May 10, 2023

Top Stories

SUNY ESF Appoints New Chief Diversity Officer

Danushi Fernando joined ESF as Chief Diversity Officer to promote and advance the College’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) goals and objectives. She will also serve as ESF’s Affirmative Action Officer and Deputy Title IX Coordinator.

Dr. Robin Kimmerer Elected to U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer has been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Academy members are elected in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Membership is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honors a scientist can receive. 

Dr. Ruth Yanai, Dr. Robert Malmsheimer Named SUNY Distinguished Professors

ESF is pleased to announce Dr. Ruth Yanai and Dr. Robert Malmsheimer have been named SUNY Distinguished Professors.

ESF Faculty, Staff Honored by SUNY Chancellor

ESF is pleased to announce four employees were honored by SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. for outstanding service. Honorees are Dr. Eddie Bevilaqua for Excellence in Faculty Service; Debra Driscoll for Excellence in Professional Service; Dr. Jacqueline Frair for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities; and Dr. Paul Hirsch for Excellence in Teaching.

Dr. Joshua Drew Receives ESF College Foundation Teaching Award

Dr. Joshua Drew is the 2023 recipient of the ESF College Foundation Award for Exceptional Achievement in Teaching. A member of the Department of Environmental Biology faculty since 2019, Drew is an aquatic conservation ecologist working at the intersection of human and natural systems. He draws from a variety of disciplines including community ecology, biogeography, political ecology, and historical ecology. 

Dr. Chang Geun Yoo Honored with Exemplary Researcher Award

ESF named Dr. Chang Geun Yoo Exemplary Researcher for 2023-2024. This award recognizes successful, currently active researchers with exemplary research activity, publication record, and a graduate/undergraduate student mentorship program.

ESF student follows his passion, working in the Rocky Mountains

ESF alumnus Luke Peterson followed his passion to a summer job working as a crew leader for the Colorado Forest Team. Find out what he loves about the job and how ESF was the perfect fit for him.

WSYR – The Conversation

OUTDOORS: Learning about nature on Earth Day

Dr. Michael Schummer is looking at turkey populations in New York and asking hunters to submit one of their turkey legs to be analyzed as part of the study on the genetic diversity of the wild turkey.

Finger Lakes Times

Building a Bridge between Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge

Join President Mahoney as she speaks with Neil Patterson, assistant director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at ESF. In this conversation, Neil shares what brought him to study at ESF, how scientific ecological knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge can work together, the growth of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment, the role of indigenous communities as stewards of biodiversity, and the partnership with the DEC, Nature Conservancy, and others in addressing indigenous land justice in the state.

Student Ambassadors

ESF awarded a record number of 10 Dean Bray Ambassador Awards to this year's graduating class of ESF Student Ambassadors. This award is given to graduating seniors who have gone above and beyond in their volunteer service to the College.



The following students were recipients: Olivia Abry, Celine Brad, Megan Cammet, Dominic Cappa, Sarni Cavalier, Emma Greenberg, McKenzie Hagenbuch, Lauren Jones, Muskan Shrivastava, and Hana Wood.



ESF doesn’t normally award so many Dean Bray awards in one year, but this year's class was exceptional in every way. They hosted a record number of events and visitors, providing an incredible experience to everyone who visited. They provided 10 or more campus tours weekly and took on last-minute requests with ease. These are the last of the students tasked with helping ESF get through the covid pandemic and we should never forget their courage, perseverance, and generosity, not to mention their huge hearts.

On behalf of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions Office, and the ESF community, I congratulate and thank these students for their hard work and dedication. If you see them on campus or at graduation, I hope you’ll do the same. They will be sorely missed next year.

Rocky Feola, Senior Admissions Advisor

Celebrate the Class of 2023

The excitement of Commencement Week continues with events to celebrate the Class of 2023 and all they’ve accomplished. Today you are invited to raise a glass to our graduates at the annual Champagne Toast hosted by the Alumni Association.

3 p.m. I Gateway Center

Other opportunities to celebrate our graduates are:

Attend the Higher Degree Ceremony. Join us at 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 12, in Gateway to celebrate our higher degree candidates. Graduate students are integral to the ESF community in their support of teaching undergraduates and contributions to societally important research and professional projects. You will hear more about each student’s special contributions as their faculty advisors introduce them.

Serve as a Commencement Ambassador. We are looking for ESF people to serve on May 13 by greeting guests, directing them to their seats, and answering questions. If you’re interested in signing up to be a Commencement Ambassador, please email Megan Thurston.

Participate in the May 13 Commencement procession. Faculty members can line up in the VIP Lounge at 1:30 p.m. to process in and enjoy the festivities from the faculty section of the Amp. Once the student processional is completed, faculty and members of the platform party will process to their seats. Please be sure to review all venue requirements and details on this page.

Hear our Commencement speaker deliver an uplifting address. Anne Therese Gennari will inspire and empower the Class of 2023 with words of resilience, action, and hope as they embark on the next step of their important journey. Signed copies of her book will be available for sale at the ESF Bookstore tent.

Hit the Food Truck Rodeo. Immediately before and after Commencement, grab a bite to eat and a cold drink – and mingle with our new graduates and their families! Food and drink are available for purchase; please note that the Amp is cashless. Trucks open at 1 p.m.

Join us for breakfast. Head over to Gateway Center at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, May 14, for breakfast with our graduates and their families. Graduates will then meet on the Quad for an ESF photo.

Attend the ESF/Syracuse University joint commencement. After breakfast, we will process to the Dome for our joint commencement ceremony with SU.

Full details for all events are available on the website.

Jordan Jessamy Speaks on Tree Equity, Climate Change in Syracuse

ESF graduate student Jordan Jessamy will present Tree Equity and Climate Change in Syracuse.

Wednesday, May 10 I 7 p.m. I ArtRage Gallery, 505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse

Climate change causes variations in weather and people are not the only ones to feel it. Trees are also feeling the impacts and, in a city environment, the influence of climate change on trees can have real impacts on urban residents. This presentation will discuss how climate change impacts trees, what that means for city residents, and how some residents may face greater risk than others.

The presentation is held in connection with the art exhibition “Climate Connections: Our Shared Future” at the ArtRage Gallery, which features the work of three CNY artists and includes “tempestries” from 25 community members. The exhibit runs until May 20.

Webinar Focuses on Lake Ontario

The ESF community is invited to attend Let’s Talk Lake Ontario, a bi-national webinar focused on habitats and species of the Great Lake at noon on May 17.

The webinar will focus on how Canadian and U.S. scientists work together to collect data to better understand Lake Ontario and its ecosystem. Contact carol.kim@ec.gc.ca or brandt.peter@epa.gov with any questions.

Events

People can't come to your events if they don't know when they are! Remember to add them to the campus events calendar. And to find out what’s happening on campus this week visit the ESF Calendar and ESF Engage!



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ESF News is the College's source for all ESF news, information, and events issued every Wednesday.