environmental Scholars participate in the program 10 hours a week and complete a final project at the end of the year for review by the team’s faculty mentor. The Scholars also participate in workshops and a weekly meeting with the faculty mentor. The Scholars also provide monthly progress reports and will be prepared to present their findings at a year-end conference. The completed projects may be eligible for additional credit within the Scholars’ home departments through such programs as Departmental Honors or Scholars of the College.
Sponsoring Organizations:
The Environmental Studies Minor at Boston College is one of the largest interdisciplinary programs at BC with over 100 undergraduates each year. The Director of the Program is Dr. Eric Strauss, a Research Associate Professor at Boston College.
The Field Station at Sandy Neck represents a significant resource for Boston College undergraduates. The field station is located on a barrier beach and serves as a collaborative laboratory for undergraduate and graduate education in ecology and conservation biology. The site has become an integral part of the curriculum for several undergraduate and graduate courses at Boston College. The site serves as a source of data for in-class analysis and discussion. In addition, the Field Station could serve as a site for year-round independent research. The Station’s multiple long-term studies and sophisticated equipment provide undergraduates with a unique opportunity to develop and participate in sophisticated fieldwork alongside ecologists and field biologists from across the country. The long-term field studies focus on the impacts of suburban development on coastal ecosystems. Dr. Pete Auger, a faculty member in the Environmental Studies Program, operates the field station at Cape Cod.
The Urban Ecology Institute (UEI) is one of BC's Centers and Institutes. It is the mission of UEI to help urban communities build healthy and vibrant cities by educating urban residents about the ecology of their environment, connecting residents to each other, and engaging residents in the transformation of their urban communities into places where they want to live. UEI studies and seeks the protection and restoration of urban ecosystems through advocacy, empowerment and education. The Institute is committed to developing national models for the use and protection of urban environmental resources. The Institute currently operates two programs, the Sustainable Cities Program and the Education Program. The Sustainable Cities Program works together with community-based partners to strengthen urban communities by transforming vacant lots into green spaces, increasing urban tree canopy cover and creating urban watershed restoration plans. The Education Program engages students from urban public schools in the scientific process on their school grounds and in their neighborhoods. More information can be found on their website at urbaneco.org.