UVM Rubenstein School

UVM Forestry Program Director Tony D'Amato spoke to the Christian Science Monitor about his work with Dartmouth's Second College Grant conducting experiments aimed at learning how to best help forests adapt to climate change.

“The key to all of this is humility. We don’t know all the answers. We’re often proven wrong. But the magnitude of what we’re seeing with climate change is a call to action," said Tony.

Read the whole story here: https://go.uvm.edu/3xr2d

To hug or to cut? A new generation of foresters says do both. Cutting timber the right way can actually make forests more dynamic, says a new generation of foresters who focus on ecology and climate change.

Happy International Cat Day, Rubensteiners! We hope you're having a purr-fect summer and can't wait to see you all back on campus shortly!

In celebration of this momentous holiday, check out some of our lovely faculty and staff's feline friends. 😺💚

Photos 1 & 2: Professor Jason Stockwell's cats Boy and Google
Photo 3: Lake Champlain Sea Grant Communications and Program Associate Anna Marchessault's cat Minerva
Photos 4 & 5: Senior Professional Advisor for Experiential Learning Emily LeForce's cats Comet and Cupid
Photo 6: Research Technician Andrea Stumpf's cat Penny

(Yes, this is an invitation to PLEASE share your cat pictures with us)

It was an awesome UVM Summer U session for outdoor lovers! These dendrology students enjoyed a glorious week of field-based study around the state.

It’s been a wonderful first year aboard the Research Vessel Marcelle Melosira!

Rubenstein School Dean Peter Newman and R/V MM Captain Taylor Resnick were joined by members of the Rubenstein School, Rube Lab, and waterfront communities in celebration of this special anniversary. Thank you to the guests of honor, Senator Patrick Leahy, and his wife, Marcelle, for whom the boat is named, for joining the festivities (and bringing cake!).

Learn more about the R/V MM here: https://go.uvm.edu/szxl2

Check out this recent piece from Across the Fence, featuring Rubenstein School students Conor and Vegas, who are recording bird species in the Northeast Kingdom in support of a collaborative study headed by UVM Forestry Program Director, Tony D'Amato. Conor and Vegas are also being advised by Allan Strong of the Wildlife and Fisheries Biology program.

Watch the whole feature here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYo2DsYckA&list=UUKFGgivqe3Xh-nr4BUnxjqw

07/16/24 Managing Forests to Increase Bird Population in the NEK Join UVM Wildlife Biology majors as they study the birds of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. Learn about the efforts to help protect the woodland habitat these b...

Studying Lake Champlain's health aboard the RV Marcelle Melosira RV Marcelle Melosira shares data on Lake Champlain health post July flood.

The Olympic Games in Paris are just days away. Will the Seine River be clean enough to swim in?

Rubenstein's own Dr. Anne Jefferson offered her insight on other historic river cleanup efforts, urban waterways, and more to the Scientific American podcast, Science Quickly. Give it a listen here: https://go.uvm.edu/b7np3

Will the Seine Be Ready for Olympic Swimmers? The Seine will be the stage for the Paris 2024 Olympics’ Opening Ceremony—and for its marathon swimming events. But this urban waterway is challenging to keep clean.

Another extreme flood event hit parts of Vermont last week. Our Spatial Analysis Lab (SAL) plays a critical role in responding to emergencies like this one. Their ability to capture aerial imagery fast makes documenting damage and assessing risks quickly possible.

Since Wednesday night’s flood event, the team has been in the field working long days to capture mapping data around North and Central Vermont. Working in partnership with the State Emergency Operations Center, our team of unoccupied aircraft systems (UAS) technicians were tasked with large area mapping in Plainfield, the Great Brook Corridor, and Peacham over the weekend. Here are a few shots of our incredible team in action.

Data from the Spatial Analysis Lab and the VTrans UAS team are being shared by the Vermont Center for Geographic Information at https://floodimagery.mapvt.com/

At the Rubenstein School, one-of-a-kind experiential learning opportunities never go on vacation!

Earlier this summer, students from several of UVM's colleges journeyed to the Netherlands for a travel study course.

NR 2990: Water Management and Sustainability in the Netherlands, a course where students traveled primarily by bicycle, was designed to allow students to explore water management and sustainability attitudes and techniques from the Dutch perspective and make comparisons to German flooding experiences as well as to their own personal experiences with flooding and sustainability.

Thanks to this travel course, students gained a greater understanding of water resources issues and learned to compare and analyze different countries' approach to sustainability and management decisions. They also honed their critical thinking and evaluation skills, and finished the course feeling more confident in their ability to evaluate sustainability using an evidence-based disciplinary approach and integrate economic, ecological, and social perspectives.

Learn more about off-campus study opportunities in the Rubenstein School: https://go.uvm.edu/wl4qx

A wonderful spotlight of our Water Management and Sustainability travel course in the Netherlands - thanks for sharing your experience, Leo!

Rubenstein School Professor Paul Bierman's upcoming book, "When the Ice Is Gone," received glowing praise from Kirkus Reviews.

"Frightening yet excellent popular science."

Read the entire review here: https://go.uvm.edu/i1ca3

Adam Zylka, UAS Team Lead at the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab, spoke with Quinn Kelly from ABC22 & FOX44 about the SAL’s efforts to map flood damage last summer. Check out the whole story and learn more about how the SAL's work impacted flood recovery here: https://go.uvm.edu/oqy24

Do you want this to be you? Now's your chance!

Public trips aboard the Marcelle Melosira are departing from Burlington and Plattsburgh this summer

One trip will take a deep dive into the geologic and cultural history of the Lake Champlain basin - Yeah, that means getting a close up look at the Champlain Thrust Fault!

The other trip is for our aspiring scientists in the community! Participants will learn about chemical, physical, and biological processes in the lake, and get to use some of the equipment aboard the vessel

Learn more about the trips and register in advance
https://www.uvm.edu/seagrant/programs/public-boat-trips-lake-champlain-aboard-rv-marcelle-melosira

Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory University of Vermont UVM Rubenstein School National Sea Grant College Program Center for Earth and Environmental Science at SUNY Plattsburgh Hello Burlington

Dr. Clare Ginger, Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Planning, retired from the Rubenstein School in May of 2024. After 30 years of dedicated teaching and leadership, Clare received the distinction of Emerita from UVM.

“Clare’s unparalleled knowledge of the School’s academic policy and curriculum has kept us on the right path at many a faculty meeting, and she has long been known as the ‘go-to’ colleague for sage advice about how to mentor students,” said Walter Poleman, Senior Lecturer and Director of the Field Naturalist program at UVM.

Read Clare's retirement story in full here:

Clare Ginger Retires After 30 Years of Leadership and Teaching in the Rubenstein School Dr. Clare Ginger, Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Planning in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, received the distinction of Emerita from the University of Vermont (UVM) in May 2024. After 30 years of dedicated teaching and leadership in the Rubenstein...

Dr. J. Ellen Marsden, Professor of Fisheries Biology, retired from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources in May 2024. She was celebrated for her countless contributions to UVM and the state of Vermont at a ceremony during the spring semester, where she was honored with an Emerita citation.

Read her retirement story: https://loom.ly/bcFIHaM
Watch the Lake Champlain Basin Program documentary about Ellen's work: https://loom.ly/_vjJbtM

Gone Fishin’: Ellen Marsden Retires after 26 Years with the Rubenstein School Dr. J. Ellen Marsden, Professor of Fisheries Biology, retired from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont (UVM) in May 2024. She was celebrated for her countless contributions to UVM and the state of Vermont at a ceremony during the spring...

Forestry summer camp has been a roaring success! Students got into the field and learned from local and state experts on topics of forest management, hydrology, conservation, consulting in the forestry industry, and more.

If you're feeling some forestry FOMO (fear of missing out), don't sweat it! There's a summer course in Dendrology running in July that is still accepting students! Learn more about that course here: https://go.uvm.edu/gf0oc

Thanks to Jess Wikle, Luben Dimov, and Daniel Zang for these wonderful photos.

to our Rubenstein School celebration of the class of 2024💚

How did an undergraduate student become the go-to person for the future of pollinator gardens on campus?

Erin Camire '24 interned with the UVM Sustainable Solutions Lab and is leaving behind a legacy that positions UVM to have more pollinator-friendly landscaping.

"Erin’s map will help guide our decisions on where and what to plant to support pollinators," said Elizabeth Palchak, UVM sustainability director. "This promotes biodiversity on campus and is a priority for our students.”

Read the story here:

UVM Student Creates Roadmap For a Bee-Friendly Campus Erin Camire ’24 picked up their diploma last week as a newly minted forestry graduate from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. They will leave behind a legacy that positions UVM to have more pollinator-friendly landscaping, a specific goal laid out in the university’s...

Congratulations Class of 2024 Rubenstein School Graduates! Here are some quick shots and candids from our celebration—don’t worry, more photos are coming!

You can find the livestream link to the Rubenstein Celebration at https://www.uvmcommencement.com. The event begins at 12pm!

UVM Commencement University of Vermont Commencement Ceremonies are available to watch live and to replay.

Commencement weekend is here! Today we are celebrating the 26 Master's and Doctoral students graduating from the Rubenstein School. These scholars have conducted extensive research, presented and defended their theses and dissertations, and will now receive their hoods at the Graduate College ceremony!

Congratulations :
Master of Science, Natural Resources
• Ismar Biberovic
• Liam M. Farley
• Jordan Luff
• Katherine Anne Longfield
• Sophia Marinace
• Paulina Elizabeth Murray
• Frederick William Sutor V
• Rachel Swanwick

MPS in Leadership for Sustainability
• Kellee Bachour
• April Bello
• Javiera Benavente
• Caroline Winston Bruno
• Eva Farah
• Emily F. Franko
• Kayhan Noshir Irani
• Sara N McIlvennie
• Kara Ann DeBill Odegard
• Amanda Nicole Rodriguez
• Breanna Marie Makana’akua Rose

Doctor of Philosophy, Natural Resources
• Sam Bliss
• Megan Egler
• Kelly Hamshaw
• Joshua Morse
• Jessica Lynn Wikle

PRT major Cole ZuWallack '24 tailored his study abroad experience in New Zealand and his work experience in Burlington to his interest in tourism and outdoor recreation. He'll be an assistant waterfront manager this summer and his advice to other students is very straightforward: “Go abroad. Go somewhere here you can study tourism and hospitality. Learn about different perspectives.”

Read his senior story here:

Saying Yes to Opportunities, at Home and Abroad Cole ZuWallack ’24, a Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) major, was travelling to Auckland, New Zealand for his semester abroad when the unthinkable happened: the pilot came over the loudspeaker and told the passengers that...

We've been highlighting several of our awesome graduating seniors on Instagram (follow us at over there if you haven't already!) all week. Missed out? Check out the 2024 senior spotlights here: https://go.uvm.edu/quh5l

Senior Spotlights: Class of 2024 The entire Rubenstein School community is so proud of the Class of 2024. Over 200 seniors will earn their diplomas on Sunday May 19th, and while the journey hasn't been easy (this class started their first year in the fall of 2020, after all), these students have made the most of their...

Gus Lunde '24, an Environmental Sciences major and Honors College student, designed a thesis that centered two of his passions: biking and birding. His advice for current or prospective Rubenstein School students? "There are a million things going on outside of your classes that can help you realize what it is or what it isn’t that you want to do. Getting out there, putting some effort into introducing yourself to your professors, showing up for opportunities and putting yourself out there is key."

Read his senior story here:

Trusting the Process: How Gus Lunde '24 Leaned into his Passions for Biking and Birding to Design an Honors College Thesis On April 30, a group of students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered in the Aiken Center to watch Gus Lunde ’24 present his Honors College thesis seminar. Gus has been working toward this culminating event for nearly two years, and his thesis is the result of many early mornings of...

Ph.D. alum Sam Bliss and current Ph.D student Joshua Morse offered valuable insights and perspective to a recent VT Digger article about wildlife management in Vermont. Read it here:

Wild divide: Can wildlife management policy reflect Vermonters’ complex views? - VTDigger A bill that would have reformed the state’s wildlife management structure faces an increasingly narrow path toward becoming law, illustrating the challenge of crafting a policy that satisfies the nuanced — and sometimes opposing — opinions about wildlife in the state.

Community Achievement Night was a roaring success and a wonderful way to honor the hard work of our students, faculty, and staff! Congratulations to all the awardees and thank you to everyone who attended.