Welcome from Interim Dean Allan Strong
Welcome to the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont. At the Rubenstein School, we pride ourselves on our dedication to experiential learning, interdisciplinary research, and environmental justice.
We of course have state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, but the bulk of our research focuses on the world around us: Lake Champlain, the Green Mountains, our fields, farms, and forests—and the people who use them. Our faculty address environmental issues through the integration of natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities. As the environmental problems we face become more extreme and complex, we can only tackle them through collaborative, holistic approaches.
We address these environmental challenges through our graduate programs and five undergraduate majors. Each of these majors are linked by a core curriculum that provides a strong foundation in the natural and social sciences, with an emphasis on environmental problem solving. We focus on skill development: integrative learning, working across difference, communication, and teamwork to provide students with the expertise they need for a successful career in the environmental field.
Our faculty are leading scholars. Whether you are interested in climate change, water resources, forest ecology, endangered species, or human values around the environment, our faculty have active research programs that seek to address our most pressing environmental issues. Check out our faculty profiles to learn more about their research programs. And don’t hesitate to reach out to our faculty to find out how you can get involved. Our students are an integral part of the research and scholarship of our school.
The Rubenstein School brings together a wide constellation of partners in our environmental work. As you get familiar with all we have to offer, check out the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, the George D. Aiken Forestry Sciences Laboratory, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the Vermont Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, our research forests, and the Spatial Analysis Lab. These facilities and organizations amplify our impact and expand our teaching, research, and outreach missions.
Finally, as society grapples with issues of racial and social injustice, we want our students to understand that the environmental field is dealing with the same challenges. We disproportionately burden our communities of color with polluted air and water, limited green space, greater flooding risk, and higher summer temperatures. We must center equity and justice in our solutions to environmental problems to stop perpetuating racial and economic inequities.
Our community is here to support all of you on your journey at UVM. Our student services team is well equipped to help you navigate the complex system that is university life. We know that there will be bumps along the way – in the words of Marie Vea, our Assistant Dean for Student Services and Staff Development: “show up, ask, and be kind to each other!”
Please stop by the Dean’s Suite in Aiken Center 220 to say hello. We look forward to connecting with students, families, alumni, and friends throughout the academic year.
Sincerely,
Allan Strong
Interim Dean
Leadership Team
Rubenstein School Deans and Support Staff
Interim Dean, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
Senior Lecturer, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
David Blittersdorf Professor of Sustainability Science & Policy • Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Research
Assistant Dean for Student Services and Staff Development
Assistant Dean for Business Operations
Communications Lead
Executive Assistant to the Dean