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Valley and Ridge Faculty Study Group in Sustainability
The Valley & Ridge Study Group brings together faculty members from all academic divisions to work collaboratively in introducing and enhancing sustainability content in their teaching. Participants attend a 2-1/2 day workshop in May, work on their course(s) over the summer, reconvene for a day in August, and participate in other activities over the year. The program emphasizes connecting the subject areas of the participants with sustainability, teaching a sense of place, and using active learning pedagogies.
The workshop engages faculty in working with each other to:
• Examine the concept of sustainability, its varied interpretations, and connections with
different fields of study;
• Use the local environment and community to teach a sense of place;
• Learn how to use the campus and its sustainability programs as teaching resources;
• Explore transdisciplinary connections to other faculty and programs; and
• Share resources for developing and enhancing sustainability content in courses
The Valley & Ridge 2012 workshop begins with a dinner discussion at 6 PM on Monday, May 21 and closes at 5 PM on Wednesday, May 23. Applications are being accepted through April 20.
New faculty development opportunities are coming! The Center for Sustainability Education is assessing faculty development needs and expects to offer additional opportunities for enhancing sustainability teaching in 2012-2013. Watch for details.
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The Name: Valley & Ridge in Pennsylvania
The Valley and Ridge Project at Dickinson College takes its name from the physiographic region within which the College lies, which is marked by the Allegheny Plateau to the north and west, South Mountain to the south and east, and Cumberland Valley between. The project got its impetus from Dickinson’s participation in the Shared Futures and Sustainability Initiatives of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), coordinated by the Community Studies Center. The Valley and Ridge Project is modeled after the Piedmont Project of Emory University and the Ponderosa Project of Northern Arizona University.
Past Projects and Participants
The Valley & Ridge Project has been hosted every May from 2008-2011. Faculty and staff collaborators have included Jeffery Niemitz (Earth Science), Timothy Wahls (Computer Science), Jenn Halpin (Director, Dickinson College Organic Farm), Julie Vastine (Director, ALLARM), Carol Loeffler (Biology), Pete Sak (Earth Sciences), Candie Wilderman (Environmental Studies), Gene Wingert (Biology/Environmental Studies), Susan Rose (Community Studies Center) and Shalom Staub (Academic Affairs). The project is now coordinated by the Center for Sustainability Education (CSE).
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| Valley & Ridge Participants at Wagoners Gap, 2009 |
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Valley & Ridge Participants at Wagoners Gap, 2008 |
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| And the tradition continues! Participants, 2010 |
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Participants 2011
• Amy Witter, Chemistry
• Vanessa Tyson, Political Science
• Dave Richeson, Mathematics
• Tony Pires, Biology
• Ted Merwin, Religion
• Greg Howard, Environmental Studies
• Neil Diamant, East Asian Studies
• Alyssa DeBlasio, Russian
• Kristen Brubaker, GIS
Participants 2010
• Jessica Westin, Anthropology
• Lucile Duperron, French & Italian
• Mara Donaldson, Religion
• Meghan Reedy, Classics
• Wilson Bell, History
• David Sarcone, International Business and Management
• Antje Pfannkuchen, German
• Jennifer Froelich, Mathematics
• Susannah Bartlow, Women's and Gender Studies
Participants 2009
• Daniel Cozort, Religion, Buddhism and the Environment
• Alex Bates, East Asian Studies, Nature and the Environment in Japanese Literature and Film
• Amy Farrell, American Studies & Women's and Gender Studies, Mass Media and American Culture
• Michael Fratantuono, International Business and Management and International Studies
Going Green, the Dickinson Experience
• James Hoefler, Policy Studies, Land Use Planning and Transportation
• Andrea Lieber, Religion, Teaching Jewish Environmental Ethics
• Andy Skelton, Psychology,The Environment in Social Psychology
• Nicola Tynan, Economics, Economics of Resource Sustainability
Participants 2008
• Pauline Cullen, Sociology, Global Inequality
• Sylvie Davidson, French & Italian, Food and Power
• John Henson, Biology, Infection versus Immunity
• Sinan Koont, Economics, Political Economy of the Third World
• Ash Nichols, English, Thoreau, Wilderness, and American Writing
• Michael Poulton, International Business and Management, Marketing in a Global Context
• Dan Schubert, Sociology, Geology and Sociology of Disasters
• Helen Takacs, International Business and Management, Fundamentals of Business.
Who should apply?
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The Valley & Ridge Study Group is an interdisciplinary faculty study group for those wishing to incorporate sustainability concepts, problems or solutions new or existing courses. Participation from all academic divisions is encouraged to bring together a group representing the broad diversity of fields of study at Dickinson. Faculty Stipend: $1000
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What happens durinG valley & ridge?
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Faculty and teaching staff are invited to explore methodologies by which the Dickinson community can meaningfully integrate sustainability through a variety of approaches, including place-based study, experiential learning, service learning and other pedagogies. Participants will have the opportunity to extend pedagogical and research interests across disciplines and create new networks with colleagues. Participants spend 2-1/2 days in May discussing ideas and developing plans for the content and pedagogy for their courses, exploring local and campus resources available for living laboratory projects, sustainability topics, new research, and have the opportunity to network with one another. During the academic year, CSE organizes events for the participants to share their experiences teaching their new and revised courses with each other and with other faculty.
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products
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Over the summer the participants produce new or revised syllabi for their sustainability courses, and meet to share and discuss the outcomes of their work.
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Local and Global Connections
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The resources mentioned above will enhance educational connections between the classroom and co-curricular activities, campus sustainability operations and global education. Of particular emphasis are connections to Dickinson's outstanding Global Education program, use of college-owned living laboratory opportunities such as the college farm and ALLARM, and student engagement in community service through learning projects promoting place-based sustainability engagement.
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Application Details
to apply
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Please download and submit the CSE Grant and Workshop Application.
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participants agreement
2012
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As a stipend-receiving participant in the Valley & Ridge workshop, faculty agree to:
• Read pre-workshop materials
• Participate in the kick off dinner and full 2-day workshop in May
• Commit time in the summer to preparing a new or revised syllabus for a course (priority will be
given to those being taught in the 2012-13 academic year).
• Reconvene in August 2012 to report on your progress and submit
• Provide CSE with the new course syllabus, related documents, and a 1 page summary of
your work, the role of V&R in developing the course/module, and final outcomes
• Serve as a resource to future Valley & Ridge participants and other faculty
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deadlines
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Applications for Valley and Ridge 2012 are being accepted through April 20. Applications should be sent to lyonsli@dickinson.edu.
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