Guest lecturer, John McGraw, provided a lively and informative talk on fiscal responsibility entitled
“Getting Your Finances in Order” for the Perspectives on Career and Gender class at ESF’s Bray Hall on
April 18th, 2023.
Mr. McGraw states that good financial health is easily obtained by following a few basic rules.
Mr. McGraw's tips for financial success are, establish a relationship with a bank, prepare and stick to a
budget, create an emergency savings fund, insure the things you care about, save for retirement now,
and don't rack up credit debt. Mr. McGraw’s straightforward and relatable lecture made it clear that
active participation in financial health will ensure a comfortable life in the years to come.
Mr. McGraw is an Accounting and Personal Finance visiting instructor at SUNY ESF. Mr. McGraw
also serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors at The Landmark Theater.
As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share responsibility of reporting on class discussions as well as on the speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series. The preceding was prepared by Leanne Hughes, a MS student in Environmental Biology.
Dina Gilio-Whitaker, journalist and columnist who
lectures at California State University San Marcos, studies American Indian justice
and environmental policy issues. She discussed Indigenizing environmental
justice at ESF on Wednesday April 26, 2023.
Gilio-Whitaker analyzed environmental injustice through the lens of American Indians, explaining that the package of "Environmental racism" centers on "racism", which has not been broad enough for Indigenous communities. She explained: "Native People are people as nations with a relationship to the United States... not ethnic groups, we're people with political status, with this government to government relationship." She stressed that settler colonialism set
the stage for deeming Indigenous Nations as inferior, which still has implications
to Native Peoples to this day. Gilio-Whitaker broke down the role of white supremacy in driving the environmental movement, and how history has led to the lack in
accountability, human displacement, and ecocide. She continued: “American narratives of ‘progress’
and ‘modernity’ are experiences of death for American Indians.” She strives to
raise awareness on decolonizing environmental justice by recognizing Indigenous
relationships to land and incorporating Tradition Ecological Knowledge through
co-management practices with Native Peoples.
Dina
Gilio-Whitaker, Colville Confederated Tribes, is co-author of "All the
Real Indians Died Off": And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans (Myths
Made in America) with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz and author of As Long as
Grass Grows: The Indigenous Fight for Environmental Justice, from Colonization
to Standing Rock. She is an independent consultant and educator of
Indigenous policy and environmental justice related issues and is a lecturer at
California State University San Marcos on American Indian Studies.
A recording is available https://video.syr.edu/media/t/1_1wbw2ama. This event was sponsored by the Center for Native
Peoples and the Environment, in partnership with Adaptive Peaks Seminar Series,
sponsored by the Department of Environmental Biology, and the Women in
Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series, sponsored by the
SUNY ESF and the ESF Women's Caucus. This event concluded the 2023 AP and WiSE Professions Series.
As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share responsibility of reporting on speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series. The preceding was prepared by Alyssa Colasanti, BS 2023, Environmental Biology.
Dr. Meredith Holgerson spoke at ESF about "Limnology Underdogs: the local and global importance of pond ecosystems" during a joint presentation of ESF's Adaptive Peaks Seminar Series and the Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series on April 6.
Ponds are studied far less than larger water bodies, but they are globally abundant. They are often viewed as smaller versions of lakes, but as Holgerson demonstrates, they are ecological hotspots with unique rates of interception and retention of nutrients and sediments, methane emission, and carbon storage, resulting in different functionality.
Dr. Holgerson is a freshwater ecologist and Assistant Professor, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University. She holds a BS from Denison University, MS from ESF (EFB; MP James Gibbs), and a PhD from Yale University's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She was previously an Assistant professor at St. Olaf Univeristy and completed a David H. Smith Conservation Research Postdoctoral Fellowship
A recording is available https://video.syr.edu/media/t/1_wsb6ivan. This event was sponsored by the Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY ESF and the ESF Women's Caucus.
Registration is now open for two pre-college pipeline programs, both on
the ESF main campus. There is no cost for either, but space is limited
for both, so please register soon!
Take our Kids to Work Day! Kids 8-11 with an adult (parent/guardian or
other relationship to child) that works or studies at ESF is invited to a
special class day (Thursday, April 27, 8:15-3:15) for hands-on exploration
of some ESF fields! More information and forms are available
at http://www.esf.edu/womenscaucus/kids.php
Girls’ Summit. Kids’ Day’s big sibling will
return to ESF on Saturday, May 20 as 5th-10th
graders will put hands and minds to work in different series of workshops
and presentations. More information and registration for youth
participants and adult volunteers at: https://www.ywca-syracuse.org/get-involved/girls-summit/
PLEASE NOTE: we are also looking for adult volunteers to chaperone
groups during both programs; volunteers will need to complete a brief training
on SUNY’s Child Protection Policy. For “Kids Day”, contact Heather
Engelman; for Summit, please visit the YWCA page.
Consistent with ESF's commitment to diversity, to better
accommodate our campus' demographics and in accordance with NYS
8 NYCRR Part 317, changes to existing toilet room designations are being
made. We recognize that the changes noted below do not completely address this
issue. This is a step towards improvements; additional changes will follow as
more building project updates occur. The change is proposed for implementation
this coming week.
Bray Hall
The single occupant restroom at the basement level of this
building will be designated an all-gender bathroom. [This restroom is not ADA accessible.]
Walters Hall
The single occupant restroom on the 4th floor of
this building will be designated an all-gender bathroom. [This restroom is accessible per ADA guidelines, as is the all gender restroom on the ground floor. All Walters restrooms have at least one accessible stall].
Signage [has been posted will be posted shortly] to indicate this change. This
is only one step in a larger effort that will address this important issue
throughout all ESF properties.
Our campus has adopted a Bias Reporting tool that can be
accessed through this link, https://www.esf.edu//ide/bias.php .
The Bias Reporting System has the capability to report incidents anonymously,
or not, and is a way for the campus to report incidents that occur. For your
reference please see ourNondiscriminationPolicy.
Questions and comments regarding these initiatives should be directed to Rex
Giardine.
Erin Tochelli
Associate Director of Academic Administration SUNY College of Environmental Science &
Forestry Pronouns: she/her/hers
“The mightiest oak in
the forest is just a little nut that held its ground”
With diverse
careers and unique backgrounds, ESF alumni provided advice and inspiration in a
virtual panel focused on women working in STEM fields. The 2023 Women in STEM Careers
Alumni Panel, a virtual event held on Thursday March 2, 2023, featured four
outstanding female graduates of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and
Forestry: Dr. Danielle Berry, Senior Research Specialist with Dow Performance Silicones;
Jocelyn Gan, Energy and Sustainability Specialist with NYU Langone Health; Meghan
Hazer Álvarez, City Planner at the Baltimore City Department of Public Works;
and Dr. Kerry Ryan, Attending Veterinarian at ViaGen Pets. The event was hosted
by the ESF Office of Alumni Relations in honor of Womens’ History Month; Debbie
Caviness, Director of Alumni Relations, moderated.This event opened the 2023 Women in
Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series, with additional
support of the Offices of Career Services and Admissions and the ESF Women’s Caucus.
The
discussion centered on experiences the alumni had at ESF that set them up for
their current careers, as well as advice they could share for current college
students, especially women looking to enter traditionally male-dominated STEM fields.
All of the panelists mentioned the importance of
communication in their roles, speaki ng up against stereotypes that scientists
tend to be “lab rats” with “limited social skills.” “A lot of times in my job, I am
talking to people who don’t really speak my language, my jargon,” Berry said.
“Being able to be a translator for science is very rewarding.” The women also
noted that networks have been an especially rewarding and vital part of their
careers, and discussed the importance of support systems in building their
confidence within fields where they might be the only woman or person of color
in the room. “Finding your voice is really important,” said Ryan, “and then
once you’ve found it, it’s about helping others find theirs.” The alumni
credited some of their confidence to the hands-on, real-world problems they
were able to work on while at ESF, as well as to the open-minded community they
found while in school there. “There’s no ego at ESF,” said Hazer Álvarez,
“Everyone’s just focused on what we can do to move the world forward in a
better way.” This mission was echoed by the other panelists, who noted that
they’ve enjoyed seeing the world of science evolve over their time in the
industry, and that they look forward to being some of the next-generation
leaders who will continue to create space for future women, people of color, and
other minorities in STEM careers.
Each of the
four speakers is a graduate of SUNY ESF who has gone on to use her education,
skills and passion in a unique and rewarding career. Berry graduated from ESF
with a B.S. in Chemistry in 2015, and later pursued her Ph.D. in Chemistry at
the University of Texas at Dallas. After completing her Ph.D., she joined Dow
Performance Silicones in the fall of 2020, where she now works as a Senior
Research Specialist with a focus on application development for thermal
management materials. Gan received an M.S. in Sustainability Management from
Columbia University after graduating from ESF with a B.S. in Environmental
Science in 2013, and now works as an Energy and Sustainability Specialist with
NYU Langone, supporting its initiatives around sustainable food services, waste
reduction, energy and resiliency management, and more. Hazer Álvarez received
her B.A. in Landscape Architecture from ESF in 2006, and in 2013 received both
an M.S. in Public Health from ESF and a Masters of
Public Health from SUNY Upstate Medical University. She has worked on a
variety of public and private projects relating to green infrastructure and
public health and now serves as a City Planner for the city of Baltimore. Ryan
graduated from ESF in 2006 with a degree in Environmental and Forest Biology before
receiving her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University, and
she now works as an Attending Veterinarian with ViaGen Pets, the global leader
in pet and endangered animal cloning.
Current students can avail themselves of the services
of Career Services and networking and mentorship opportunities with the ESF
Women’s Caucus, student chapters of professional societies and cultural-based
clubs, as well as leadership and other trainings through Student Affairs,
Choose Action Network and the Office of Inclusion Diversity and Equity. Visit https://engage.esf.edu/events
for upcoming student-centered programs. Prospective students can talk with advisors
in Admissions or schedule a campus tour at https://www.esf.edu/admissions.
For more
information about the ESF Alumni Association, please visit https://www.esf.edu/alumni.
Information regarding upcoming public events within the ESF community can be
found on ESF’s College Calendar, at https://www.esf.edu/calendar.
As part of the course requirements for FOR797 Perspectives on Career and Gender, students share responsibility of reporting on speakers in the campus-wide Women in Scientific and Environmental Professions Speaker Series. The preceding was prepared by Sara Dreibelbis, M.S. student in Natural Resources Management, anticipated graduation May 2024.
Looking for life and career skills in about one
hour a week?
AddPerspectives
on Career and Gender! During this
discussion-based 1-credit seminar, learn about career paths, interviewing,
mentorship, rights, negotiation, intersectionality, balancing work & life,
#MeToo and more! Gain skills in group facilitation, literature
review, peer mentoring, and networking.Tuesdays,
3:30-4:25 PM, Bray 324; during the weeks when WiSE Professions meets, those events will substitute for class. Employees and un-enrolled students may also sit in. Direct questions to Diane Kuehn (dmkuehn@esf.edu) and Heather
Engelman (engelman@esf.edu).
Coffee Breaks!
Take a breather and give or gain insight into work or life
challenges, while helping others. Comparing notes can help us
identify issues, share strategies and possible paths forward (or around).
Join in person in 110 Moon or online/phone in (register at https://syracuseuniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMsd-Ggrz4rGNQkzp59XyKkzUM6GeHnFH2l) from wherever you happen to be on (mostly) 1st Fridays (2/3, 3/3, 4/14, 5/5) during the 11:40-12:35 class block, or 3rd Thursdays (2/16, 3/23, 4/20, 5/18),9:30-10:30am.
WiSE Professions speaker series returns, with a combination of virtual and in person sessions:
Women in STEM Alumnae
Career Panel,
with Alumni Association, Career Services, and others. Thursday, March
2, 7pm, virtual.
Dr. Meredith Holgerson, EFB MS 2011, Assistant
Professor, Ecology and Evolution, Cornell U, title TBD, with Adaptive
Peaks, Thursday, April 6, 3:45pm, 5 Illick
Dr. Gina Dilio-Whitaker, on Indigenous
Environmental Justice, with Center for Native Peoples and the Environment
and others, Wednesday, April 26, 5pm, Gateway
Pre-college Pipeline programs:
Take our Kids to Work
Day, Thursday,
April 27, STEM exploration for 8-11 year olds with an adult that works or
studies at ESF, regardless of the child’s gender or relationship to their
adult. Kids, grandkids, godkids, niblings, siblings, neighbors, and
other connections are all welcome (on a space limited basis—this is a
class day, so we are working in between other users of classrooms and
labspaces, and presenters’ ongoing obligations).
Girls’ Summit, Saturday
May 20. Kids’
Day’s ‘big sister’, expanding STEAM exploration to 5th-10th
graders in the community. If you are looking for a program for a
class you sponsor, youth group or scout troop, this is the program for
your group! Annual collaboration of the YWCA of Onondaga County, C/STEP,
and multiple on-campus partners (Open Academy, OIDE, Women’s Caucus).
Students with children, eldercare, or other caretaking
responsibilities can feel extra stretched, and sometimes isolated.
Talking with others is a great way to discover resources and family friendly
events on- or off-campus, set up study-and-play dates (or play dates/study
breaks) and to share advice.
If you would like to join a virtual discussion forum
comprised of other caregivers (students and employees), please subscribe to the
FamilyResources listserv: email listserv@listserv.syr.edu a message
of: SUBSCRIBE familyresources FirstName LastName (Please substitute your
own name for those last fields, and leave the “subject” line empty).
If you have any questions or need assistance subscribing,
please contact Heather Engelman, engelman@esf.edu
