What are your areas
of expertise for graduate advising?
My
primary area of scholarship is Buddhist environmental thought (please
see my books and articles posted under
Publications).
I have also been very involved with campus sustainability initiatives
through my years of leadership with the
UVM
Environmental Council. Other major areas of interest are: ecofeminism,
environmental justice, unlearning consumerism, nature writing, and environmental
philosophy.
How many students
do you accept each year?
I
generally accept 1-2 M.S. students each year, so I am working with 3-4
students at any given time. I accept Ph.D. students on an individual
basis when funding is available and the advising fit is strong.
What programs of graduate
study are offered at the Rubenstein School?
The
Rubenstein School has recently reorganized its graduate curriculum to
introduce several new interdisciplinary concentrations. Each concentration
has a different mix of science, social science, and humanities and in
some cases, a specific content focus area. I am most strongly affiliated
with the Environmental Thought and Culture concentration, though I can
also work with students in Environment, Society, and Public Affairs.
For more information on these concentrations, visit the
Rubenstein
School website.
What is the Environmental
Thought and Culture concentration?
The
ETC concentration is meant to be a home for students interested in a
broadly interdisciplinary approach to environmental studies at the graduate
level. The faculty advisors will work with you to develop your individual
research project based on interdisciplinary analytical skills and understanding
of environmental and natural resource theory, with a focus on human,
ethical, and cultural dimensions. Some specific areas of study include:
environmental communication and cultural studies; environmental education
and interpretation; environmental ethics and philosophy; environmental
justice and gender issues; environment, development, peace, and global
justice studies; environmental politics and advocacy; religion and environment;
sustainability and sustainable development.
In addition to the general M.S. in Natural Resources requirements, this
concentration requires 21 to 24 credit hours of graduate level courses
including Vermont Field Studies and 15 credits in a specialization within
environmental thought and culture, a comprehensive examination, six
to nine hours of thesis/project research, and an oral defense of the
thesis or project.
How do I apply for
graduate admission to Rubenstein School?
General
information can be found on the admissions pages for the
Rubenstein
School and
UVM
Graduate College.
When you prepare your application to UVM you will be required to submit
an essay. In that essay, please be as specific as possible about what
areas and concentrations are of interest to you. Please also indicate
any specific professors you would like to work with on your research
or project.
How are graduate students
selected for admission?
The
entire faculty of the Rubenstein School reviews the incoming applications
in early March for competitive quality of students and potential “fit”
between faculty and applicants. Top choices are ranked for each concentration
and submitted to the Associate Dean of Graduate Study in the School.
Students are not admitted without an assigned advisor. It can be very
helpful for you to lobby on your own behalf (in person, by phone, or
by email) with faculty of similar interests, so they speak up for you
in this review process.
What sources of funding
support are available for graduate students at UVM?
If
you are accepted in the graduate program at UVM, we will do our best
to provide financial support for you. In general, the environmental
humanities are poorly funded in comparison with the sciences or social
sciences. Thus it is unlikely that I will have grant support for graduate
students. Often ETC students are awarded 10 hour/week Teaching Assistantships
to offset graduate study expenses. There are some tuition waivers associated
with these awards, ranging from complete waivers to guaranteed in-state
tuition rates. The assistantships and the tuition waivers will assist
you but will likely not completely cover your personal and educational
costs. You will need to be creative about finding financial or in-kind
support for your research. The exact type of support we can offer depends
on your qualifications and the resources available at the time of your
acceptance.
Undergraduate Advising FAQs
What does an academic
advisor do?
If
you are assigned to me as one of my advisees, I am here to help you
select classes, plan your major, look into internships, consider study
abroad, and think about the general direction of your academic life
at UVM.
How often should we
meet?
It
is helpful if you come in once a semester to meet with me to go over
your courses and plans for the future. Next best is to have regular
email contact. I have regular office hours every week and appointments
can be scheduled through Sue Bean, x64055. If those hours don’t
work for you, please send me an email suggesting some alternate times.
If I am busy, who
else can you meet with?
You
can meet with any of the ENVS faculty in the Environmental Program.
Sue Bean can help you schedule an appointment with anyone you would
like to see. Ibit Getchell, our Student Services Coordinator, is especially
available for first and second year advising.
What are my areas
of expertise?
My
primary area of scholarship is Buddhist environmental thought (please
see my books and articles posted under
Publications).
I have also been very involved with campus sustainability initiatives
through my years of leadership with the
UVM
Environmental Council. I often work with the
Students
Teaching Students courses as both course and thesis advisor. Other
major areas of interest are: ecofeminism, environmental justice, unlearning
consumerism, nature writing, and environmental philosophy. I also enjoy
working with student activism projects and creative writing projects.
Do you have any general
recommendations for ENVS majors?
Here
are some of the advising tips I seem to say most often:
First year students -- Enroll in ENVS 1 and
ENVS 2 and try to get the most out of your small discussion group section.
If possible, take at least one other environmentally-related course
to explore your interests (for example, Geology 55, NR 1 or CDAE 002).
Don’t worry too much about checking requirements off the list;
instead look around for really interesting courses and explore the rich
range of offerings at UVM.
Second year students -- If you have taken
both ENVS 1 and 2, you should think about enrolling in ENVS 151 either
fall or spring semester (spring might be better for most folks). You
can also take courses for the individually-designed portion of your
major exploring ENVS electives or other environmentally-related courses.
Be sure to check out the Continuing Education offerings as well. You
can also pick up our brochure on UVM environmentally-related classes
at the Bittersweet or check the website for information on ENVS courses.
Third year students -- If you have taken ENVS
151 as a second-year student, you should consider enrolling in ENVS
201 so you have a full year as a senior to complete your thesis. If
you have not yet taken ENVS 151 you should take it this year, preferably
in the fall. You should also be sure to take as many 100 and 200-level
courses related to your environmental interests as you can this year,
especially if you will be away for study abroad. This is a key year
for developing your knowledge and skills toward your eventual senior
thesis/project.
Fourth year students -- Unless you have already
taken 201, you should definitely enroll in this course this semester
if you want to finish your thesis by May. Be sure to come in to see
me to do a senior check in the fall so you are confident that you have
enough credits to graduate on time. Choosing your thesis evaluators
and working closely with them is very important for having a successful
experience with your thesis.
