Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies Skip over navigation

News : Students

Stay up-to-date!

Subscribe to an F&ES newsletter...

Recent Doctoral Grad Honored
For Contributions to Soil Science

Noah Sokol ’18 Ph.D. has received the Truog Soil Science Outstanding Dissertation Award, a national award that recognizes outstanding contributions to soil science.

Lewis Cullman, Philanthropist
And Businessman, Dies at 100

Lewis Cullman ’41 B.A. funded a fellowship that provided opportunities for students to earn a joint doctoral degree with F&ES and the New York Botanical Garden.

Keeping It in the Family

Existing laws pertaining the land ownership often leave American families vulnerable to property loss, depriving future generations of their rightful inheritance. Tes Myrie ’19 M.F. is trying to change that.

F&ES Grad Receives Major Yale Award During University Commencement

Luisa Cortesi ’18 Ph.D., who completed a joint degree in environmental studies and anthropology last year, received the Theron Rockwell Field Prize during the 2019 Yale commencement.

Two F&ES-ers Honored by NSF
Graduate Research Fellowship Program

Two F&ES students have been honored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program, which recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported disciplines.

Six F&ES Students Selected as
2019 Sabin International Fellows

Six F&ES graduate students as Andrew Sabin International Environmental Fellows, with each Fellow receiving up to $40,000 of funding for their education and post-graduate service in the environmental sector.

Research on Fracking Impacts Wins 2019 Bormann Prize

Given rare access to a hydraulic fracturing well site in Pennsylvania, an F&ES doctoral student revealed a surprising finding about the impacts of fracking on groundwater — research that earned her the 2019 F. Herbert Bormann Prize

Yale Team Nabs Second Straight
Global Entrepreneurship Contest Win

A team of Yale students last week won the MBA Impact Investing Network and Training (MIINT) competition, a pitch-off featuring students from business schools around the globe.

How Inland Waters ‘Breathe’ Carbon
– And What it Means for Global Systems

A new Yale study reveals important insights into the factors that influence the release of greenhouse gases from rivers and streams, including a key relationship between storm events, ecology, and topography in moderating this release.

‘Green Careers, Women Leaders’ Introduces Local Students to Environmental Pathways

A group of students from F&ES this month welcomed 20 young women from nine local high schools and the homeschooling community in Connecticut for the seventh annual Green Careers, Women Leaders event.

Sabin Prize Winner Engineer Plastic-Alternative Products to Fight Pollution and Reduce Carbon Emissions

A student-led startup that has engineered an Eco Rain Poncho made of a sugar-based bioplastic was awarded the 2019 Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize, presented by the Yale Center for Business and the Environment.

2019 Research Conference Showcases Scholarship of F&ES Students, Postdocs

More than 60 students and postdoctoral associates will share their innovative and cutting-edge research during the 35^th annual F&ES Research Conference on April 11-12.

Wyss Scholars Program Supports Future
Western Conservation Leaders at Yale

The Wyss Foundation, a charitable organization that supports land conservation in the American West, has selected three Yale students as 2019 Wyss Scholars.

February 28, 2019

As Experts Examine Tropical Change,
An Artist Creates a Living Document

During the 25^th annual conference of the Yale Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters, calligrapher Heather Leavitt Martinez captured each session’s dynamic, interweaving themes as they unfolded. View a gallery.

February 25, 2019

Effective Dialogue in Forests Landscapes:
Ten Years of Experience in Komi, Russia

A decade ago, the Forests Dialogue, an F&ES-based initiative that promotes dialogue between stakeholders in forest regions, ventured into a region of northwest Russia. In the years since, the Komi Dialogue has developed into an ongoing, multi-stakeholder platform that has served as a powerful convening tool.

February 22, 2019

Student-led Symposium Addresses
‘Greening’ China’s Belt and Road Initiative

At the 3^rd Yale Symposium on Chinese Overseas Investment Impacts, a diverse range of speakers, from academic scholars to policy practicioners, sparked a dialogue about the challenges and opportunities behind “greening” China’s landmark Belt and Road Initiative.

January 30, 2019

Can We Make a More Sustainable Burger?
Exploring the Nexus of Food and Social Impact

A new Yale initiative, Plant-based And, encourages students from across campus to explore the intersections of food, sustainability, and social impact — with an emphasis on the role of student startups.

January 24, 2019

Common Policy Premise on Link Between
Soil and Crop Yield is Valid – to a Point

While many policy initiatives assume that increasing “soil organic matter” will improve soil health, there’s surprisingly little evidence that this strategy will actually improve crop output. A new paper by Yale scientists affirms that this strategy will improve yields — up to a point.

January 3, 2019

Students Honored for Leadership
in Conservation and Wildlife Science

Two students from F&ES — Andy Lee ’19 M.E.Sc. and Kimi Zamuda ’19 M.E.Sc. — have been awarded the 2018 MK McCarthy-RW Worth Scholarship for Leadership in Conservation Science.

December 17, 2018

Student Helps Craft Law to Tackle Brazil’s ‘Systemic’ Waste Management Challenges

December 6, 2018

Missing the Forest for the Trees: NYC Forest Inventory Paints Unexpected Picture

There are still forests in New York City, and we’re not talking about Central Park. A surprising new study led by Yale researchers reveals that the natural forested areas of America’s largest city are largely native, healthy, and productive.

December 5, 2018

New Algorithm Provides a More
Detailed Look at Urban Heat Islands

Urban areas are warmer than the adjacent undeveloped land, a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. A new interactive map developed by Yale researchers gives us the most detailed look yet at these “urban heat islands” across the world.

December 3, 2018

F&ES Student Talk Honored at American Anthropological Association Meeting

Yufang Gao, a Ph.D. student in the combined program between F&ES and the Yale Department of Anthropology, received a “best presentation” prize during the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association held recently in San Jose, Calif.

November 29, 2018

The Judge and the Frog: Student
Takes Expertise to Supreme Court

Dual-degree student Katie Bleau ’20 M.E.M. was at the United States Supreme Court on one of the more important moments in its recent history — but not for the reason you think. She tells the story of her role in an important endangered species case on a memorable day in Washington.

November 28, 2018

Preparing for a Global Stage:
Dozens from Yale at COP 24

More than 40 people from Yale will travel to Katowice, Poland for the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP 24, including several F&ES students who have trained for climate negotiations.

November 16, 2018

‘Raise Green’ Wants to Help Small-scale
Investors be Part of the Climate Solution

A new social venture launched by recent F&ES graduates aims to help everyday investors support projects that are tackling the climate challenge — from solar installations to electric vehicle-charging stations — while also strengthening their local communities.

October 31, 2018

‘Cryptic’ Interactions Drive Biodiversity
Decline Near the Edge of Forest Fragments

The fragmentation of tropical forests weakens the effects of the ”natural enemies” of some tree species, reducing their ability to maintain biodiversity, a new Yale-led study found.

October 15, 2018

When it Comes to Smartphone Lifespan,
Brand Name Matters More than Hardware

The environmental costs of smartphones are often exacerbated by the relatively short lifespans of these globally ubiquitous devices. When it comes to extending the lifespan of these products, brand name might be more important than repairability, a Yale-led study finds.

September 10, 2018

Four F&ES Students Named Kerry Fellows

The Kerry Initiative has named 17 Yale students, including four from F&ES, as Kerry Fellows for the 2018-19 academic year.

August 30, 2018

‘Thoughtful, Ambitious’ Class of 2020
Welcomed to F&ES Community

F&ES Dean Indy Burke addressed the incoming Class of 2020 on Monday, imploring them to use their knowledge and passion to create positive change within the Yale community and throughout environmental disciplines.

August 23, 2018

Ecological Classroom: Connecting With
Nature at New Haven’s ‘Urban Parklet’

An “urban parklet” designed by an F&ES student in New Haven’s Fair Haven neighborhood has converted a series of parking spaces into a public “ecological classroom,” connecting the neighborhood with urban nature in a whole new way.

Community Stormwater Partnership Receives National Environmental Award

A community partnership including the Yale-based Urban Resources Initiative (URI) that has helped the city of New Haven tackle the challenge of stormwater runoff has received a prestigious award from Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Where are F&ES Students Working
This Summer? Just About Everywhere

The 152 students who have already completed at least one academic year at F&ES are spending their summers in 34 countries and in states across the U.S., completing internships or conducting their own independent research.

Three F&ESers Named Switzer Fellows

Three F&ES students have been named recipients of Switzer Environmental Fellowships, a prestigious program that supports future environmental leaders.

Methane Changes in Groundwater Unrelated to Gas Drilling and Fracking, Study Finds

A new study — which monitored groundwater before, during, and after drilling operations within the Marcellus Shale in northeastern Pennsylvania — found that groundwater methane concentrations vary over time and that these variations are likely unrelated to shale gas development.

New Applications for Drones in Swidden Agriculture

At F&ES, Andrew Wilcox ’18 M.F. pursued research on the forefront of remote sensing, machine learning, and drones. In an interview, he discusses his research into drone technology, how it might yield insights into the efficacy of swidden agriculture, and the potential future for the traditional farming method.

Doctoral Grad Receives Prestigious
Yale Prize for Written Scholarship

Sayd Randle ’18 Ph.D., an ethnographer and political ecologist, this week received Yale’s prestigious John Addison Porter Prize for scholarship written in a way to make it of general human interest.

F&ES Doctoral Student Receives
2018 Yale Public Scholar Award

Gao Yufang ’14 M.E.Sc., a doctoral student at F&ES, this week received the 2018 Graduate School Public Scholar Award for his commitment to public service.

University Landscapes:
An Opportunity for Agroforestry

What does a university landscape look like? In a new article, F&ES student Emily Sigman writes that when we place landscapes “in the background,” and fail to highlight the interaction between humans and nature, we miss a tremendous opportunity.

‘We Put Our Faith in You’: A Call for Leadership in a World of Injustices

Indy Burke began her role as F&ES dean in the fall of 2016, just a few months after the Class of 2018 master’s students first arrived on campus. Much has happened in the 19 months since, she reminded those students during the School’s 117th commencement ceremony.

Roots SIG Awarded 2018 Kroon Cup

The F&ES community has awarded the 2018 Kroon Cup to Roots, a student interest group dedicated to the advancement and resilience of students of the African Diaspora.

Four Students Selected as
2018 Sabin International Fellows

F&ES has selected four graduate students as Andrew Sabin International Environmental Fellows, with each Fellow receiving up to $40,000 of funding for their education and post-graduate service in the environmental sector.

F&ES Student Researchers Take
Center Stage in Day-long Conference

Forty-nine master’s students, doctoral students, and postdocs from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES) community presented their research during the 34^th annual F&ES Research Conference held at Kroon Hall on April 20.

Process to Improve Sustainability of Beef
and Seafood Production Wins Sabin Prize

A student-led startup that is developing a saltwater aquaponic system that aims to drastically reduce the environmental impacts of both the seafood and beef industries last week received the 2018 Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize.

Wyss Scholars Program Supports
Future Western Conservation Leaders

The Wyss Foundation, a charitable organization that supports land conservation in the American West, has selected three Yale students as 2018 Wyss Scholars — Matthew Lifson ’20 J.D./M.E.M., Jack Singer ’19 M.F., and Ben Williamson ’19 M.E.M.

New Environmental Management Curriculum Promotes Depth, Breadth... and Flexibility

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies is launching a new curriculum for one of its core academic programs, the Master of Environmental Management degree, which places more emphasis on subject specialization while at the same time building common foundational skills and affording flexibility.

February 9, 2018

Annual Tropical Foresters Conference at
Yale Tackles Socio-ecological Complexity

In early February, researchers, practitioners, and students from around the world gathered at Yale to discuss the challenges of deforestation and sustainable livelihoods at the annual International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) conference.

January 31, 2018

Yale Students Named 2018 ‘Energy Scholars’

Two F&ES students — Josh Constanti ’18 M.E.M. and Krisztina Pjeczka ’18 M.E.M. — have been named 2018 Energy Scholars by a U.S.-based program that honors young leaders in the renewable energy field.

January 22, 2018

F&ES Students Honored for Leadership
in Conservation and Wildlife Science

Two F&ES students, Corey Creedon ’18 M.E.M. and Elizabeth Naro ’18 M.E.M., have received the 2017 MK McCarthy-RW Worth Scholarship for leadership in the field of conservation biology and wildlife science.

December 21, 2017

Solving the Ivory Deadlock

In an interview Gao Yufang ’14 M.E.Sc., who is now a doctoral student at F&ES, discusses a new paper he co-authored in Science that calls for a more iterative process that recognizes different value systems in order to save the world's disappearing elephants.

December 15, 2017

AGU Honors F&ES Student For Bringing Remote Sensing to Vulnerable Places

Rebecca Lehman ’18 M.E.M., a second-year master’s student at F&ES, recently received a grand prize in the American Geophysical Union’s Data Visualization and Storytelling contest.

December 13, 2017

Doctoral Graduate Honored for Research
On Unexpected Impact of Small Ponds

Meredith Holgerson ’16 Ph.D., an aquatic ecologist who has provided new insights into the unexpected role of small pond systems, has received a national science award for research she conducted as an F&ES doctoral student.

December 8, 2017

‘Scholarship for Sustainability’:
Student Honored for Research

The Environmental Research & Education Foundation awarded the 2017 Ice River Springs Master’s Scholarship for Sustainability to James Souder ’18 M.E.M.

November 28, 2017

Gabon ‘Dialogue’ Examines Challenges
Of Deforestation-Free Development

The Forests Dialogue, a Yale-based program that promotes multi-stakeholder discussions on forest issues, recently brought together 60 people from 15 countries to discuss how the concept of deforestation-free supply chains could be applied in western and central Africa.

November 14, 2017

At Bonn, Data Driven Yale Wins Award
in UN Data for Climate Action Contest

A team from Data-Driven Yale, an F&ES-based project working at the intersection of data science and policy, was awarded the UN Data for Climate Action Challenge’s inaugural award for linking climate change to sustainable development goals.

November 10, 2017

Yale at COP23: On the Ground in Bonn

Forty members of the Yale community, including faculty, alumni, and 35 students from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES), will be in Bonn, Germany this month for the UN Climate Change Conference, also known as COP23.

October 17, 2017

Yale Environmental Sustainability Summit Focused on Change Makers

The second biennial Yale Environmental Sustainability Summit (YESS) will be held on November 3 and 4. Organizd by alumni from F&ES and across the university, the public event will focus on catalyzing, cultivating, and connecting sustainability-driven change makers.

October 11, 2017

Achieving a ‘Natural Advanced State’:
Reflections of an Apprentice Forester

Andy Beck — a joint-degree student who had no forestry experience before coming to Yale — talks about why he decided to become a “forester” and the impacts of forestry decisions on the landscape.

September 1, 2017

MODs Introduces New Students
to Urban Ecology of New Haven

For generations of F&ES students the summer orientation known as MODs has offered a chance to learn fundamental environmental skills in the forests of Connecticut. These days it also includes a week in the streets and green spaces of New Haven, where they become familiar with the field methods for analyzing the urban ecosystem. A new video offers a glimpse.

August 31, 2017

F&ES Welcomes the Class of 2019

The incoming Master’s class of 2019, a group of 154 students from 28 countries, this week began classes at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies.

Respite from the Urban Heat Island?
Study Eyes Costs of Irrigation as Remedy

A new Yale study will examine whether irrigation of green spaces to mitigate the urban heat island effect in some of the world’s driest cities will be worth the cost — namely, drawing down precious and increasingly diminished water resources.

Yale Team Makes Final Round at
Nespresso Sustainability Challenge

A team of students and recent graduates from F&ES this summer traveled to Switzerland where they were finalists in the 2017 Sustainability MBA Challenge hosted by NestléNespresso, an operating unit of the Nestle Group.

Interdisciplinary Yale Team Takes
Top Prize in Patagonia Case Competition

A team of six Yale students and recent graduates, including five from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, took the top prize at the Patagonia Eco Innovation Case Competition.

What Do Plants Sound Like?
Plants and the Audible Spectrum

What does a plant sound like? And what does a plant hear? An interdisciplinary project at Yale, highlighted during a recent installation at the F&ES Forest Garden, is applying new technologies that help people listen to plants — and even speak their language.

Two F&ESers Named Switzer Fellows

Two F&ES students, Jolisa Brooks ’18 M.E.Sc. and Brunilda Pizarro ’18 M.E.Sc., have been named recipients of Switzer Environmental Fellowships, a prestigious program that supports future environmental leaders.

Science to Solutions: Students Pitch
Strategies to Prevent ‘The Next Flint’

This spring eight F&ES students traveled to Flint, Mich. for a conference on the water crisis still unfolding in that community. In a conversation three students discuss how the experience deepened their understanding of the crisis — and it revealed about battling future environmental and social challenges.

Bright Idea: Student Honored for Bringing
‘Bottled Light’ to Underprivileged Indian Households

While working as a teacher in Mumbai, Sanjna Malpani ’17 M.E.M. was shocked that many students weren't able to do their homework because of insufficient light in their homes. So Malpani and some friends helped introduce new sources of illumination using only plastic bottles and water.

Gladiator Games: In Nature’s Showdowns, Biodiversity Shields Weaker Competitors

A new Yale-led study of fungi competition illustrates that maintaining a diverse collection of species indeed not only safeguards weaker species but also protects the genetic diversity of the larger community.

Study Linking Microscale Processes with Landscape Impacts Wins Bormann Prize

Ashley Keiser ’16 Ph.D., who studies how microbes in the soil respond to changing conditions aboveground, has won the 2017 F. Herbert Bormann Prize, which honors doctoral research that exemplifies the legacy of the late Yale professor.

Four Students Selected as 2017 Sabin International Environmental Fellows

F&ES has selected four graduate students as Andrew Sabin International Environmental Fellows, with each Fellow receiving up to $40,000 of funding for their education and post-graduate service in the environmental sector.

Leung, Champion for Inclusion and Equity, Honored with 2017 Kroon Cup

The F&ES community last week awarded the 2017 Kroon Cup to Jessica Leung ’17 M.E.M., who has worked tirelessly to make the School and the environmental field more inclusive and equitable.

Energy Technology Startup Wins
2017 Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize

A student-led startup that is creating new energy technology the team says will enable households to reduce their carbon footprint while also saving money has received the 2017 Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize.

Yale Carbon Charge Pilot: Did it Work?

Last year Yale embarked on an experimental program examining the potential for carbon pricing on the Yale campus. A recent analysis, conducted by F&ES students, shows that the pilot program contributed to carbon reductions.

Wyss Scholars Program Supports
Future Western Conservation Leaders

The Wyss Foundation, a charitable organization that supports land conservation in the American West, has selected two F&ES students — Katherine Panek ’18 M.E.M. and Austin Rempel ’18 M.E.M. — as 2017 Wyss Scholars

Reel Stories: Student-Run
Environmental Film Festival Begins April 5

The ninth annual Environmental Film Festival at Yale, which will be held April 5 to 8, will feature 10 films across Yale and New Haven. All events are free and open to the public.

Expanding Adaptive Financing
Options For Post-Disaster Recovery

As part of their F&ES masters project, students Laura Hammett ’17 M.E.M. and Katy Mixter ’17 M.E.M./M.B.A. recently convened experts from humanitarian and financial organizations for a one-day workshop on the challenges of post-disaster reconstruction and resilience.

February 22, 2017

Opportunity and Optimism
During an Uncertain Time

For some students poised to enter the job market, the political turmoil in Washington, D.C. is adding another layer of uncertainty. But during a two-day job trek in the nation’s capital, F&ES students found reasons for optimism.

February 22, 2017

‘Resurrection’ of Dormant Eggs Reveals
Unexpected Evolutionary Response to Toxins

Using “resurrection ecology” and lake sediment archives, a recent F&ES graduate was able to determine that a tiny freshwater crustacean, known as Daphnia, actually became more sensitive to heavy metals as concentrations increased over time contrary to expectation.

February 10, 2017

Yale GrassX Competition Invites
Student Support for Native Pollinators

The Yale Landscape Lab on Yale’s West Campus and the F&ES-based Ucross High Plains Stewardship Initiative have partnered for GrassX, an Experimental Grassland Competition that invites Yale students to explore ideas to promote grassland management systems, native pollinators, and local ecosystems.

January 31, 2017

Unconventional Journey: Student Forges
Her Own Summer Project in Alaska

As the summer break between her first and second year approached, Christina Stone felt the pressure to land a prestigious internship that others seemed to land easily. Then she created an opportunity in Alaska that was right for her.

December 8, 2016

F&ES Students Apply “Systems Thinking”
To Flint Water Contamination Case

An F&ES course this semester tackled the Flint water crisis, allowing students to examine a crisis unfolding in real time, and to hear directly from community members.

November 22, 2016

Road Salt Can Change Sex Ratios
in Frog Populations, Study Says

Naturally occurring chemicals found in road salts commonly used to de-ice paved surfaces can alter the sex ratios in nearby frog populations, a phenomenon that could reduce the size and viability of species populations, according to a new study by scientists at Yale and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

October 27, 2016

City in Hot Water? Students Help
New Haven Confront Climate Threats

A recent F&ES course was structured to not only support student learning but also to help the city of New Haven plan for future impacts of climate change.

October 27, 2016

On Connecticut Shoreline, Yale Team
Helps Communities Face New Realities

Work done by several F&ES students and faculty members is helping communities along the Connecticut coastline prepare for the threats of climate change.

October 24, 2016

Yale-Led Project to Widen Access to
Household Solar Receives Federal Grant

A Yale-led project aiming to further broaden the appeal of solar power to a mass market — including low- and moderate-income households — has received a $1.35 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

October 13, 2016

Forest Diversity Loss Will Drive
Productivity Decline, Study Shows

Maintaining the diversity of the world’s forests not only promotes species richness but will also assure the forests’ productivity and services for future generations, according to a new study conducted by a global coalition of researchers including from F&ES.

October 11, 2016

Habitat III: F&ES Students Tackle Urban
Sustainability Challenges at UN Conference

Nineteen students from F&ES this month will participate in the upcoming United Nations (UN) conference Habitat III, a global summit aimed at outlining best practices for urban sustainability, resilience, and development.

September 20, 2016

Yale Food Symposium Calls Together
Academics, Practitioners... and Eaters

The fourth annual Yale Food Systems Symposium, a student-led, interdisciplinary conference initiated by students at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, will be held at Kroon Hall on Sept. 30.

September 20, 2016

In India, a Model for Reducing
‘Retaliation Killings’ of Wild Cats

A new Yale-led study finds that communities in central India have an uncanny understanding of the wild cats in their backyard and where they are most likely to hunt livestock — a key factor in preventing the human-carnivore conflicts that threaten these animals.

This Summer, TRI Funds Student
Research in World’s Tropical Regions

This summer, the F&ES-based Tropical Resources Institute is funding the research of nearly 20 students working in the planet’s tropical zones. We caught up with three of them.

F&ES Students Named Switzer Fellows

Two F&ES students — Dena Adler ’17 M.E.M./J.D. and Logan McCoy ’17 M.E.M./M.B.A. — have been named recipients of Switzer Environmental Fellowships, a prestigious program that supports future environmental leaders.

Looking Upstream: Research Evaluates
Impacts of Lake Powell’s Troubling Decline

“Looking Upstream,” a new report produced by four F&ES students, evaluates the factors contributing to acute vulnerability to water shortages in Lake Powell and how it will impact the river’s entire Upper Basin.

Fire at Yale Myers Forest Camp

A message from Dean Peter Crane about the fire at Yale Myers Forest

Global Honors for Yale Conservationist
Working to Protect Threatened Species

Yufang Gao ’14 M.E.Sc., a Chinese conservationist who has worked to protect wildlife from Kenya to Tibet, this month received two global awards for his efforts to ensure a future for vulnerable species worldwide.

Six Sabin International Fellows to Take
Lessons Back to Their Home Nations

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies has selected six graduate students as Andrew Sabin International Fellows, with each Fellow receiving up to $40,000 of funding for their education and post-graduate service in the environmental sector.

Spurred by Hurricane Irene, Student
Balances Academics and Public Service

James Albis ’16 M.E.M. was a rookie Connecticut lawmaker when Hurricane Irene devastated his coastal district. The event drove home the threats of climate change and heightened his awareness of environmental issues — and eventually led him to F&ES.

Kroon Cup Honors Students Whose
Stewardship Efforts Reshaped Kroon Hall

The F&ES community last week awarded the 2016 Kroon Cup to two graduating Master’s students, one who has helped transform Kroon Hall’s northern courtyard into a forest garden, and one whose sustainability work inside the School’s flagship building has earned him the nickname “Mr. Kroon.”

New Issue of Sage Magazine Available

The latest edition of Sage Magazine, an F&ES student-run publication will be released at a special event on April 22. The issue features stories, all written by F&ES contributors, about place.

Master’s Student Receives Conservation
Scholarship for Wildlife Work in India

Pooja Choksi ’17 M.E.M., a first-year Master’s student focused on community-based wildlife conservation, was recently awarded the Sidney Byers Scholarship for Wildlife Conservation from the Wildlife Conservation Network.

Proposal to Convert Food Waste
Into New Products Wins Sabin Prize

A business plan developed by two F&ESers that aims to turn food waste into new products — and profits — won the 2016 Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize.

Could You Be a National Geographic Young Explorer?

On April 22, National Geographic will host a workshop at Yale for students interested in its Young Explorers Grant Program. The event will include tips on preparing a good grant application a chance to meet previous awardees whose research reached a wider global audience through the grant program.

F&ES Students Receive Prestigious
NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Two F&ES students have received prestigious National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships. Two others were named honorable mention recipients.

The Academic Value of
Yale’s Carbon Charge Experiment

As F&ES students and administration work on strategies to reduce their own carbon emissions as part of the Yale Carbon Charge project, they are also looking beyond the School to see how they can help other buildings slash their energy consumption.

Eighth Sabin Venture Prize to Honor
Business Ideas that Advance Sustainability

Four startup ideas will be finalists for the 2016 Sabin Sustainable Venture Prize, a $25,000 cash prize that supports for-profit business concepts that help achieve a more sustainable way of life.

Green Careers, Women Leaders: Teaching
Students to ‘Flex Their Leadership Muscles’

High school students from across the region visited Yale F&ES for the fourth “Green Careers, Women Leaders,” an annual event in which F&ES students share leadership skills with young women and showcase environmental career paths.

Yale Himalaya Initiative, F&ES
Map Risks in Post-Earthquake Nepal

The F&ES-based Yale Himalaya Initiative recently completed a map of Nepal that highlights the risk for landslides across the entire country, and hopes it serves as a launching point for future collaborations with Himalaya-based organizations.

Looking West: Two Named Wyss Scholars

The Wyss Foundation, a charitable organization that promotes land conservation in the American West, has selected two F&ES students as 2016 Wyss Scholars — Katherine Fiedler ’17 M.E.M. and Rebecca Shively ’17 M.E.M.

February 10, 2016

Global Justice Fellowship Program
Highlights Work of F&ES Students

Three F&ES students have received 2016-17 Gruber Fellowships in Global Justice and Women’s Rights for their work on projects in vulnerable parts of the world.

February 2, 2016

New Directions in Environmental Law
Examines Innovation, Disruptive Strategies

The sixth annual Yale New Directions in Environmental Law Conference (NDEL 2016), co-hosted by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and the Yale Environmental Law Association at Yale Law School (YLS), will be held at the Law School on Feb. 26 and 27.

January 27, 2016

Two F&ES Students Honored for
Leadership in Conservation Science

Two F&ES students have been awarded the new MK McCarthy-RW Worth Scholarship for Leadership in Conservation Science.

December 10, 2015

At F&ES, the Push for Greater
Energy Efficiency is Nothing New

Yale’s ambitious new carbon pricing experiment will have departments across campus re-thinking energy decisions big and small over the next six months. At F&ES, one of the participants in the pilot project, this is nothing new.

December 3, 2015

Apprentice Program Allows Foresters
Space to Learn With Boots on the Ground

Like conservation, the education of a forester is not with pen and paper alone, but with boots on the ground and a Biltmore stick in hand. At F&ES, the Yale Apprentice Forester Program offers such an opportunity.

October 15, 2015

Two F&ES Students Honored for
Volunteerism And Community Service

Two F&ES master’s students — Marguerite Harden ’16 M.E.M. and Nicholas McClure ’16 M.E.M. — have been chosen as recipients of the F&ES Alumni Association Board Scholarship in honor of Ruth Allen ’72 M.F.S. ’77 Ph.D.

October 14, 2015

Bormann Prize Honors Research Aimed
At Reducing Carnivore-Human Conflicts

Jennie Miller '15 Ph.D., whose research has explored an emerging method of spatial mapping to reduce conflicts between humans and carnivores, won the 2015 F. Herbert Bormann Prize.

September 30, 2015

Out of Their Comfort Zone: Students
Merge Ecology and Design in Baltimore

A Yale-led initiative recently allowed students to work closely with Baltimore leaders to integrate ecological experiments into local design projects — and move the city closer to environmental sustainability.

September 3, 2015

What Yale Students Did This Summer:
F&ESers Gain Valuable Experience Abroad

Fifty students from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies spent the summer break working internships and conducting independent research in countries all over the world.

August 31, 2015

F&ES Welcomes the Class of ‘17

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies this week welcomed the 164 members of the Class of 2017, one of the most diverse and international groups of first-year students in the School’s 115-year history.

Scholarship Initiative Raises
$10.1 Million for F&ES Students

A three-year scholarship initiative led by F&ES Dean Peter Crane and the School’s Leadership Council has generated more than $10 million in new scholarship support for F&ES students.

F&ES Students Named Switzer Fellows

Four students from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies have been named recipients of Switzer Environmental Fellowships, a prestigious program that supports future environmental leaders.

Caught on Camera: Yale Research
Finds ‘Ghost’ Cat in Tajikistan Mountains

A study led by Tara Meyer ’15 M.E.Sc. confirmed the presence of snow leopards in a mountain range of western Tajikistan, a finding that will help in the conservation of the threatened species.

Eleven F&ES Students Advance Energy
Leadership as EDF Climate Corps Fellows

Eleven students and graduates from F&ES have been selected as summer fellows for the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps program, an innovative fellowship that gives specially trained graduates students the opportunity to help transform energy use within organizations in the private and public sector in the U.S., Mexico and China.

Re-framing the Climate Story

This semester, a course at F&ES encouraged students to explore new communications methods based on emerging interdisciplinary communications models that create messages with deeper impact.

‘Embracing the Unknown’:
F&ES Honors the Class of 2015

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies on May 18 celebrated its 114th Commencement, awarding diplomas to the 158 members of the Class of 2015.

Yale Responds to Nepal Earthquake:
‘Our Commitment Will Continue’

In an interview, the Yale Himalaya Initiative’s Alark Saxena describes how Yale has coordinated its resources to assist Nepal after a deadly earthquake — and how the Initiative’s longer-term mission will help make communities across the Himalayan region more prepared for future threats.

Eight Sabin International Fellows to
Take Lessons Back to Their Home Nations

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies has selected eight graduate students as Andrew Sabin International Environmental Fellows, with each Fellow to receive up to $40,000 of funding for their education and post-graduate service in the environmental sector.

Heather West Wins the 2015 Kroon Cup

The F&ES community last week awarded the 2015 Kroon Cup to Heather West ’15 M.F./M.B.A., a third-year student pursuing a joint degree at F&ES and the Yale School of Management whose tireless participation in student groups and passion for the American West inspired her classmates.

Yale Honors F&ES Members for Contributions to Sustainability

Yale University will honor Lindsay Toland ’15 M.E.M. and the staff of the Urban Resources Initiative (URI) with Certificates of Outstanding Recognition in appreciation for their contributions to sustainability at Yale during the 2014-15 academic year.

Celebrating a New Haven ‘Blessing’:
Two Decades of Urban Resources Initiative

New-Look Sage Magazine Available

A new issue of Sage, a student-run magazine produced at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, arrived in buildings across campus this week. The spring 2015 issue comes with a new look and a bold ambition: to “expand environmentalism” through meaningful conversations about the world and our place in it.

Sabin Prize Seeds Business Plans
That Do Good for the Environment

On April 17, the Sabin Prize will award $25,000 to a for-profit business idea that helps achieve a more sustainable way of life. The competition is part of the first ever Entrepreneurship Across Yale event.

Styro-No: This is How BYO Does It

In a new video, the F&ES Environmental Stewardship Committee shows how easy it is to find alternatives to styrofoam containers — and the perils of not doing so.

Yale Symposium Explores Impacts
Of Chinese Overseas Investment

On Saturday, April 4, the Yale Symposium on Chinese Overseas Investment and its Environmental and Social Impacts will explore the relationship between China’s overseas investment and the impacts — both negative and positive.

Tracking Wildlife in the Yale Woods

On a recent winter afternoon, Sue Morse, tracker and founder of Keeping Track, led nine F&ES students through the snows of Yale-Myers Forest for a wildlife tracking workshop.

Video Snapshots:
Doctoral Research at F&ES

In a series of videos, we asked several Ph.D. candidates to describe their research in just 90 seconds. These vignettes offer just a small window into the exciting research being done by our students.

Yale Partnership Receives National Honor For Project that Promotes Solar Adoption

A Connecticut-based partnership and major Yale research project led by Kenneth Gillingham, associate professor at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES), has received a national award for innovative research that has increased adoption of residential solar power in the state.

Lineup Announced for Seventh
Environmental Film Festival at Yale

The seventh annual Environmental Film Festival at Yale (EFFY), a student-run event being held April 3 to 11, has selected 26 films from hundreds of submissions representing more than 30 countries.

How Much Carbon Reduction is Enough? New Metric Helps Gauge Policy Impacts

Corey Johnson ’15 M.E.M. has helped develop a tool that helps universities compare their emissions performance against its fair share of the global carbon budget.

February 17, 2015

Yale Students Named Wyss Scholars
For Conservation Work in U.S. West

The Wyss Foundation, a charitable organization that promotes land conservation in the U.S. West, has selected three Yale students as 2015 Wyss Scholars — Katie Holsinger ’16 M.E.M., Elliott Vander Kolk ’16 M.F.,and Chelsea Lane-Miller ’17 LAW.

February 16, 2015

Solutions for Scarcity: Yale Series
Tackles Drought Crisis in U.S. West

On Feb. 24, Jennifer Pitt ’93 M.E.Sc., director of the Environmental Defense Fund’s Colorado River Program, will kick off a series of F&ES talks about the chronic drought that continues to grip the western U.S.

February 12, 2015

Honduran Collaborative Water Project
Awarded 2015 ISTF Innovation Prize

A project that has coalesced 28 villages in Honduras to promote long-term water and land conservation in the face of numerous environmental threats received the International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF) Innovation Prize during the Yale Student Chapter’s annual meeting held last month at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES).

February 5, 2015

Two F&ESers Receive Fellowships for Global Justice and Women’s Rights

Erin Beasley ’15 M.E.M. and Sarah Casson ’15 M.E.Sc., have each received aGruber Fellowship in Global Justice and Women’s Rights for projects to implement environmental programs in vulnerable parts of the world.

December 18, 2014

All is Bright: Holiday Lights
Visible From Space, Study Shows

A new study co-led by Ph.D. candidate Eleanor Stokes reveals that changes in human behavior during holiday seasons — including bright Christmas light displays in the U.S. and a shift in activities during the holy month of Ramadan — can be visible from space.

December 18, 2014

New Online Forest Atlas
Tracks State of Global Forests

A new online resource launched by the F&ES-based Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry will provide an overview of the world’s forest resources. Ultimately, its creators say it will be a sort of living almanac of forest resources worldwide for journalists and advocates, scientists and general readers.

December 17, 2014

Special Publication Highlights
Thirty Years of TRI Student Research

The F&ES-based Tropical Resources Institute (TRI) this month published a Special Issue that highlights three decades of student work in commemoration of the organization’s 30th anniversary.

October 23, 2014

Doctoral Candidate Earns EPA Grant
For Study of Air Pollution in Nepal

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency this week awarded Anobha Gurung, a doctoral student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, a Science to Achieve Results (STAR) fellowship grant to support her research into the health impacts of air pollution in Nepal.

October 21, 2014

Bormann Prize Winner Honored
For Study in ‘Green Sovereignty’

A published paper exploring the relationship between landscape imagery and national self-identity in Costa Rica helped earn Dana Graef, an F&ES doctoral student, the 2014 F. Herbert Bormann Prize.

October 21, 2014

Using Technology to Help
Wild Cats and People Coexist

In Central India, F&ES doctoral student Jennie Miller is helping develop strategies to limit the increasnigly freequent interactions between humans and wild cats that have triggered massive declines in populations of tigers and leopards.

October 20, 2014

Two F&ES Students Awarded
Scholarships for Volunteerism

Yesenia Gallardo ’15 M.E.M. and David Gonzalez ’15 M.E.M. were recognized for their leadership and exemplary recrod of volunteer service, especially to the F&ES, Yale, and New Haven communities.

October 14, 2014

F&ES Creates William R. Burch Prize
To Honor Student Research at TRI

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies this week announced the creation of a new student award, the William R. Burch Prize, which is named in honor of the founder of the School’s influential Tropical Resources Institute. The new prize will be awarded annually to the best paper written by a TRI Fellow, and will include a $1,000 cash prize.

September 17, 2014

Planting Green Infrastructure
Outside of the Classroom… Literally

September 17, 2014

The City Dark: EFFY Launches
Year-Long Series of Film Screenings

On Friday night, the Environmental Film Festival at Yale (EFFY) will launch a new “Best of EFFY” film series with a free outdoor showing of the film “The City Dark.”

September 10, 2014

Yale-Led Team Swarms Meeting
To Bridge Worlds of Ecology and Design

A Yale-led coalition recently descended on the annual meeting of theEcological Society of America to illustrate how ecology can be used to help solve larger societal challenges.

Yale Team Invited to Switzerland
To Pitch Sustainable Business Plan

A team of joint-degree students from F&ES and the Yale School of Management has reached the final stage of an international MBA competition hosted by the coffee company Nestlé Nespresso, an operating unit of the Nestlé Group.

Eleven F&ES Students
Selected as Climate Corps Fellows

Eleven students and graduates from F&ES have been selected as summer fellows for the Environmental Defense Fund’s Climate Corps program, an innovative fellowship that places specially trained graduates students with private and public sector organizations to help transform how they use energy.

Six Yale Graduate Students
Awarded Sabin Fellowships

Six F&ES students have been chosen as Andrew Sabin International Environmental Fellows, with each Fellow to receive up to $40,000 for their education and post-graduation service in the environmental sector.

Acting on Their Sentiments:
Yale F&ES Celebrates 113th Commencement

The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies on Monday celebrated its 113th Commencement exercises.

Kroon Cup Honors Two Students
Who Embodied Stewardship at F&ES

The F&ES community last week awarded the Kroon Cup to two members of the Class of 2014, one who has organized a variety of activities linking people with the natural world, and one who made an indelible mark on the school during his too-brief time here.

Helping Ski Resort Communities
Face the Reality of Climate Change

Growing up in California, Diana Madson spent much of her youth exploring the great mountains of the Sierra Nevada. At 19 she fell in love with skiing, which made her particularly attuned to the weather.

Remembering Jonah Adels

During his time on campus Jonah Adels was often found sitting at the warbly piano in Sage Hall, filling the stairway and halls with his music.

F&ES Student Featured in Showtime’s “Years of Living Dangerously”

In the new Showtime series "Years of Living Dangerously," a group of celebrities help tell the story of climate change. But the real stars of the film are the people already living with its consequences or fighting to make the world more resilient - including Brendan Edgerton M.E.M. '15 M.B.A. '15.

Reel Impact: The Sixth Annual
Environmental Film Festival at Yale

The Environmental Film Festival at Yale, being held from March 31 to April 6, will feature a series of award-winning films that drive home the consequences of today’s most pressing environmental and social issues.

F&ES Students Take Top Honors at
U.S.-Sponsored Energy Competition

Ten students from the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (F&ES) received “best proposal” honors during the U.S. Department of Energy’s third annual Better Building Case Competition held this month in Washington, D.C.

What’s in the Air of Nepal?
Filling Gaps in Pollution Data

As a graduate student, Anobha Gurung ’10 M.E.Sc. heard a lot about research into how air pollution is affecting human health worldwide, but found scant research in her Nepalese homeland. She is trying to change that.

High-Wire Science:
Blogging from the Forest Canopy

In the forest canopy of the Panamanian rainforest, F&ES doctoral student Kevin McLean is documenting the “canopy highways” that tree-dwelling animals use to get around. His findings may help conservationists protect species that are rarely seen and can be nearly impossible to study.

February 25, 2014

Two F&ESers Receive Fellowships for
Global Justice and Women's Rights

Hilary Faxon B.A. ’11 M.E.M. ’13, and Lia Nicholson M.E.M. ‘14, have each received Gruber Fellowships in Global Justice and Women’s Rights for projects to implement environmental programs in vulnerable parts of the world.

February 18, 2014

Three Yale Students Selected
As 2014 Wyss Scholars

The Wyss Foundation, a charitable organization that promotes land conservation in the U.S. West, has selected three Yale students as 2014 Wyss Scholars — Benjamin Hayes M.F. ‘15, Elizabeth “Lizzie” Marsters M.E.M. ‘16 M.B.A. ‘16, and Mordechai Treiger LAW ‘15.

February 10, 2014

Honduras Forest Conservation Project Wins First Yale ISTF Innovation Prize

A project that promotes forest conservation by linking sustainable producers with high-value markets received the first ever International Society of Tropical Foresters Forest Finance Innovation Prize during the group's annual meeting held at F&ES.

January 30, 2014

Yale Researchers Receive Google
Earth Engine Award for Land Studies

A team of Yale researchers has received a “Google Earth Engine Research Award” for ongoing land stewardship studies being conducted in Wyoming.

January 27, 2014

Forests as Capital: ISTF Yale Chapter
Hosts Annual Conference at Kroon

The Yale Chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters will host its 20th annual conference at F&ES from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1.

January 23, 2014

A Message for Sochi: Students
Pitch Climate Story at Olympics

There will be no shortage of storylines coming out of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. A group of F&ES students will be there to make sure that climate change is one of them.

January 14, 2014

Ecosystem Services Symposium:
Helping Cities Find Value of Nature

A Yale symposium being held on Jan. 24 will bring together academics studying the science of urban ecosystem services and the practitioners who are using this emerging field to improve the environmental health of their communities.

January 7, 2014

Healing War-Torn Ecosystems:
An Army Pilot Returns to Iraq

As an Army pilot, Carina Roselli M.E.M. '14 had an aerial glimpse of the damage done to Iraq's fabled marshlands by decades of conflict and poor management. Now she's exploring how such war-torn places might one day be restored.

November 20, 2013

Video: F&ES Class Explores
‘Sustainable’ Responses to Disaster

In a video interview, Professor Gordon Geballe discusses an F&ES class that helps students explore how sustainable development can improve the response to disaster in
nations like Haiti.

November 18, 2013

Hurricane-Inspired Study Earns
F&ES Student Inaugural Bormann Prize

Doctoral student Bryan Yoon was awarded the inaugural F. Herbert Bormann Prize, established to honor research that builds on the legacy of the revered F&ES professor.

November 13, 2013

Time to Move Beyond Treaties:
A New Framework for Sustainable Action

At the recent conference, “Rio+20 to 2015: A New Architecture for a Sustainable World,” which was hosted by F&ES and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), top experts in climate and sustainability issues discussed what new global structures for enabling solutions might look like.

October 31, 2013

Green Infrastructure:
F&ES Class Produces More than a Grade

The research produced by a group of F&ES students yielded the framework for the stormwater management component of Yale University's new sustainability plan.

October 18, 2013

Student-Led Symposium
Highlights Food Issues at F&ES

The inaugural Yale Food Systems Symposium attracted researchers, practitioners, theorists (and eaters) from across the country to discuss the path to a more sustainable food system.

October 17, 2013

F&ES Student Talk on Ivory Trade
Honored at Conservation Conference

Yufang Gao M.E.Sc ’14, a second-year student from China, received “best talk” honors for his presentation on the international ivory trade during the 2013 Student Conference on Conservation Science – New York held last week at the American Museum of Natural History.

October 9, 2013

Two F&ES Students Awarded
Scholarships for Community-Based Work

Esther Rojas-Garcia M.E.Sc ’14 and Anandi van Diepen-Hedayat M.E.Sc '14 were recognized for their leadership and exemplary record of volunteer service, especially to the F&ES, Yale and New Haven communities.

September 20, 2013

The Lessons of Wangari Maathai’s Extraordinary Life

It wasn't until she grew older that Wanjira Mathai understood just how important her mother, Wangari Maathai, and the decades she spent advocating for social and environmental justice were in her native Kenya.

September 12, 2013

A Greener Africa: Learning from
The Legacy of Wangari Maathai

When she arrived at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies last fall, Elizabeth Babalola was aware of the work of Kenya’s Wangari Maathai.

Rachel Mak:
A Champion of Sustainability

Rachel Mak (FES/SOM ’14) was unable to receive her award for public service, because she was busy performing public service.

Yale F&ES Student is Top 5 Finalist in ERM Foundation Sustainability Fellowship

The ERM Foundation in North America recently announced Valerie Moye as a Top 5 finalist in its 3^rd annual Sustainability Fellowship award. Valerie is a first year Master of Environmental Management student at Yale’s School of Forestry & Environmental Studies focusing on sustainable urban and industrial systems.

In the Field: F&ES Takes a Working Break

Spring "Break" means field work for F&ES students and faculty! This time away from the classroom offers students important opportunities for research across a spectrum of environmental concerns and geographical locations. Students confront global issues in real time & space, engaging with the people who must find and implement solutions.

Forester's Go! Photo Competition

View the winners of the F&ES student photo contest.

Traditional ranching practices enhance African savanna

That human land use destroys natural ecosystems is an oft-cited assumption in conservation, but ecologists have discovered that instead, traditional ranching techniques in the African savanna enhance the local abundance of wild, native animals. These results offer a new perspective on the roles humans play in natural systems, and inform ongoing discussions about land management and biodiversity conservation.

October 17, 2011

U.S. Rivers and Streams Saturated With Carbon

The researchers assert that a significant amount of carbon contained in land, which first is absorbed by plants and forests through the air, is leaking into streams and rivers and then released into the atmosphere before reaching coastal waterways.

Who

What

All News

©2011 Yale School Forestry & Environmental Studies
195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511