Taloe Murphy Jr. visits Sweet Briar

The former Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Students, Taloe Murphy, Jr. visited Sweet Briar to give the keynote address for the 2006 Waxter Environmental Forum. Mr. Murphy spoke at length about the Chesapeake Bay crisis and gave students and faculty a rare insight into the challenges of protecting the Commonwealth's natural resources.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. visits Sweet Briar

Students, faculty and local residents were offered a rare experience on April 27, 2006 when environmental lawyer and author Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. came to Sweet Briar to discuss environmental advocacy. Sponsored by the Department of Environmental Studies and the Center for Civic Renewal, Kennedy discussed current events with a small group of majors before joining the larger community for dinner and a public address. Kennedy, author of the controversial book, Crimes Against Nature: How George W. Bush and His Corporate Pals Are Plundering the Country and Hijacking Our Democracy, was passionate and thought-provoking. The response to Kennedy's message was overwhelmingly positive, with students learning about methods used by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Riverkeepers Network to help protect our environment.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and senior Environmental Science major, Anel Avila discuss the environmental impacts of urban sprawl, the topic of Anel's senior honors thesis.

Environmental Journalist Mark Hertsgaard visits Sweet Briar College

Envirionmental journalist and author, Mark Hertsgaard, visited Sweet Briar College on November 10, 2005 to give the keynote address for the 2005-06 Waxter Environmental Forum. Mr. Hertsgaard is known for traveling the world, exploring important issues from a wide variety of perspectives. In 1998, he published the book, Earth Odyssey: Around the World in Search of Our Environmental Future, in which recounts his multi-year investigation into the causes of and incentives behind environmental degredation in both developed and developing countries. In his latest book, The Eagle's Shadow: Why America Fascinates and Infuriates the World (2002), Mark shares perceptions about America from people in fifteen countries. Just back from Europe, where he was researching a major article on global climate change for Vanity Fair magazine, Mark spent the day visiting classes for a series of informal discussions with students before giving his keynote address to the wider campus and local community in the evening. You cannot read one of Mark's books without gaining significant insights into the world, and we found that to be true of meeting him in person as well.

Orvos Research Group Receives Tribute of Appreciation from EPA

Congressman Bob Goodlatte visited Sweet Briar in October, 2004. While here, he debated environmental policy with our Global Environment class and presented Amherst County a watershed preservation award from the US EPA. As part of the award ceremony, he presented a Tribute of Appreciation to the Orvos Research Group for their work as a county partner.

From left: Jennifer Bragg, Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Carrie Thomas and Leah Reedy

Distinguished scientist E.O. Wilson visits Sweet Briar

The visit of distinguished scientist, E.O. Wilson, was a huge success. Wilson, the Pellegrino Research Professor in Entomology at Harvard University, delivered the keynote address at the 2004-05 Waxter Environmental Forum on October 19, 2004. Two of his books, On Human Nature (1978) and The Ants (1990), have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize. In 1998 he published the book, Consilience, his much praised study of the unity of knowledge. Dr. Wilson's talk, "The Future of Life," was well-received by an enthusiastic sell-out crowd of students, faculty and guests from the local community and from as far away as California.

In addition, Professor Wilson visited with several classes, answering questions and discussing the future of life on Earth with students from across the campus. We are indepted to Professor Wilson for spending this time with us, and to Julia and Bill Waxter for sponsoring his visit.

From left: Liz Tustin, Anel Avila, Kathy Wilson, Nicki Brandt, Lindsey Nash, Professor E.O. Wilson, Jennifer Wolf, Jennifer Bragg and Leah Reedy

Department Awarded Another NSF Grant

Dr. Rebecca Ambers, the department's earth scientist, recently received a Major Research Instrumentation grant of over $73,000 from the National Science Foundation. The funds are primarily designated for the purchase of a computer-driven, powder X-ray diffraction system (XRD). XRD is used to identify the minerals contained within rocks, soil, and sediment samples, and is particularly useful for fine-grained materials such as clays.

Dr. Ambers is using the new equipment in several research projects involving analysis of clay minerals found in lake and stream sediment. She is also integrating the instrument into several of the earth science courses she teaches so that students will have the opportunity to learn about and apply XRD technology first-hand. The new XRD system is a significant addition to the department's array of high-tech scientific equipment and takes its geological analysis capabilities to a new level.

New Conservation Program Debuts in Fall 2004

The newest program option in the Environmental Studies major is the formal concentration in biodiversity conservation. Developed in conjunction with the Department of Biology, the program concentrates on providing a strong multidisciplinary background in ecology, conservation biology, economics, and policy. The program is skills-based, featuring hands-on work in the natural and social sciences to prepare students to handle the increasingly complex issues surrounding conservation today. For more information on the new program, please contact Dr. Robert Alexander.

Sweet Briar students attend scientific meetings in 2004

Two SBC students presented the results of their research at the 39th annual meeting of the Northeastern Section of the Geological Society of America in Washington. Rachael Chilton ('04) gave a presentation entitled "A small dam with a big impact: geomorphology and ecology of two second-order streams in central Virginia," along with co-authors Medora Hackler ('04) and Shannon Smith ('04). Medora also presented a poster, "Where did all the top soil go? Soil formation and erosion in central Virginia," along with her faculty mentor, Dr. Rebecca Ambers.

In addition, eight environmental majors attended the 65th annual meeting of the Association of Southeastern Biologists in Memphis in mid-April. Shannon Smith presented the poster, "Determination of heavy metals concentrations in biosolids applied to agricultural fields in Appomattox County, Virginia," along with co-authors Medora Hackler and Rachael Chilton. Ms. Hackler also gave a talk entitled "A comparison of aquatic macroinvertebrates and fishes in dam-regulated and unregulated streams," co-authored by Shannon Smith and Rachael Chilton.

Students Christy Michaels ('04), Jen Bragg ('05), Leah Reedy ('05), and Carrie Thomas ('04) presented their investigation, "Chemical and biological evaluation of the Buffalo River watershed, Amherst County, Virginia," while Rachael Chilton gave a talk on "Bioaccumulation of mercury in lichen near a coal-fired power plant" with her faculty mentor, Dr. David Orvos. The department is grateful to Juliet Halliburton Davis ('37) for supporting the off-campus endeavors of our majors that enabled our students to fly to Memphis.

The SBC Environmental Education Center

We are pleased and excited to announce that the renovation of the old Water Plant into an Environmental Education and Nature Center is nearly complete! This $120,000 project was graciously supported by alumnae Molly Johnson Nelson ('64), Anne Stuckel Houston ('46), and The Beirne Carter Foundation. The old Water Plant, built in the early 1900s, is now a nature center that allows the Sweet Briar and Amherst communities to learn more about the beauty, trails, and natural history of Sweet Briar College and the central Virginia area. The environmental education center provides a modern facility for Sweet Briar students as well as local K-12 teachers and their students. The Houston Environmental Research Laboratory contains sophisticated instrumentation for the study of the environment. We extend our thanks to our alumnae for their generosity and vision for the future.

2003

Severn Cullis-Suzuki Gives 2003 Waxter Forum Lecture

Severn Cullis-Suzuki gave an inspiring keynote lecture of the 2003 Waxter Forum during October of 2003. Ms. Cullis-Suzuki also spoke to 80 SBC students during classes and informed our students about the Skyfish Project, an arena for thoughts and actions about our interactions with the environment. A graduate of Yale University and the daughter of activist David Suzuki, Severn has written numerous articles on environmental issues for magazines and newspapers, and has also published a book with Doubleday entitled Tell the World. In 1993 she received the UN Environment Program's Global 500 Award at a ceremony in Beijing, China.

Environmental Students Attend Professional Meetings

Our students continue to be active in attending and presenting at regional and national scientific meetings. Sara Kemper ('03) presented a paper on fluoxetine (Prozac) environmental toxicity at the Association of Southeastern Biologists annual meeting in Washington, DC, in April of 2003. Courtney Arnott ('03) made an invited presentation on triclosan fate and resistance at the Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Maryland Baltimore County in October of 2002. Over 150 students from schools in nine states attended. Courtney's work was awarded second place in the Biological Sciences category!

Department Becomes Even Better Equipped

As a result of our two recent NSF grants, the Department of Environmental Studies has added an Agilent 1100 HPLC and a Perkin-Elmer Analyst 800 atomic absorption spectrometer (AA). The high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has both fluorescence and photodiode array detectors. The AA has flame, cold vapor, and graphite furnace capability. Both instruments have autosamplers. These instruments, costing over $135,000, are used by our undergraduates to detect metals and organic chemicals in the environment.

2002

Department Awarded Two NSF Grants

Faculty of the Department of Environmental Studies have been awarded two National Science Foundation grants in March of 2002. Rebecca Ambers and David Orvos were principle investigators on both, 'A Standards-Driven, Inquiry-Based Science Curriculum for Future Elementary School Teachers,' which received $50,466, and 'Multidisciplinary Use of an Atomic Absorption Spectrometer at an Undergraduate Women's College,' which was awarded $54,239. These awards add to the over $95,000 NSF grants awarded the program eighteen months ago and will further our mission to provide the best environmental program at a liberal arts institution. Together with the matching funds for these projects and funds from Sweet Briar College and its alumnae, over $650,000 have been invested in the creation of the environmental science and environmental studies programs! The department thanks Juliet Halliburton Davis ('37), Julia B. Waxter ('49), and Anne Stuckel Houston ('46) for their generosity in endowing funds for the department this year.

2002 Waxter Forum a Hot Topic

Sweet Briar College hosted the fourth annual Julia B. Waxter Environmental Studies Forum with lectures by Dr. Patrick J. Michaels and Dr. Michael E. Mann on March 14. Michaels and Mann, professors of environmental science at the University of Virginia, discussed global climate change and examined the question: "What does the future hold for Earth?" Students questioned the professors and participated in lively debate prior to the evening Forum.

National Science Foundation awards $95,000 to implement Sweet Briar's environmental program

The National Science Foundation announced in August that it has awarded $95,157 to Sweet Briar to assist in the implementation of the new Environmental Science Initiative. Sweet Briar College provided $95,907 in cost sharing to make the total proposal $191,064. This amount is in addition to funds already provided by the institution for renovating the train station and caboose for laboratory and faculty space, respectively. The proposal, written jointly by Dr. David Orvos, Associate Professor of Environmental Science, and Dr. Linda Fink, Professor of Biology, was highly ranked and indicated the strength of Sweet Briar's new environmental science and studies initiative.

The grant provides for GIS and microscopy facilities, purchase of analytical equipment and a Class II weather station, and the implementation of hand-held computers in laboratory and field activities.