Most students enter the ENVS Program because they are genuinely passionate about environmental concerns. Our interests and backgrounds are incredibly varied, and everyone has a unique repertoire of projects and interests. As the program website describes, this major is characterized by an emphasis on “cutting-edge scholarship on environmental issues” that requires “new approaches and fresh thinking.” What draws students to this interdisciplinary major is that we are not confined to a single definition of what falls into environmental studies and are therefore encouraged to draw our own connections.
Many students take advantage of the ample resources available by pursuing their own independent research. For those interested, check out the special initiatives page on the Lewis and Clark website to see some of the grants that have made this growth possible. Students may join on with a professor to participate in an ongoing research project or may even work in conjuncture with a professor to create a new one. For those students with completely unique interests there is the option to design their own research and get credit for it by taking ENVS 499, Independent Study. Many students utilize this independent study opportunity to carry out research that will further their concentration or area of interest.
One example of this ENVS 499 opportunity is Jesse Simpson’s independent study that builds on his concentration topic of gentrification and transportation by focusing on conditions specific to Portland. His exploration of the relationship between land value and transit is just one of his many posts written during the course of the project that demonstrates his ability to use multiple methods, including geographic information systems, to complement each other. Jessie provides a thorough summary of the existing theories surrounding gentrification and then applies them to Portland using census data, among other methods. The conclusions of his project reject the assertion that revitalization planning and transit are unconnected with gentrification, and he states that “the logic of allocation of land as a commodity and the scarce funding available for affordable housing ensures that where revitalization succeeds, displacement follows.” Overall, the project’s implications stretch beyond Lewis and Clark, and even beyond Portland, to examine larger issues of equity and transit.
An exciting current project is one by Alex Groher-Jick, Blake Slattengren and Kori Groenveld that critiques sustainability in higher education. The project, supervised by Department Director Jim Proctor, complicates aspects of sustainability, such as how it is reported. This post by Blake Slattengren examines some background literature on the GRI reporting system and draws connections to their project. Kori Groenveld then builds on the ongoing critique of reporting guidelines by adding to the discussion of transparency measures. These students’ work involves building connections with other colleges as well as experts in the field, which helps establish our school’s role in the larger web of environmental research.
For students whose interest extend to the global sphere there are opportunities to pursue their own research in conjunction with study abroad trips. Many students take advantage of grant opportunities to extend their study abroad trips or create their own for independent expeditions. Lex Shapiro extended her study abroad in Bolivia in order to combine her passions by investigating the role of globalization and perceptions of place in Samaipata. One of Lex’s final products is a film she created, proving the immense range of skills our ENVS students have. Lewis and Clark’s small size means you may not always find a class in your particular niche interest, but this may be overcome by using the resources available to create your own project or independent study.
A recurring theme exhibited in these projects is the students’ abilities to scrutinize the sources they use and then synthesize them to form their own arguments. Blake’s assertion demonstrates this by critiquing the validity of the sources instead of simply accepting all the presented arguments.
In addition, I am left unconvinced of the argument that the focus on organizational sustainability leads to less impact than ecological sustainability.
Lex also demonstrates this ability to take in multiple sources and reflect coherently when she reaches the following conclusion regarding the transition movement in Samaipata.
Although genuine in intention, I’ve come to the conclusion that the movement is composed of many contradictions and requires further critical analysis.
These projects often center on topics that resonate with the student organizers in some way, as evidenced by the immense time and effort put into producing them. The required courses alone for ENVS may seem overwhelming at times but for those students who take on the challenge of additional research the payoff is great. Having an independent research project to show for all your hard work is an effective way to demonstrate the unique combination of interests that set you apart.