| Type | Non-profit organization |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | New York, New York |
| Key people | Nancy Degnan (Executive Director), Shahid Naeem (Director of Science) |
| Website | www.cerc.columbia.edu |
The Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) is a consortium of five scientific institutions based in New York City: Columbia University, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, the Wildlife Conservation Society and Wildlife Trust. Each member of the consortium contributes to developing environmental leadership through a variety of education and research programs. Collectively, this work is conducted in over 60 countries.
CERC is headquartered at the Earth Institute, Columbia University. This location facilitates multidisciplinary work within the university and with external collaborators.
CERC is also responsive to the non-science community, providing training and education through the application of understandable, robust conservation science.
Contents |
CERC facilitates the development of research programs between its consortium members: the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Wildlife Trust and Columbia University. Some activities are consortium-wide, representing all the institutions, while others can involve just two or three consortium partners.
Collectively, the consortium's research covers the globe with programs in over 60 countries.
Throughout CERC’s 13-year history, consortium researchers, volunteers, interns, students, faculty and staff have been involved in:
In addition to research activities and projects, CERC adjunct scientists teach science courses in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology (E3B) and in the Certificate Program. All instructors are faculty and staff at consortium institutions and the consortium often provides research opportunities for Columbia's undergraduate, master's and Ph.D. students, especially those in E3B.
Undergraduate students have the opportunity to engage in ecological field studies while earning up to six credits through Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U). Open to students of all majors at all accredited colleges and universities nationwide, SEE-U gives students the opportunity to learn about unique ecosystems and cultures. Students at Columbia University may also pursue an undergraduate special concentration in sustainable development as a complement to their major. Columbia has an undergradutate major in the department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology
Graduate students looking for field experience to expand their knowledge of ecology, conservation and scientific inquiry may wish to enroll in CERC’s Inquire Institute, an intense three-week course in which students can earn up to six graduate credits through a combination of lectures, fieldwork, labs and the development of an ecology-based project. Interested doctoral students from various ecological and environmental departments may apply to become partnered with New York City public school teachers through the NSF GK-12 Learning through Ecology and Environmental Field Studies Program (LEEFS). CERC does not administer Master's or PhD degrees, for those programs please contact Columbia's department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology.
The Inquire Institute, formerly the Teacher Training Institute, is a summer course in which participants build a strong foundation in ecology and conservation, conduct their own scientific inquiry in the field, and develop an integrated ecology-based curriculum unit. In addition, teachers can earn up to six graduate credits in just three weeks. Other K-12 Programs include the Learning through Ecology and Environmental Field Studies Program (LEEFS, an NSF GK12 project), Technology, Research, Ecology and Exchange for Students (TREES), the Middle School Partnership (MSP), and Integrated Project Week (IPW).
Professionals and anyone seeking continuing education may choose from a wide range of classes offered through the Certificate Program in Conservation Biology.
|
||||||||||||||