General Information
Chair's Welcome Message
September 2011
Welcome NREM ‘Ohana
We are off to a great start this academic year. There are many aspects for celebration in these times of economic stagnation. Dr. Gregory Bruland achieved a well-deserved promotion with tenure to Associate Professor. His outstanding performance as a teacher and researcher exemplifies what we aspire to be as a faculty. On the student front, the department is definitely growing with about 75 undergraduate majors and 75 graduate students. This size is strategically optimal for us as we have 15 faculty in the department.
Last academic year we had three retirements, Dr. Chennat Gopalakrishnan, Dr. Chauncey Ching and Dr. Richard Bowen, all economists.
We replaced them with two new hires:
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Dr. Steven Gray whose areas of interest are social-ecological modeling, collaborative resource management, fisheries science and management and ecological learning
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Dr. Kirsten Oleson whose areas of interest are environmental impact modeling, natural resource modeling and trade, ecosystem service valuation and human dimensions of climate change.
The two new faculty will broaden our program extending beyond economics and development into human dimensions, environment and ecosystem modeling and will add substantially to balancing our interdisciplinary program with natural, ecological and socioeconomic expertise.
NREM, has a young history but already is a success story for the College. We began our program over 10 years ago; now it is equal if not a major force in CTAHR in terms of student enrollment, extra-mural grants and in addressing ecological and sustainability natural resource management issues.
Our students are particularly active through GSO. You can see their activities on their website.
Finally, NREM has a Facebook page where you can get an update of our activities and achievements.
I wish you all have a great year and thanks for making NREM the place to work, study and have fun. Have a great day!
Cathy
Overview of the Department
The NREM department emphasizes the science and management of natural resources and their links to environmental quality. We provide students with scientific knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological, economic, social, and policy elements of natural resources management. This allows them to understand the principles that underpin productive, sustainable land use, and enhanced environmental quality. Graduating students will be able to solve contemporary resource use problems and assist in sound decision making for optimizing land use and managing agricultural and forestry systems, watersheds, and landscapes in an ecologically sound manner. Graduates will also be skilled in addressing resource policy issues and the needs of diverse clientele and communities including policy makers and planners. Scientific objectivity will be emphasized as an important element of environmental planning. Thus, students will be trained in the use of quantitative models and such tools as decision aids for optimizing natural resource management and ecosystem stewardship.