Middlebury School of the Environment Summer 2016 Program

Applications for the Summer 2017 session of the Middlebury School of the Environment (MSoE) are now available.  The application process uses the rolling admissions model, so you should hear back fairly quickly on whether or not you’re accepted (their web site promises within 6 weeks of submitting your application).

MSoE is a for-credit summer program that combines coursework in environmental studies with leadership and professional skills training. 

The Middlebury School of the Environment is a six-week, integrated program, running from June 23 to August 4, 2017, on Middlebury College’s main campus in Vermont.

The program offers nine semester-hour credits, and financial aid is available.

The curriculum involves two different tracks of study, one on sustainability and understanding place (taught at a more advanced level and intended for students with previous coursework in environmental studies) and one on systems thinking and environmental analysis (taught at a more introductory level).

 Each student, regardless of his/her track of study, also enrolls in one of four electives, depending on their interests.  The four electives we currently have planned are Environmental Video Production; Wicked Environmental Problems; Environmental Pollution; or Nature, Culture, and Ethics.

 The co-curricular program on leadership training focuses on helping students develop the skills they need as professionals to do something effective with the information they learn in their studies.  For this, the faculty of the MSoE are joined by leading environmental professionals and experts in a number of skills that will enhance each student’s ability to be successful no matter what choose to do with their college education.

Feel free to write to me directly with any questions.

Cheers,
Dr. Stephen C. Trombulak
Director, Middlebury School of the Environment
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753

Go-for-Launch Brings Japanese and American Student Teams Together

The first 30 students at Go-For-Launch St. Edward's University, 11 - 13 July 2016.

The first 30 students at Go-For-Launch St. Edward’s University, 11 – 13 July 2016.

St. Edward’s University hosted its inaugural “Go-For-Launch!” event 11 – 13 July 2016.  30 students participated with 15 here as part of the summer program with Asia Pacific University and 15 from Austin-area high schools.

Team Rigel builds their paper tower on Day 1.

Team Rigel builds their paper tower on Day 1.

Astronaut Mike Foreman met with students all three days, answering questions about life in space and the technical challenges associated with conducting experiments on the International Space Station (ISS).

Students formed teams of 5, with no more than 3 international students on any given team.  Monday started with competitions included building a paper tower, selecting a team name, and designing a team mission patch.  By Wednesday, teams had designed an experiment for the International Space Station.

In addition to Astronaut Foreman, Mac McCall (a longtime NASA contractor with Boeing who worked 18 years on ISS projects), Associate Vice President of Global Initiatives Bill Clabby, Visiting Assistant Professor of Physics Paul Walter, Dr. Paul Colosky (Space Physiologist), Dean of Natural Sciences Gary A. Morris, and CEO and Founder of Higher Orbits Michelle Lucas did the judging.

The winning project, designed by a team called, “Ryusei 5,” sought to watch a phytoplankton species (Nannochloropsis) develop on the ISS to determine the impact of the low gravity environment.

 

We look forward to hosting Go-For-Launch! at St. Edward’s again next summer, 10 – 12 July 2017.  Spread the word!

Winning team, Ryusei 5, with Astronaut Mike Foreman at the inaugural Go-For-Launch! event at St. Edward's University, 11 - 13 July 2016.

Winning team, Ryusei 5, with Astronaut Mike Foreman at the inaugural Go-For-Launch! event at St. Edward’s University, 11 – 13 July 2016.

 

Compete to Put an Experiment on the International Space Station: Go-for-Launch at St. Edward’s University, 11 – 13 July 2016

St. Edward’s University is delighted to work with Higher Orbits to host its first Go-for-Launch camp this summer, 11 – 13 July.  Teams of high school and college students will learn leadership skills and teamwork.  An astronaut will be in residence for the entirety of the camp.  With the help of all the mentors, student teams will design an experiment for the International Space Station (ISS).  A panel of experts will judge the student proposals, and the winning project will be built, flown to the ISS, and conducted on the ISS.  If the launch occurs in the USA, the winning team will receive an invitation to attend (travel costs not included — but seeing a rocket launch is really cool).

The cost of the three-day camp is $250, which includes lunch and snacks each day.  This is a day camp only (no housing).

Click here to register today!

Note that scholarships will be available, and there is an option on the registration form to register for as little as $10 with a commitment to fundraise with Higher Orbits partners (PopCorn Factory and FannieMae)!

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For those of you who are NOT students, we are still recruiting mentors for the camp.  Contact Dean Morris for more information.