green ink

Newsletter of the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Michigan State University
ESPP serves as an umbrella for environmental research and graduate education at Michigan State
University. ESPP’s newsletter and Web site - [Link] - highlight the
interdisciplinary environmental work of faculty, staff and students at MSU.

Volume 4 Issue 1 December 2008

Faculty research

MSU researchers study globalization with NSF grant

M
ichigan State Uni- was built.
versity researchers Kramer said the group has
have received a $1 already observed changes in
million grant from the National the villagers’ attitudes about
Science Foundation’s program development. When news ini-
in Coupled Natural and Human tially spread that a Japanese
Systems to study the effects of aid agency had put up money
globalization on remote com- for building the road, the major-
munities. ity of villagers were “very, very
The researchers will con- excited,” he said. But more re-
duct a five-year study of “glo- cently, “there was more negative
balization from the perspective feeling, as they saw things they
of households,” said principal hadn’t anticipated,” like damage
investigator Dan Kramer, an as- to the road from heavy trucks
sistant professor jointly appoint- and an influx of vendors selling
ed by Fisheries and Wildlife and their wares on the roadside. Cell
James Madison College. phone towers have even begun
Also working on the project popping up in the area.
are Andrea Allen, Anthropology; Urquhart said another pro-
Aaron McCright, Lyman Briggs posed road has met with hostility Photo courtesy of Gerald Urquhart
College and Sociology; Jiaguo from villagers. from the capital. Kramer said communities.
Qi, Geography; and Gerald “The people in the town of easier access to markets could Kramer said the group’s find-
Urquhart, Lyman Briggs Col- Monkey Point have been really adversely impact local ecosys- ings could have real world appli-
lege. resistant to it,” he said. When tems by encouraging farmers cations. By studying the effects
The study focuses on a government officials arrived in to plant crops that are “suited to of globalization, he said, they
group of villages on the “Mos- the village to discuss plans for export, but not suited to being hope to “assist communities in
quito Coast” of Nicaragua. the road, their helicopter was grown in that part of Nicaragua.” anticipating those effects. We’re
Before a road linking one of “pretty much attacked.” Other studies have focused hoping that some policy changes
them to the capital, Managua There have also been notice- on globalization’s effects on na- come out of this.”
was completed in 2007, it took a able changes in local markets, tions or regions, and have ig- Urquhart said the project will
charter flight followed by a long Kramer said. Produce vendors nored the “really complex set of also show “how globalization is
boat ride to reach any of the vil- now bring fruits and vegetables drivers” that cause changes in affecting the last wild places on
lages. The group will study the from Managua markets to sell to households, Kramer said. earth. That’s where we stand to
road’s effects on household re- the villagers. Local fishermen The MSU study will more lose the most species.”
source use, farming and fishing, have quit selling their shrimp to closely examine factors like For more on the project, visit
through comparisons to baseline wholesalers, and instead gather market access, technological [Link]/ni-
data collected before the road on the roadside to sell to buyers change and migration between caragua.

[Link]
274 Giltner Hall all stories written by Andy McGlashen
East Lansing, MI 48824 design by Andy Balaskovitz
t: 517-432-8296 edited by Maya Fischhoff
f: 517-432-8830
Inside this issue... Letter from the Director

MSU researchers study 1 Climate change and

globalization with NSF grant
sustainability science at MSU:
Letter from the Director 2
Building on strengths
“The Wildnerness Debate 3
Rages On” This academic year is a time for look- based on developing a bio-based and
ing forward and planning new directions sustainable economy.
MSU researcher wins 4 for the future. At the national level, the For Michigan, the shift away from
climate change award environment, and in particular climate fossil fuel use will be based on effi-
change, is at the top of the agenda. ciency, wind power and biofuels. Our
New faculty and students at 5-6 The National Academies have been re- emerging approach involves develop-
ESPP and MSU quested by Congress to conduct a ma- ing these three bases for the bioecon-
jor study of America’s Climate Choices omy in an integrated way that takes
([Link] I account of how such technologies can
News briefs: A roundup of 7-8 am honored to serve as Deputy Chair of be phased in, the synergies and trad-
MSU environmental activities the Panel on Advancing the Science of eoffs among them and the full set of
Climate Change and as a member of the environmental and social benefits, costs
ESPP staffer helps build 9 Committee on America’s Climate Choic- and risks associated with them.
green float es that will overview I see these efforts as part of the
the process. emerging emphasis on sustainability
There will be a Sum- science at MSU. This approach builds
mit on America’s on our successes. Graduates from
FROM THE EDITOR Climate Choices on the Doctoral Specialization in Environ-
30-31 March 2009 mental Science and Policy are finding
This semester – my in Washington. At top-flight academic jobs. This summer
first as ESPP’s news the end of 2009 the we will launch the new Environmental
writer – has been nations of the world Policy Specialization that will be open
packed with honors for will meet in Copen- to master’s and Ph.D. students. Our
faculty and students, hagen to negotiate first students in the new program with
exciting work by a successor to the Zhejiang University are on campus. A
MSU’s environmental Kyoto Protocols. new course in Sustainability Science is
researchers and lots The science of climate change is shift- moving through the curriculum approval
of new faces in the ing from a primary focus on understand- process. Using these approaches as
ESPP community. To better spread ing the global dynamics of the climate models we will continue to explore new
such news in coming semesters, we’re system to more emphasis on mitigation curricula and new ways of integrating
re-tooling our Web site, and preparing and adaptation. MSU is well poised to research.
to launch a blog that will allow us to be a global leader in this new era. We ESPP continues the self-assessment
share information in a more dynamic have a well-honed approach to adapta- process that began two years ago. The
and interactive format. Please watch for tion research that begins with downscal- Program Advisory Group, the faculty
these changes in coming weeks, and as ing climate models to the regional scale, teaching in the Doctoral Specialization,
always, we would love to get your input linking with expertise in the coupled hu- the faculty with appointments in ESPP
on our communications efforts. You can man and natural systems that will be af- and ESPP graduate students, as well
reach me at amcglashen@[Link]. fected, deploying expertise in decision as the partner deans are involved in ac-
Thanks, and enjoy this edition of Green making and engaging with stakeholders tive discussions of future directions for
Ink! from the start. This approach builds on ESPP. As part of this, we are currently
our strengths at broadly interdisciplinary discussing how ESPP will be configured
work and will serve as a national model to meet emerging challenges.
Environmental Science and of how to understand climate impacts I hope you will actively engage in
Policy Program at MSU and adaptation to them. We are also these visioning and planning processes
Thomas Dietz director developing an approach to mitigation over the coming semester.
Joe Arvai associate director
Maya Fischhoff assistant director
Marcy Heberer assistant to the director
Derek Moy webmaster
Andy McGlashen news writer
Andy Balaskovitz assistant web editor

2 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

Faculty publication

‘The Wilderness Debate Rages On’: Scholar

investigates conflicts over meaning of wilderness
With his latest book, Michael “The debate over the concept of wilderness many ways,” he said, “so po-
Nelson aims to bring new sitions have become pretty
depth and civility to an old has an almost religious tone to it in many entrenched.”
and often stormy debate. ways, so positions have become pretty Such animosity has made
The associate professor the wilderness debate, as well
of environmental ethics and entrenched.” as discussion of other envi-
philosophy at Michigan State ronmental topics, “tragically
co-edited The Wilderness De- Michael Nelson shallow,” according to Nelson,
bate Rages On, now available who added that a black-and-
from the University of Georgia Aldo Leopold. added, because “generally white argument between sup-
Press. Nelson said that, unlike the speaking, wilderness would porters of preservation and of
It’s been previous book, The Wilder- have a more solid foundation wise use is “outmoded, inac-
10 years ness Debate Rages On con- for protection that way.” curate, and a wee bit danger-
since Nelson, tains “more narrative” pieces Nelson said reaction to The ous.”
with co-editor from Marilynne Robinson, Great New Wilderness Debate “We fail to understand
J. Baird Call- Wendell Berry and others, was at times hostile – some intellectual history, critical
icott of the and even includes environmentalists thinking,” he said. “We fail to
University of fiction, in addition accused him of ask the really important ques-
North Texas, to more standard “giving ammuni- tions, and, I would say, as a
Nelson released The academic essays. tion to the enemy” result we fail to even under-
Great New It also includes – and that the de- stand or try to understand
Wilderness Debate, a wide- several essays by bate itself has be- what our problems are in the
ranging collection of essays early 20th century come “sort of dog- first place.”
on the meaning of wilderness ecologists, whose matic,” with both Nelson said The Wilder-
and the conflicts that can arise writings on wilder- sides resorting to ness Debate Rages On is
when people disagree on that ness as a venue for name-calling and highly accessible, and that he
meaning. scientific study are even, as Nelson hopes it can spark informed,
It included essays in sup- virtually unknown. and Callicott il- critical thinking that will yield
port of preservation and some “People might lustrate in the in- more fruitful, civilized discus-
in favor of “wise use” of wil- know the names of the scien- troduction to The Wilderness sion.
derness, with contributions tists, but they don’t know they Debate Rages On, the occa- “I have a wild faith in the
from scientists, contempo- wrote about wilderness,” Nel- sional death threat. ability of rational discourse to
rary environmental thinkers, son said. “Nobody listened to “The debate over the con- at least eventually lend civility
and icons like Henry David them.” cept of wilderness has an to nearly any discourse,” he
Thoreau, John Muir and That’s unfortunate, he almost religious tone to it in said, “including this one.”

Photo courtesy of Flickr

3 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

Faculty award

MSU researcher wins international

competition for new climate policy design
A paper by a Michigan State tries. As more nations join, the in Michigan.” generation of biofuels,” he said.
University researcher has been fine could be increased, giv- Jinhua was hired as part of Jinhua said researching
awarded first prize in an inter- ing further incentive for com- an MSU initiative focused on biofuels is important because
national competition address- pliance. The fine would also the bioeconomy – that is, an it can make nations and busi-
ing global climate change. give nations a reason to moni- economy based on renewable nesses start to think in the long
Jinhua term about energy policy. As
Zhao, an as- renewable fuels become more
sociate pro-
“I see lots of potential for collaboration with col- viable, he said, they may begin
fessor in the leagues. I also see a lot of potential for the bio- to challenge the market power
Department economy in Michigan.” of oil companies.
of Agricultur- Born and raised in northern
al, Food and China, Jinhua earned his bach-
Jinhua Zhao
Resource elor’s degree from the Universi-
Jinhua Zhao Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics
Economics, ty of Science and Technology in
co-authored the paper with Beijing. He then went to Cana-
Larry Karp of the University tor other members’ emissions, sources of energy and raw ma- da to pursue a newfound inter-
of California, Berkeley. It was thus providing an enforcement terials. He described the field est in agriculture, and earned a
one of 36 submissions, with mechanism. as “a natural nexus between master’s degree in agricultural
authors from 18 countries, Jinhua said the need is great energy and global climate economics from the University
to the Harvard Project on Inter- for an effective agreement to change,” since it seeks to end of Guelph in Ontario.
national Climate Agreements. cut greenhouse gas emissions. dependence on greenhouse He also holds a Ph.D. in
The paper puts forth a “It’s something we know we gas-emit- agricultural
framework for a successor to have to do. Otherwise, there’s ting fossil economics
the Kyoto Protocol, an inter- a very high probability that fuels. from Berke-
national agreement to reduce we’re on a track with disaster,” While he ley, where
greenhouse gas emissions that he said. said there he studied
is set to ex- But even if targets for are major under his
pire in 2012. greenhouse gas emissions are challenges future col-
“We’ve exceeded, Jinhua said, climate in moving l a b o r a t o r,
always been change will persist, and scien- toward a Larry Karp.
bothered by tists must also study ways of bioecono- From 2005
many aspects living in a warmer world. my, Jinhua to 2007 Ji-
of the Kyoto “Now, in addition to abate- remains nhua was a
Protocol,” ment, we realize we have to optimistic. co-editor of
Karp said Jinhua. study mitigation,” he said. “Ad- “When peo- the Journal
Specifically, aptation, I think, is going to be ple realize of Environ-
he said, the United States isn’t a major issue.” there’s a problem, we work re- mental Economics and Man-
part of the treaty, and other ma- Having worked for Iowa ally hard on the solutions,” he agement. He still serves on the
jor nations fulfill only minimal State University since 1997, said. editorial council of that journal,
obligations. The agreement Jinhua came to MSU this year, For instance, though the en- and on that of the Review of
also lacks an effective enforce- drawn by opportunities for in- vironmental credentials of corn- Development Economics.
ment mechanism. “These are terdisciplinary research, espe- based ethanol have come under CO2 photograph courtesy
sticking points that need to be cially in the alternative energy question, Jinhua sees an oppor- of Ken Dorning, an academic
resolved,” he added. field. “I see lots of potential for tunity to “kickstart long-term so- from the University of Sheffield
Jinhua and Karp’s proposal collaboration with colleagues,” lutions. Through corn ethanol we in England. This work can be
includes an “escape clause,” he said. “I also see a lot of begin to understand the scale of found at [Link]
under which countries can potential for the bioeconomy effort that is needed for the next tos/sorby/258577150/.
withdraw from the agreement if
cutting emissions becomes too
costly. However, nations that
invoke the clause would have
to pay a fine, which would be
split between member coun-

4 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

New faculty at ESPP
ESPP welcomes two new joint hires dedicated to interdisciplinary research
Louie Rivers Laura Schmitt Olabisi
To most peo- Kentucky State and Purdue. She’s an tion and food production. By
ple, risk is The research examines the Ivy League creating multiple scenarios of
something to perception by black farmers in graduate and what the state’s mid-century
be avoided. the South of risks associated a Ph.D., but environment might look like, the
But for Louie with microbial contaminants in Laura Schmitt group hopes to form strategies
Rivers, en- food. Olabisi is no to make communities more re-
vironmental He may also join an MSU elitist. silient and adaptable in the face
risk has been Criminal Justice project that Of course of environmental change.
the basis of a career. seeks to combat open-air drug we need science to work on the “The idea is to help these
The assistant professor, markets. problems associated with global communities set their priorities
jointly appointed by ESPP and Thanks to his father’s ca- climate change, she said, “but now, so they can get on the
Criminal Justice, comes to MSU reer in the Army, Rivers has farmers have an equally impor- right track,” she said. “It’s about
from Washington, D.C., where also lived in Oklahoma, North tant kind of knowledge.” scientists serving the commu-
he worked for two years in the Carolina and Kentucky; he ma- The new assistant profes- nity and working on issues that
National Science Foundation’s jored in biology and minored in sor, jointly appointed by ESPP matter to them.”
Decision, Risk and Manage- chemistry as an undergrad at and the Department of Commu- After earning a bachelor’s
ment Sciences program. Kentucky State. nity, Agriculture, Recreation and degree in environmental sci-
Before that he was at Ohio His latest move is a fairly low- Resource Studies, said the best ence from Brown University,
State, where he earned a mas- risk venture; he’s visited MSU work on climate change uses she got her Ph.D. in systems
ter’s degree in natural resourc- for seminars and research, and both of those kinds of knowl- ecology from the State Univer-
es with a focus on environmen- has close ties to ESPP. edge, combining quantitative sity of New York in Syracuse.
tal education, and a doctorate Rivers worked with Associ- research with public engage- “At some point in college I
in risk perception and decision ate Director Joe Arvai when ment. had the epiphany that the larg-
making – especially among mi- they were both at Ohio State, “I think the most cutting est problems facing humanity
norities – in an environmental and said he’s excited about edge institutes are going in that at the turn of the millennium are
context. future collaboration with his for- direction, including Michigan environmental problems,” she
In the spring, Rivers will join mer colleague. State,” she said. “That’s the said.
Carole Gibbs and Meredith “Of course we have a lot of kind of work that I’m most ex- Environmental awareness
Gore in teaching three online overlapping interests,” he said. cited about.” must run in the family; her sister
courses that constitute a mas- “I’m really looking forward to It’s also the kind of work she’s is a graduate student in MSU’s
ter’s certificate in conservation working more often with him.” been doing since early 2007 as Department of Fisheries and
criminology: environmental risk Rivers said he’s also excited a post-doctoral researcher at Wildlife.
perception and decision mak- about working with Director the University of Minnesota. And when Schmitt Olabisi
ing; international environmental Thomas Dietz, and about mov- Schmitt Olabisi has been starts work at MSU in January, it
risk; and corporate environmen- ing to MSU. working with a project called won’t be just a family reunion of
tal risk. “It’s a good institution,” he Minnesota 2050, which com- sorts, but also a homecoming;
This fall he’ll continue work said. “I think it will be a nice bines public input with quan- she grew up in another university
on a five-year research proj- change from D.C. It’s a great titative studies on issues like town in Michigan that shall go un-
ect undertaken by Ohio State, place for outdoor activities.” energy use, home construc- named here.

ESPP launches first round of networking events Attendees at

ESPP’s first
Given Michigan State’s sprawling cam- in the Kellogg Center. Each focuses environmental
pus and the wide-ranging interests of on a particular area of research and research event
on sustainabil-
its environmental researchers, it’s use- features short presentations by faculty
ity science.
ful occasionally to get members of the experts.
ESPP community together in one room Events last semester covered sus-
where they can talk about their work tainability science, water, environmen- Photo by
and find new ways to collaborate. tal policy, and coupled human and nat- Andy
That’s the idea behind a series of ural systems. Check the ESPP Web McGlashen
networking events, begun this year, site for details on more networking
organized by ESPP and held monthly events in the spring semester.

5 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

New students at ESPP
Students in ESPP’s doctoral specialization explore how diverse disciplines conceptualize environmental
science and policy. Some of our new students are profiled below; more profiles will be in the Spring newsletter.

Fry to study conservation Clements explores intersection of Tanis protects forests through
criminology environment and health science

F J S
or new ohn Cle- ara Tanis
E S P P ments is came to
student staking out Michigan
Jessica Fry, it was a career where State to protect
a busy beginning to environmental what she loves.
this fall semester. policy meets hu- “The main rea-
Just four days man health. son I came back to
before arriving in Clements plans school is because I
East Lansing, Fry was in the Netherlands to earn his Ph.D. in sociology from MSU love working in my
– where she was born and has spent much by studying environmental public health in yard,” she said. “I love trees.”
of her life – successfully defending her mas- the Caribbean and Central America. One Tanis has been working particularly
ter’s thesis, which concerned new methods potential project would study the health of hard to save trees from the emerald
of regulating hog manure. workers in the chemical-intensive banana ash borer, an invasive insect that has
She earned her bachelor’s in ecology industry. killed count-
and biodiversity from the University of Am- “For me the interest is finding out what less ash trees in
sterdam, and worked for a short time as a they’re exposed to and what effect it has Michigan alone. “The emerald
police officer in that city, but “missed the on their health,” he said. Her master’s ash borer is
science component” of her education, and By educating workers, business owners thesis observed
went back to earn a master’s degree in fo- and public officials about the health effects how insecticides
more than
rensic science. of chemicals, Clements said he hopes to marked with car- just an en-
While at Michigan State last fall, taking help improve the lax environmental regula- bon-14 move vironmental
advantage of a University of Amsterdam tions of some Caribbean nations. through ash
policy that allows students to fulfill elective “The basic policy (of banana plantation trees, to deter-
problem. It’s a
requirements abroad, Fry met Carole Gibbs, owners) is, ‘If the workers don’t want to mine where best policy problem.
an assistant professor of criminal justice. put up with it, we’ll find people who will,’” to make anti-ash It’s a political
Gibbs sparked her interest in conservation he said. borer injections.
criminology, an emerging field that draws on His interest in policy was sparked while She also focus-
problem.”
multiple disciplines to examine environmen- he was working as an environmental con- es on “trying to
tal crimes, harms and risks. sultant, after earning a bachelor’s degree learn how to live Sara Tanis
“If I hadn’t met her I wouldn’t have known in biology from Aquinas College. That with it and edu-
how to proceed from there,” she said of work gave Clements a glimpse of the ma- cate people not
Gibbs. jor influence exerted by oil companies on to move firewood,” to stop the expan-
Fry said she’s broadly interested in en- state and national bodies that developed sion of the pest’s range.
vironmental crime, and hopes to narrow regulations for pollution cleanup. Tanis said she’s excited about the
her focus as she gets accustomed to “the “And I thought, ‘This just isn’t right. ESPP specialization in part because of
social science thinking in the Criminal Jus- There have to be other ways of develop- its policy dimension.
tice program.” And given her educational ing policy,’” he said. “It’ll be really interesting for me, be-
background, she said, she’s eager to get to He then went to Oregon State to cause the emerald ash borer is more
know ESPP students and faculty who study study how agricultural chemicals get into than just an environmental problem.
agriculture. groundwater, and earned his master’s It’s a policy problem. It’s a political
degree from Grand Valley State by exam- problem.”
ining the economic impact of Michigan’s The Ludington, Mich. native earned
environmental nonprofits. He has spent her bachelor’s degree in biology from
the last 10 years developing educational Western Michigan University and her
More student profiles programs and researching public health master’s in horticulture from MSU,
available at
for Saginaw-based Synergy Medical. where she’s now working toward a
[Link]
Clements enjoys painting and travel, Ph.D. in forestry.
and is married with two kids, aged 12 and Tanis is “married with dogs,” and
17. “When I’m not studying, I’m hanging out enjoys gardening, fishing, hiking and
with them,” he said. spending time with family.

6 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

NEWS briefs
It’s impossible to capture all the environment-related work occurring at MSU in one newsletter. Below are briefs
about some activities and achievements. More information is posted on the ESPP Web site’s “Breaking News”
section. We also send out monthly updates: to subscribe, contact espp@[Link].

Biofuels research influencing science and policy Students take award for renewable argument

Policymakers have a brief opportunity “Environmen- A team of MSU students won

to protect the environment from po- second place in a student envi-
tential harm caused by the fledgling
tal standards are ronmental challenge at the Air
biofuels industry, needed now... But and Waste Management Asso-
Phil Robertson few farmers use all ciation’s annual conference in
(Crop and Soil Portland, Oregon in August. The
Sciences) and co-
of the best available challenge required students to ar-
authors wrote in practices because gue for or against a proposed In-
the October 3 is- there are limited in- tegrated Gasification Combined
sue of the journal Cycle coal facility meant to serve
Science.
centives - and many the Pacific Northwest. MSU’s team decided against the plant, opt-
“Environmen- disincentives - for ing instead for a medley of renewables. Kudos to Rebecca Hullman
Robertson tal standards are them to do so.” (ESPP and Environmental Engineering), Michael Collins (Journalism),
needed now, before Lauren Olson (CARRS), Tan Zhao (Environmental Engineering), and
the industry moves out of its research Brandon Knight.
Phil Robertson
and development phase,” Robertson
Crop and Soil Sciences
said. “We can soften the environ- ESPP student wins NASA fellowship
mental impacts by using strategies
such as no-till farming to minimize erosion and planting cover crops Carolina Santos, a doctoral student in Geography and ESPP, earned
to sequester carbon and reduce nitrogen and phosphorus run-off. But a two-year Earth Systems Science Fellowship from NASA. She’ll re-
few farmers use all of the best available practices because there are ceive $30,000 per year to pursue her research on land use in Colom-
limited incentives –and many disincentives – for them to do so.” bia. The fellowship supports training of interdisciplinary scientists to
Robertson and Doug Landis (Entomology) also testified last sum- support the study of the Earth as a system, with a particular emphasis
mer before Congress on the sustainability of cellulosic biofuels. on using observations and measurements from NASA’s Earth orbiting
satellites.
New center to help farmers turn waste into energy
Students earn agricultural economics honors
MSU’s new Anaerobic Digestion Research and Education Center will
develop technologies to help small and mid-sized farms turn animal Wei Zhang and Daniel Mooney, both of MSU’s Department of Agri-
waste into electricity, heat and other valuable products. The Center cultural, Food, and Resource Economics, received awards for envi-
seeks to improve quality of life for rural residents and “turn an environ- ronment-related theses from the American Agricultural Economics As-
mental and economic liability into a public and private asset,” said lead sociation at its 2008 meeting. Zhang won Honorable Mention for her
investigator Wei Liao (Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering). dissertation, “Optimal Pest Management in the Presence of Natural
Pest Control Services,” while Daniel Mooney took Honorable Men-
ESPP director advises Congress on climate policy tion for his thesis entitled “The Economic Impact of Disease-Resistant
Bean Breeding Research in Northern Ecuador.”
It seems all but certain that the next Congress will take legislative ac-
tion on climate change, and when it does, ESPP Director Thomas Di-
Leopold Leadership Fellow to focus on public communi-
etz will be among its advisers.
The National Academy of Sciences tapped Dietz to help lead a $6
cation of science
million study called America’s Climate Choices. The two-year study
Scott Swinton, professor in the Department of Agri-
will assess short and long-term strategies for slowing and adapting
cultural, Food and Resource Economics, was one
to climate change, and will identify challenges and new directions for
of 19 environmental researchers from across North
research.
America selected as an Aldo Leopold Leadership
Dietz said MSU takes a unique approach to climate change re-
Fellows for 2008. The program helps scientists
search, and that the appointment speaks highly of the MSU model.
become stronger communicators with audiences
“There is a lot being done around campus on climate change, and this
outside of academia, including journalists and poli-
is a huge validation of that,” he said. cymakers. Swinton’s areas of research include en-
Swinton vironmental economics, ecosystem services, pest

7 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

management, sustainable agriculture, natural capital and agricultural strive to promote water safety and global health.”
issues.
“Like many MSU professors, I’ve learned how to reach academic Salchow, Link, Kinch help students design eco posters
audiences via classroom teaching, journal article publications and
conference presentations,” Swinton said. “But making scientific learn-
An interdisciplinary effort led to students creating posters that put an
ing accessible to the general public and to policymakers is a greater
environmental twist on popular political slogans. Students taking cours-
challenge.” es in Writing, Rhetoric and American Cultures (WRAC) and Art and
Art History designed posters with slogans like “I Like Bike” and “Wind
National Wildlife Federation Power to the People” to coordinate with the presidential election. Post-
applauds MSU’s sustainability ers are available online through MSU’s Office of Campus Sustainability
efforts ([Link]). Course leaders were Kelly Salchow (Art and
Art History), John Kinch (WRAC), and Terry Link (Office of Campus
MSU received high marks in a new na- Sustainability).
tional report card from the National Wild-
life Federation that gauges how well insti-
tutions of higher education are recycling,
conserving energy and water, protecting
wildlife habitat and teaching environmental
education. MSU is widely acknowledged
for diverse environmental efforts, from the
Office of Campus Sustainability to the “Be Spartan Green” operations
initiative. In 2006, the university joined the Chicago Climate Exchange
and committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Green roof guru recognized for research

Brad Rowe (Horticulture) received the Research

Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for Healthy
Cities (GRHC) at the 2008 International Green Roof
Conference. “Brad is an outstanding researcher
and green roof advocate. His work’s impact has
ranged across different cultures and scientific dis-
ciplines and he has shared his knowledge of green
Announcement
roofs with people from undergraduates to Members
Rowe
of Congress,” says the GRHC Web site. “He is also
a very personable scientist, taking time to give tours Call for Doctoral Recruiting Fellowships
of his own Michigan State University green roofs, as well as give talks
to other organizations about the benefits of green roofs.” Each year, ESPP offers several two-year Doctoral Recruiting
Fellowships for entering students. The goal of these fellowships
Kay Gross honored by Ecological Society of America is to attract the strongest possible cohort of students to pursue
doctoral education focused on the environment at MSU.
Kay Gross (Kellogg Biological Station and Students must be nominated by their intended home depart-
Plant Biology) received the Ecological Society ment; departments, in turn, are limited to two nominations. Stu-
of America’s (ESA) Distinguished Service Cita- dents may not apply directly for these fellowships but should
tion. Gross “is renowned in the ecological com- work with their intended home department to prepare their ap-
munity for both her scientific contributions to plication materials.
plant ecology and her contributions to develop- Departmental nominations are due January 30. For more in-
ing the institutional infrastructure of the field,” formation, contact Joe Arvai at arvai@[Link].
according to the ESA.
Gross
Researcher wins award for work on water and health

Joan Rose (Fisheries and Wildlife) is the winner of

the International Water Association’s (IWA) Hei-jin
Woo Award, which recognizes outstanding work
by a woman engineer or scientist in the water field.
Rose “has advanced the field by examining key
parasites and viruses as waterborne pathogens,”
according to IWA. “Her work has had local, national
Rose and international impacts and she continues to

8 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

Promoting sustainability

Local high schoolers, ESPP staffer build green float

East Lansing High School
used to spend about $750 per
class on homecoming floats.
But among the floats that came
rolling down Burcham Drive in
this fall’s parade, there was
one with a much smaller price
tag – roughly 50 bucks.
ESPP staffer Marcy He-
berer, an adviser to the ju-
nior class at ELHS, said the
school has tried to be more
socially and environmentally
conscious in recent years.
Instead of building a float for
each class, the school now
builds only two – one for fresh-
men and sophomores, another
shared by juniors and seniors.
They’ve donated the savings
to charities.
But Heberer still wasn’t sat-
isfied.
“I started thinking, Why
spend any money on a float?”
she said.
She pitched the idea of a
“green float” to students, who
she said “really embraced it.”
To fit this year’s disco theme, water bottles to form a skirt a disco ball. “We were really happy with it.
the upperclassmen built their around the float. Flat, Black Clancey D’isa, ju-
and Circular, a used record nior class president
It was a lot easier than dealing
float almost entirely from re-
cycled materials. shop in East Lansing, donated at ELHS, said there with all the chicken wire and
With the help of MSU’s Of- old album covers for deco- was positive reaction stuff. Plus, we could get really
fice of Campus Sustainabil- ration. Foil from a previous to the float from the
year’s float was used to make community and from
creative without feeling bad
ity, students gathered empty
students. about wasting anything.”
“We were really
happy with it,” she Clancey D’isa
said. East Lansing High School
“It was a lot easier junior class president
than dealing with all
the chicken wire and
stuff. Plus, we could think it could get to be compet-
get really creative without feel- itive this way,” she said. “Who
ing bad about wasting any- can be cheapest and make the
thing.” wackiest stuff?”
The students didn’t just
avoid waste – by saving mon-
ey on building materials, they
were able to give $1,000 worth
of non-perishable food to
the Greater Lansing Food
Bank.
Heberer said this year’s
green float could be the be-
Photos courtesy of Marcy Heberer ginning of a trend at ELHS. “I

9 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008

 michigan state university
274 giltner hall
east lansing, mi 48824

10 green ink | vol. 4 issue 1 december 2008