Natural Resources: SL:Env Prob Sol&ImpactAssessmt

Group dynamics, impact assessment, risk assessment, and decision making. Emphasis on the process of solving complex environmental problems, interdisciplinary team work, and the National Environmental Policy Act. Prerequisites: NR 3050.

Prereqs: NR 3050; RSENR students only; Online synchronous lecture Tues & Thurs In person Lab on Wednesdays Last class on July10th is in person.

Service-learning course that provides opportunities to integrate academic learning and skills and apply them in a community context. This course involves students actively working with off-campus community partners. The work with partners is fundamental to the course learning outcomes and is a required component of the course. Students should select this course as their capstone if they are interested in working in an interdisciplinary peer group in close partnership with a community partner on an authentic socio-ecological problem. Problems brought to the class are real issues in the community and so represent opportunities for students to apply systems theory and interdisciplinary knowledge and skills in service to others. Students who select this course as their capstone should also be enthusiastic about the opportunity to transition from a traditional education classroom experience, where projects and milestones are designed by the instructor, to a more professional and independent learning context, where students design and manage projects based on professional interests, creative thinking about problem-solving, and collaboration with community partners and stakeholders. The instructor and graduate student mentors offer guidance, support, and instruction, but students in this class should be ready to be active participants in designing their own learning experience and professional development goals. As a result, students will finish this course with tangible deliverables and experiences in their field that they can list on their resumes and cover letters.

-Community Partners range from State employees (e.g. Agency of Natural Resources) to municipal volunteers (e.g. Bolton Conservation Commission) to non-profit employees (e.g. the Nature Conservancy) to for-profit businesses (e.g. Tetra Tech) to educators (e.g. Crow's Path). -Students design projects based on their own professional interests and goals, so working with the public, with other stakeholders, or in a field-based setting is up to the students in collaboration with the Community Partners. -Students will meet with their Community Partners in the first week of class. How often they go to a project site (if at all) and how frequently they communicate and meet with the Community Partner is all part of the project design and so is determined by student and Community Partner goals. -This is a 4 credit class, which translates to approximately 30 hours a week on NR4060-related work during this 6-week course. -Some student groups choose to do project work on the weekends or in the evenings (especially projects that engage with the public). This is not a requirement of the class. Students design their projects based on their professional goals and may or may not choose to incorporate public-facing activities. Similarly, some student groups design projects to have a large component be outdoor or field-based. This is welcomed, but not a requirement. What is required is that project work represent about 30 hours per week per student in the group (including class meeting time). -Students will work in groups of several peers from different majors in RSENR and so be an opportunity for interdisciplinary team work, problem-solving, and systems thinking. -Key assignments: a professional-level project proposal, 3 short written reflections on learning outcomes throughout the semester, 3 dialogue-based reflections, 3 professional Check-In meetings facilitated by the students, a final presentation, and the final project deliverables package for the community partner. This package represents a tangible outcome that students can include on their resumes.