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ENVIR 495 Special Topics Summer Courses

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Round out your summer quarter schedule with one (or both!) of these exciting new ENVIR courses, offered under ENVIR 495: Special Topics in Environmental Studies.

ENVIR 495 A, Talking Animals in Global Literature & Environmental Studies, explores the literary, political, and scientific significance of nonhuman talking animals across diverse cultural contexts. Learn what animals and their languages represent, develop expertise in interdisciplinary research & writing, gain experience with global literature and science communication, and deepen your appreciation for nonhuman animals. This course satisfies the Values & Cultures integrating discipline for ENVIR majors, and also earns a W credit.

ENVIR 495 B, Environmental Justice in the Middle East, explores connections between capitalism, imperialism, war, & ecology throughout the Middle East. In the Middle East, climate change will exacerbate preexisting vulnerabilities stemming from the conflicts, displacement, and marginalization. This course will therefore focus on environmental justice issues in various places within the region including Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco. It will explore the transitional linkages between the different environmental justice struggles in the Middle East as well as discuss community organizing and resistance to environmental injustices such as land dispossession, denial of access to clean water and exposure to toxins. This course satisfies the Environmental Justice integrating discipline for ENVIR majors. 

 

Summer 2024 Farm Courses

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The sun is (sort of) out, the birds are chirping, and we’re on our way towards another exciting summer quarter! What better way to spend your sunny days than learning by doing out at the UW farm?

This summer, check out two amazing classes taught at the UW farm & Center for Urban Horticulture through the Program on the Environment. ENVIR 240, The Urban Farm, is a 5 credit class with no prerequisites where you’ll develop understanding of the connections between food production, human health, and sustainability. ENVIR 295 A, Urban Farm Practicum, is a 5 credit class designed for students who have either taken ENVIR 240 in the past OR who have experience (volunteer or paid) working on the UW farm or with another farm group. This advanced course will be hands-on during the busiest growing season, and you’ll learn how to plant, harvest, and run the farm’s CSA program.

Questions? Check out these linked ENVIR 240 & ENVIR 295 A course flyers and explore more details on MyPlan ahead of summer quarter registration!

 

2024 Trash Art Contest

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UW Recycling is now accepting entries for their 2024 Trash Art contest! Submissions are due by March 22nd at 4PM, and participants can submit entries into a variety of categories. Artwork should be themed around feelings or ideas of waste and sustainability.

Environmental Career Fair: February 15th 2024

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The College of the Environment’s annual Environmental Career Fair is coming up fast, and it’s back in-person this winter! See details below, and make sure to register on Handshake.

Please join us on Thursday, February 15, 2024, from 12:00-3:00PM PST for this year’s Environmental Career Fair, hosted in the HUB North Ballroom!

This IN-PERSON Environmental Career Fair, hosted by the College on the Environment, will give you an exciting opportunity to network with dozens of employers who are all looking to recruit UW students and alumni for full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities. All UW students are welcome to attend. We hope to see you there!

Questions? Please reach out by emailing us at envjobs@uw.edu.

To get the most out of your Environmental Career Fair experience, check out these resources:

Search the registered employers
What to expect at an In-Person Career Fair
Upcoming workshops to help prepare
Schedule an appointment with a Career Coach

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made 10 days in advance by emailing envjobs@uw.edu.

Autumn 2023 Symposium Schedule: November 29 and December 6

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The Program on the Environment will host the Autumn 2023 Capstone Symposium on Wednesday, November 29 (online) AND on Wednesday, December 6 (in person) at the UW School of Aquatic Fisheries & Science.  All are welcome to attend and support students as they present on the culmination of their hard work over three quarters.

The Capstone Course Series is a highlight for many students, and serves to catapult some into their first jobs or even their dream careers.  Through internships, research, and social media training, students come out of the experience well equipped to communicate about the problem they sought to solve, and to tie their academic learning with specific research questions.

This event is open to the public, and we encourage students interested in learning about the Capstone, as well as members of the community, to join us.

Please also follow the event on (formerly known as Twitter) X #POEcap.

The following links provide: Program, Video Presentations, and All Student Abstracts.

JUMP TO DAY 1 SCHEDULE

JUMP TO DAY 2 SCHEDULE

Autumn 2023 Symposium Schedule

DAY 1:  Online Poster Symposium (Wed. November 29th)

4:30 PM – 4:40 PM Welcome & Session Overview

4:40 PM – 4:50 PM Session A Speaker Intros

4:50 PM – 5:50 PM Poster Session A – Education & Outreach; Policy & Regulation

Jasmine Barreto (Room: #1) – LIKE, COMMENT, AND SHARE: HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BOOST ENGAGEMENT FOR TRANSIT JUSTICE.  Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation (Poster) (Video)(Jasmine’s page)
Carina Baxter (Room: #2) – “GO GREEN! STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE” – BRIDGING THE EDUCATIONAL GAP BETWEEN HOMEOWNERS AND GSI.  Site Partner: Sustainable Ballard (Poster) (Video) (Carina’s page)
Julian Gonzales (Room: #3) – LEARNING TO LIVE IN A CHANGING WORLD: PLANNING AGAINST THE THREAT OF EXTREME HEAT.  Site Partner: Seattle & King County, Preparedness Section (Poster) (Video) (Julian’s page)
Florencia Gonzalez-Martinez (Room: #4) – DAM! BRIDGING THE DAM: PERCEPTION AND APPROACHES TO BEAVER-RELATED RESTORATION WORK IN SCATTER CREEK.  Site Partner: Chehalis Basin Partnership (Poster) (Video) (Florencia’s page)
Patrick Harper (Room: #5) – ROOTS OF CHANGE: ACTIONS PLANT CONSERVATORIES & BOTANICAL GARDENS CAN TAKE TO SHARE PLANT KNOWLEDGE IN MORE CULTURALLY INCLUSIVE WAYS.  Site Partner: Friends of the Conservatory (Poster) (Video) (Patrick’s page)
Lauren Harris (Room: #6) – FINDING BARRIERS TO USING SALVAGED LUMBER AND SOLUTIONS TO INCREASE USE IN KING COUNTY.  Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division (Poster) (Video) (Lauren’s page)
Palmer Holt (Room: #7) – URBANIZATION OR GENTRIFICATION? THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF EXPANDING LINK LIGHT RAIL IN SEATTLE.  Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation (Poster) (Video) (Palmer’s page)
Matthew Koay (Room: #8) – THE GREENEST BELT: UNDERSTANDING THE MOTIVATIONS AND BARRIERS TO ENVIRONMENTAL VOLUNTEERING IN URBAN GREEN SPACES.  Site Partner: Friends of Harrison Ridge (Poster) (Video) (Matthew’s page)
Mae Langford (Room: #9) – REIMAGINING THE SOUND TRANSIT DISTRICT: HOW A REVISED FARE MODEL COULD TRANSFORM THE REGION’S RELIANCE ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.  Site Partner: Seattle Subway Foundation (Poster) (Video) (Mae’s page)
Matthew Mason (Room: #10) -USING REBATES TO PROTECT OUR WATERS: INCREASING EQUITABLE UTILIZATION IN THE RAINWISE REBATE PROGRAM FOR DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.  Site Partner: Sustainable Ballard (Poster) (Video) (Matthew’s page)
Caitlin Naqvi (Room: #11) – ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION: EXPANDING ACCESS HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE.  Site Partner: Fiddleheads Forest School, UW Botanical Gardens (Poster) (Video) (Caitlin’s page)
Jaiden Reese (Room: #12) – OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITIES: HOW EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL INTERNSHIPS CAN IMPROVE DIVERSITY.  Site Partner: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Poster) (Video) (Jaiden’s page)
Ayana Sabbas (Room: #13) – BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN TRADITIONAL WISDOM AND SCIENCTIFIC ADVANCEMENTS.  Site Partner: Tulalip Tribes Natural Resources (Poster) (Video) (Ayana’s page)
Anna Schmitz (Room: #14) – CIRCULAR ECONOMY ADOPTION IN CONSTRUCTION: STAKEHOLDER PERSPECTIVES AND STRATEGIES.  Site Partner: King County Solid Waste Division & King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (Poster) (Video) (Anna’s page)
Nina Shuken (Room: #15) – SOCIAL MEDIA FOR SOCIAL CHANGE: HOW NONPROFITS CAN USE SOCIAL MEDIA TO INCREASE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATIONS AND GAIN FUNDING.  Site Partner: Sustainability Ambassadors (Poster) (Video) (Nina’s page)
Gracie Thomsen (Room: #16) – DRY RIVER, WET EYES: AN EXPLORATION OF WHAT MAKES OR BREAKS COLLABORATION AS A TOOL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTITIONERS.  Site Partner: King County Stormwater Services (Poster) (Video) (Gracie’s page)
Charlotte Till (Room: #17) – BEAVERS: AGRICULTURE’S FOE TURNED FRIEND.  Site Partner: Snohomish Conservation District (Poster) (Video) (Charlotte’s page)
Anna Marie Wing (Room: #18) – THE THREE C’S OF MARKETING TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES: CONNECTION, COMMUNICATION, AND CULTURE.  Site Partner: NE Seattle Tool Library (Poster) (Video) (Anna’s page)
Shirley Yao (Room: #19) – FROM DATA SCIENCE TO WORKFORCE DIVERSITY: REVOLUTIONIZING ENVIRONMENTAL RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES.  Site Partner: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Poster) (Video) (Shirley’s page)

5:50 PM – 6 PM Break

6 PM – 6:05 PM Session B overview

6:05 PM – 6:15 PM Session B – Speaker Intros

6:15 – 7:15 PM Poster session B – Agriculture & Food systems; Natural Science & Restoration; sustainability

Justin Chao (Room #1) – WHY WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT WETLAND AND HOW TO RESTORE IT EFFICIENTLY. Nature Stewards Program (Poster) (Video) (Justin’s page)
Rachel Ellingwood (Room #2) – MAKING FRUITFUL HABITATS: ESTABLISHING BEST PRACTICES FOR FRUIT GLEANING ORGANIZATIONS TO EASE THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON POLLINATORS. City Fruit (Poster) (Video) (Rachel’s page)
Althea Ericksen (Room #3) – GROWING RESILIENCY: APPROACHING YEAR-ROUND FOOD SECURITY IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA. The UW Farm (Poster) (Video) (Althea’s page)
Jessica Fragoso (Room #4) – DON’T SAVE ALL THE TREES! ENSURING THE SURVIVAL OF PACIFIC NORTHWEST FORESTS THROUGH ECOLOGICALLY-FOCUSED THINNING TREATMENT. Northwest Natural Resource Group (Poster) (Video) (Jessica’s page)
Amelie Gahagan (Room #5) – GOING WITH THE FLOW: HARNESSING SOCIAL NORMS FOR REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE ADOPTION. Alliance for Water Efficiency (Poster) (Video) (Amelie’s page)
Emma Haener (Room #6) – DRINKING RESPONSIBLY: THE ROLE OF SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS IN COLLABORATIVE SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT. Talking Rain Beverage Company (Poster) (Video) (Emma’s page)
Niki Kirihara (Room #7) – O, SOIL! WHAT O HORIZON THICKNESS CAN TELL US ABOUT SUMMER SOIL MOISTURE IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST FORESTS AMIDST GLOBAL WARMING. Northwest Natural Resource Group (Poster) (Video) (Niki’s page)
Darcy McCluskey (Room #8) – NAVIGATING THE FUTURE: SUSTAINABLE LAND SURVEYING TECHNIQUES. 1 Alliance Geomatics (Poster) (Video) (Darcy’s page)
Leila Misallati (Room #9) – EVALUATING A RURAL COMMUNITY’S FOOD ENVIRONMENT: HOW FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS AT A FARMERS MARKET CAN IMPROVE FOOD EQUITY. Carnation Farmers Market (Poster) (Video) (Leila’s page)
Christine Nguyen (Room #10) – TRACKING THE TIDE: INVESTIGATING CRAB BIODIVERSITY AND SPAWN TIMING SHIFTS. Highline MaST Center Aquarium (Poster) (Video) (Christine’s page)
Jen Ortiz (Room #11) – WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING? HOW TO INCREASE EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT WITH SUSTAINABILITY. Talking Rain Beverage Company (Poster) (Video) (Jen’s page)
Mya Sands (Room #12) – CREATING FRUITFUL COMMUNITIES: IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND SOLUTIONS TO ESTABLISHING AN EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM THROUGH URBAN AGRICULTURE. City Fruit (Poster) (Video) (Mya’s page)
Erin Schobbe (Room #13) – CONVENTIONS, CARBON, AND CENTRALITY: METHODS FOR REDUCING EMISSIONS FROM TRAVEL IN THE EVENT AND CONVENTION INDUSTRY. AQ Green TeC (Poster) (Video) (Erin’s page)
Eddie Shelton (Room #14) – DRIVING CHANGE: SOLAR-POWERED TRANSPORTATION PATH TO A CARBON-FREE FUTURE. Merlin Solar (Poster) (Video) (Eddie’s page)
Rhea Shinde (Room #15) – THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NORMS IN WATER CONSERVATION BEHAVIOR INTERVENTIONS. Alliance for Water Efficiency (Poster) (Video) (Rhea’s page)
Ella Simmons (Room #16) – HARVESTING SOLUTIONS: A STUDY OF BARRIERS TO ACCESS WITHIN ALTERNATIVE FOOD NETWORKS. Whidbey Island Grown (Poster) (Video) (Ella’s page)
Felicity Strzelec (Room #17) – REGENERATING PACIFIC NORTHWEST SALMON HABITAT THROUGH RIPARIAN RESTORATION. Whale Scout (Poster) (Video) (Felicity’s page)
Maysen Westling (Room #18) – BE A GOOD SPORT, DON’T FORGET TO SORT: BEST PRACTICES FOR WASTE DIVERSION PROGRAMS IN SPORTS STADIUMS. UW Athletics (Poster) (Video) (Maysen’s page)
Serena Zheng (Room #19) – SUSTAINABLE ONLINE PRODUCE: GREEN MARKETING & KEY VARIABLES INFLUENCING CONSUMER PURCHASING BEHAVIOR. Kitsap Fresh Local Food Online (Poster) (Video) (Serena’s page)

7:15 – 7:30 PM Closing remarks

DAY 2: Oral Presentation Symposium & Celebration (In-Person, Wed. December 6th)

UW School of Aquatic Fishery & Sciences |  1122 NE Boat St, Seattle, WA 98105

Day 2 Program

4:30 PM – 4:40 PM Welcome & Housekeeping (Lobby)

4:40 PM – 5:10 PM Poster Highlights** & Refreshments

5:10 PM – 5:20 PM BREAK

5:20 pm – 5:25 PM Session introduction

5:25 – 5:35 PM Keya Roy – MYCO-FILTRATION FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND CIRCULARITY. UW Campus Sustainability Fund (Video) (Keya’s page)
5:35 – 5:45 PM Ezra Thomason – FROM FIELDS TO TABLES: THE POWER OF FOOD PRESERVATION IN GLEANING ORGANIZATIONS. City Fruit (Video) (Ezra’s page)
5:45 – 5:55 PM Arianna Fardad – SMALL BUT MIGHTY: FORAGE FISH SIGNAL THE NEED FOR SHORELINE RESTORATION IN THE PUGET SOUND. Vashon Nature Center (Video) (Arianna’s page)
5:55 – 6:05 PM Jordan Priest – INTEGRATED IS BEST: HOW LIGHT RAIL AND BUSES WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WILL INCREASE THE USABILITY OF SEATTLE’S TRANSIT SYSTEM. Seattle Subway Foundation (Video) (Jordan’s page)
6:05 – 6:15 PM Aliyah Recasner – TRANSIT-ORIENTED-DEVELOPMENT (TOD): A BLESSING OR ROADMAP TO GENTRIFICATION? Seattle Subway Foundation (Video) (Aliyah’s page)
6:15 – 6:25 PM Lucy Toner – FROM THE GROUND UP: HOW TO INCORPORATE COMMUNITY VOICES ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INTO THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT. Seattle Subway Foundation (Video) (Lucy’s page)

6:25 pm – 6:40 pm intermission

6:40 – 6:50 PM Lyn Tampi – TO BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES: INFORMING GOVERNMENT STAFF ON CONNECTIONS BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (Video) (Lyn’s page)
6:50 – 7:00 PM Olivia Johnson – CREATE YOUR OWN PATH: FIVE WAYS TO HELP CHILDREN MAKE BETTER CONNECTIONS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. Islandwood (Video) (Olivia’s page)
7:00 – 7:10 PM Lauren Church – CONSERVE TO PRESERVE: HOW CITIES AND CITIZENS CAN COLLABORATE TO PROTECT WATER RESOURCES. Chehalis Basin Partnership (Video) (Lauren’s page)
7:10 – 7:20 PM Isabella Garrido – CO-PRODUCING HOPE: EXPLORING THE BENEFITS AND CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY-ENGAGED LEARNING IN UNIVERSITIES TO ENHANCE CLIMATE RESILIENCE. Climate Impacts Group, UW (Video) (Isabella’s page)
7:20 – 7:30 PM Tiffany Shin  – SAVING THE ENDANGERED BLACK ABALONE: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRANSLOCATIONS AND CHARACTERIZING JUVENILE RECRUITMENT HABITAT. National Marine Fisheries Service, West Coast Region (Video) (Tiffany’s page)
7:30 – 7:40 PM Riley Ramirez – TACKLING TRASH: UNDERSTANDING HUMAN WASTE BEHAVIOR IN HUSKY STADIUM. UW Athletics (Video) (Riley’s page)

7:40pm – 7:50 PM closing remarks

7:50 – 8:30 PM Symposium ends & Celebration continues in lobby/lawn

**Note: the Judges will choose 10 posters from Day 1, which will be printed out and displayed during Day 2. Those poster authors will be invited to present their posters during the reception.

Decarbonization Town Hall on Wednesday October 25th

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Decarbonization Town Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 25

By UW Sustainability | Oct 11, 2023
Decarbonization Town Hall

The Faculty Council on Campus Planning and Stewardship is hosting a panel discussion on the UW’s efforts to decarbonize our operations and address climate change. The discussion will touch on existing plans, prospects for envisioning and funding decarbonization efforts, and the potential for the UW to be a leader in climate change response.

Decarbonization Town Hall

Wednesday, October 25
4:30 p.m., Kane Hall 110

Livestream available

RSVP FOR ZOOM LINK

Panelists:

  • Jan Whittington, Co-chair of the Faculty Council on Campus Planning and Stewardship
  • Frank Hodge, Dean of the Foster School of Business
  • David Woodson, Executive Director of Campus Energy, Utilities and Operations
  • Lela Corson, Institutional Climate Action student group

Facilitator: Lisa Dulude, UW Sustainability Director

Corey Garza to serve as Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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Corey Garza to serve as Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Corey Garza will serve as the Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Corey Garza has agreed to serve as the UW College of the Environment’s Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, effective September 1.

In this role he will work closely with Dean Maya Tolstoy, College leadership, faculty, postdocs, staff, students and other community members to integrate an equity and justice lens into the College’s work, and advance our shared vision that excellent science, teaching and scholarship can only be achieved in a community which is inclusive and supportive of people of all backgrounds and identities.

“I’m very excited to join the College of the Environment and help support this important work,” said Garza. “Centering equity and justice in our culture and the research we do is essential to building a sustainable future, both for our institution and our planet.”

Currently a professor in the Department of Marine Science at California State University, Monterey Bay, Garza is a marine ecologist studying spatial dynamics in species-habitat associations in marine systems. He is the campus lead for the NOAA Center for Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, directs the Monterey Bay Regional Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program, and serves on the Board of Directors of the American Geophysical Union and the Board of Trustees of the California Academy of Sciences.

Garza is a longtime advocate of diversity, equity and inclusion in the sciences, driven in part by his own experience as a first-generation student and member of a group historically underrepresented in STEM. In addition to his work building research and education infrastructure at CSU Monterey Bay, a Hispanic-serving institution, Garza previously served a three-year term on the National Board of Directors of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).

The College would like to thank the members of the Advisory Search Committee for their contributions to the hiring process:

  • Peter Abe, Director, Seattle MESA
  • Tim Essington, Director and Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
  • Stephanie Harrington (Chair), Associate Dean for Administration, College of the Environment
  • Bryce Lewis-Smith, Graduate Student, Marine and Environmental Affairs
  • Julia Parrish, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of the Environment; Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and Biology
  • Karen Thomas-Brown, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, College of Engineering
  • LuAnne Thompson, Professor, Oceanography; Interim Director, Program on Climate Change

‘Wildcat’ Documentary Features PoE Alumni Samantha Zwicker

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‘WILDCAT,’ a documentary featuring our UW PoE alumni Samantha Zwicker, focuses on her ecological wild cat conservation work in the Amazon rainforest. ‘WILDCAT’ has won multiple documentary awards including Best Documentary (San Diego Film Critics Society Awards 2023; Iowa Film Critics Awards 2023; National Board of Review Top Five Documentaries 2022; Utah Film Critics Association Awards) and Audience Award (Montclair Film Festival 2022; Santa Fe International Film Festival 2022) and includes numerous nominations. University of Washington Magazine recently highlighted Samantha’s inspiring, tenacious, and heartening work!

 

College of the Environment SPRING CELEBRATION May 25th 2023

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Come join the College of the Environment for an afternoon of games, food, and merriment to celebrate an outstanding College community! All College faculty, staff, students, postdocs, and their guests are invited to attend.

  • Thursday, May 25, 2023, 2:30 – 4 pm:
  • Fishery Sciences (FSH) lobby

Please register by Friday May 19th, 2023. We hope to see our POE students at the Spring Celebration!

Register Now

 

Backpack in Olympic National Park with ENVIR 380 this Summer!

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Spend 9 days (July 8 to 16) backpacking in Olympic National Park this Summer as part of the course, Wilderness in the Anthropocene (ENVIR 380)!

This 5-credit A term course includes hands on activities and remote assignments. No prior backpacking experience is required. This course is limited to 10 students, so contact Tim Billo (timbillo@uw.edu) soon if you are interested. Additional Course details available here: ENVIR 380 Wilderness in the Anthropocene 2023

Interested in other summer courses? Check out all Environmental Studies and Integrating Discipline Courses here: SU23 ENVIR Courses