Current Students - Individualized Program - Environmental Studies - Antioch University New England

Current Students

Nathaniel F. Hoag FA06: Environmental Media Arts

“Environmental Media Arts” is a program designed to develop knowledge and skills to deliver environmental concepts through multimedia presentations. With greater accessibility of information and technology have come new opportunities as well as great challenges. How can we harness new technologies to bring environmental messages to a wider audience? How can we present complex and often difficult messages in ways that inspire positive behavior change? What mix of words, colors, sounds, materials and applications is the most appropriate vehicle to deliver a particular message? How can we entertain an audience in a way that integrates with the crux of our message? What are my own creative voice and process, and how can these enhance a presentation? This program will establish a foundational framework for creating effective presentations that address these fundamental questions while providing skills for working with a variety of media types.

Jessica Zane FA06: Environmental and Social Sustainability

It is obvious that a great deal must change in the world not only to sustain human survival but the survival of all of earth's life on which we depend. In our role as environmentalists (as well as our role simply as citizens) we must continue to learn and understand the dysfunctional dynamics of our civilization and, second, act in political, legislative and commercial realms to slow down environmental and social degradation and create a sustainable future.

However, there is a third component as well; creating and supporting a major shift in our own and our culture's perceptions. It is not enough to understand issues intellectually. Without a deeper, more visceral awareness of ourselves as of the earth, not just on the earth, we run the risk of unconsciously supporting a system that no longer serves us. Furthermore, without an internal sense of our inherent interconnectedness we may often find ourselves overwhelmed, anxious or confused which can lead to loss of hope and paralysis. What we know in our minds must be extended into our bodies, our spirits and our hearts in order to remain firmly grounded amid the whirlwind of change that must happen in this century. Making this shift on a personal level not only helps us sustain our individual work. It also gives us the tools to help others make the shift - others who are still frightened of the future, in denial, or just don't know what they can do.

I chose ANE's Individualized Program as a means to combine my passionate interest in environmental and social sustainability via inquiries primarily in the fields of environmental studies, psychology, and sociology. After graduating I plan to pursue two tracks. One will be ongoing writings which I hope publish and the other will be offering educational courses. My goal is to utilize these dual pursuits as a means of further impacting the paradigm shift that I believe must occur to insure a healthy future for all creatures on this little blue-green planet we call home.

Carrie Slone FA06: Watershed Management

This program is designed to prepare an individual with the skills, techniques and knowledge needed to assess watersheds, delineate wetlands and be familiar with other overlapping work associated with watershed assessments and wetland delineations. The program also allows for the expansion of knowledge in various animal and plant identification skills. Management practices are exercised in both class work and in the field. Upon completion of this program one should feel confident enough to apply for watershed management positions and other biological related positions that require good management practice skills and techniques associated with the science field.

Shauna Little FA06: Integrated Environmental Geoscience

My Individualized Program, called “Integrated Environmental Geoscience” is intended to build connections between my background in physical science and my interest in humanities disciplines. The intention is to enable whole systems thinking, being able to approach complex environmental issues from all the enumerable facets in which they are created. Through this program, I hope to create an environmental interpretation methodology by which an individual or community can come to understand their sense of place from both a scientific and a cultural perspective, intended for use on a small landscape scale. My test site, as an example, is a state reservation in New England which has not only epochs of geologic and ecologic history, but rich human stories and heritage as well. Rather than following Aldo Leopold’s call to “think like a mountain,” I intend to know a mountain. The soil, water, plant communities and rocks of a place, after all, are not separate from the people that paint, write and press their impact upon it. By integrating the environmental history, policy, literature and art with the physical conditions of land, water and life of this site, I will create a binding sense of place, by which I can inspire others to do the same. In this program scientist, philosopher, and artist can all be recognized simultaneously and not isolated to their respective disciplines, bringing together what I believe is the true nature of environmental studies and my hope for future work and study.

Kristin Jones FA06: Urban Environmental Stewardship

Urban environmental stewardship (UES) promotes a connection between the disenfranchised population of my home town, Los Angeles, with the wealth and wastefulness of an industry I worked in as a set dresser for 25 years, the Los Angeles film industry. Combining this specific program of study with my set building experience will prepare me to re-enter Hollywood from a very different and useful angle; as a steward. I can entrench myself back into the film world and not only encourage, but challenge the six most profitable film studios of Los Angeles to put their money where their mouth is, and allocate re-usable material goods (i.e. lumber used in film sets) to be reclaimed by others at a greatly reduced cost rather than throwing the materials away. My purpose is to promote and broaden the strategies used by these environmental departments on film lots, to actively participate in giving back to our fair city through re-distribution of equitable used goods, to groups such as Habitat for Humanity, local churches, local schools and theaters. View Kristin Jones’ course plan. Send an email to Kristen.

Amy Borgia FA06: Green Marketing

Marketing can be an extremely powerful tool for educating the public about earth system science, creating awareness of environmental issues and eliciting change in behavior towards the environment. The goal in producing environmental marketing materials is to provide or strengthen the public’s environmental knowledge base, foster an empathic attitude towards the environment, and motivate people to develop ecologically sustainable habits within their daily routines. An environmental marketer uses various media to communicate the basic ecological principles which drive planetary systems, describe the environmental problems which threaten the proper function of these systems, and convey the ways in which human activity impacts the planet. This program unites the use of marketing concepts with the process of environmental education in order to bring about change in the public’s perception of the environment.

Craig Cimmons FA05: Sustainable Recreation

I am focusing on a place-based education while applying it to the Adventure Recreation Field. There is a large gap between recreation organizations and the preservation of the natural world they use. The three areas I intend to study are Ecological Literacy, to increase my knowledge of place; Environmental Education so I have a solid ability to teach others sustainable practices; and Business Skills to increase my ability to run an environmentally and economically sustainable operation.

Bonnie Hudspeth FA06: Environmental Advocacy and Journalism

I came to the Individualized Program with the desire to gain experience in a variety of fields: Conservation Biology, Writing and Communications, and Community Advocacy and Organizing. This program offers me the focus of specialized disciplines with the incorporation of transdisciplinary approaches. My Conservation Biology courses form an excellent scientific foundation, and my writing and advocacy classes help me bring conservation initiatives into the broader community. The focus of my program is to merge the disciplines of environmental research, writing, and community advocacy and outreach to facilitate the formation of efficient and sustainable communities. I seek to transform complex scientific research into accessible writing to engage people to care for the environment. I intend to use environmental communication through both writing and direct outreach, both on smaller, localized and on larger, more extensive scales, to engage citizens in stewardship initiatives. Conserving our environment begins with knowledge that connects both individuals and communities to their environment-not just people who consider themselves naturalists or scientists, but the general public who does not regularly receive adequate information to make informed decisions. View Bonnie Hudspeth’s course plan.

Annie Jacobs FA06: Environmental Writing and Creative Arts

With a background in environmental work and a tendency toward the creative arts and writing, I wanted a graduate program where I could discover fresh ways to communicate environmental information. At Antioch, I chose course work and projects that would support both my scientific literacy and creative development.

For instance, in New England Flora, I studied plant communities by learning not only Latin names and taxonomy, but also through drawing and reflective writing. In Conservation Biology, I interpreted scientific literature on migratory shorebirds in a popular—style article infused with personal anecdote. In The Language of Nature, I narrated a personal story through a movement performance in class. I gained writing skills through courses such as Environmental Writing and Writing for the Real World. I also chose electives in the Education Department to aid me in effective communication and interpretation for all ages.

My practica immersed me in the worlds of literature, publishing, editing, and writing about science for diverse audiences: I edited Whole Terrain, Antioch’s literary journal of reflective environmental practice; and I wrote for newspaper and web site about The ES department’s Mount Monadnock Ecological Research and Education (MERE) Project. In my Master’s Project, I will combine creative writing and visual art.

I am fortunate to have been able to grow my passions and skills in such diverse communications media as technical writing, poetry, personal essay writing, visual art, and performance. Thank you, Antioch, for making it possible!
View Annie Jacob’s course plan.

Jill R. Rolph FA06: Endangered Species Management and Biological Conservation

My Master of Science program in Environmental Studies focuses on combining scientific research with community-based conservation, education and outreach. Habitat destruction, pollution, human exploitation, unintentional mortality, and the introduction of exotic species have contributed to widespread population declines of threatened and endangered species. People are deeply interconnected with wildlife and play a significant role in the survival of a species. Understanding how people perceive and interact with wildlife is the first step in developing management strategies that humans can accept and wildlife can live with. I believe that governments, non-profit organizations, and local people can work together to protect threatened and endangered species. My research interests include sea turtle conservation and management, New England migratory bird conservation, multicultural environmental education, human environment interactions, environmental exhibit design, international networking and communications, tropical ecology and conservation, and the sustainable use of tropical ecosystems.

Randy Russell FA06: Materials Management & Sustainability Science

Material Management & Sustainability Science combines analyzing existing material flows throughout the home, business, and community and applying sustainability assessments to produce an economically and environmentally advantageous solution for improvement. Additionally, this program fosters elements of communication through oral, written, and cinematic media as a means of conveyance, education, and advocacy.

Maggie Shar FA06: Environmental Social Justice Education

My learning goals involve acquiring the skills necessary to work for, or begin a program that fosters empowerment, and raises awareness about social justice issues as they relate to society and the natural world, through the medium of environmental education. This goal is multilayered and requires a varied range of course work. First, I would like to acquire a basic understanding of natural systems so that I will have more knowledge to share. This will be accomplished through the foundation course work combined with my recent experiential learning from the Audubon Expedition Institute. Secondly, I feel it is important to engage in self exploration regarding my own prejudices, and internalized racism, sexism, classism etc. as they relate to organizations, advocacy and education so that I can work towards not perpetuating disempowering patterns in my field. I will do this work on my own as well as through my core courses of Diversity and Coalition Building, as well as Building Sustainable Organizations. Thirdly, I would like to combine my past and current experience in education with course work to acquire further education skills. I am particularly interested in learning environmental and experiential teaching methods that are creative, empowering and have the potential to raise social justice awareness. I will gain additional experience through my employment and practica, which will take place in relevant fields.

Richard Wagner FA06: Public Understanding of Earth Systems

Much of the current political and public discourse concerning environmental issues focuses on single topics: global warming, ocean pollution, groundwater contamination, air quality, soil erosion—take your pick. While understandable and perhaps necessary in the arena of public policy, this fracturing of issues tends to blur rather than sharpen the idea of planet Earth and the life thereon as the expression of a tightly bound network of systems. We may know the trees, but have lost the forest. While a knowledge of Earth systems may not be necessary to follow environmental discourse, an understanding of the various components of Earth systems and their interactions can only lead to a deeper appreciation and understanding of any current environmental issue and, perhaps more important, a clearer understanding of how a specific issue may play out over time.

To communicate science to the public at large you must first capture the attention of the consumer and then deliver your information. Earth systems science is no small package in the back of the delivery truck—it is intimidating in its complexity and scope. That said, many of us are surrounded by technologies that we find intimidating or beyond our reach, yet we use and understand them with some confidence because we have at hand the ubiquitous User’s Manual, repository of concise information and troubleshooting tips. Employing the metaphor of a User’s Manual for its casual familiarity, organizational structure, and inherent playfulness, I hope to present Earth systems to a public audience in a manner that is informative and enjoyable.