Happy New Year from the Rubenstein School! Welcome back to our students, faculty, and staff – I hope you have recharged over the winter break and enjoyed time with family and friends.
The fall semester was one of the busiest and most exciting in recent years for the Rubenstein School. We started the semester by celebrating the arrival of our new research vessel, the Marcelle Melosira. The celebration continued as we commemorated the remarkable 50-year history of the Rubenstein School. And finally, we closed out the semester with another incredible milestone – reaching net zero energy for the Aiken Center.
The fall and winter have also been difficult for our community – we’ve experienced multiple losses of valued and remarkable people in the School – student Jack Cavagnolo and long-time colleague Jarlath O'Neil Dunne. It is important that we show up for each other with kindness and grace as we mourn these losses and grapple with large-scale global crises. I am immensely grateful for this community and the support we provide for each other. Please feel welcome to join us at the many Rubenstein School community events happening this semester and reach out for help when you need it.
I am appreciative of the dedication of the Rubenstein School’s faculty, staff, and students and all that you do to make the world a more just and sustainable place. This is a special community, and our work does make a difference for our planet. I’m also incredibly excited to share the announcement that Dr. Peter Newman will be joining the Rubenstein School as our next Dean. Peter is an alumnus of the School and brings a wealth of experiences that will help guide us into our next 50 years of environmental work.
This semester we are welcoming two new faculty members into the Rubenstein School – Dr. Salim Uddin and Dr. Kim Coleman. Their contributions to our students and our research portfolio will be essential as we continue to grow and broaden the impact of our work.
Dr. Uddin received his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Chittagong in Bangladesh, and his second M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba. His research focuses on the impacts of environmental change, with interests in the resilience of social-ecological systems, environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation and policy, and environmental justice. Dr. Uddin’s teaching will be centered in our Sustainability, Ecology and Policy program.
Dr. Coleman is an alumna of the Rubenstein School, she received her B.S. and M.S. from the University of Vermont, and her Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. Dr. Coleman’s research addresses issues related to outdoor recreation and tourism, planning and management of public land, environmental justice, and environmental education. Her teaching will be centered in our Parks, Recreation and Tourism program.
There is a lot to be proud of in the work that we are accomplishing together. From our classes on campus, to our field research, to our partnerships throughout Vermont and beyond. I encourage you to read more stories about the incredible work and learning happening in our community.
Let’s continue to take care of each other as 2024 unfolds, please visit us in the Aiken Center Dean’s Suite any time.
Sincerely,
Allan Strong, Interim Dean and Professor