Protecting Academic Voice, Intellectual Freedom, and Diversity in an Era of Media Intimidation

The Workshop will describe the magnitude of increasing media harassment organized by individuals and organizations against academic publication and voice. Several faculty, including AESS members, will discuss their recent experience with targeted media attacks and describe strategies they found useful in responding to this harassment. A description of resources available to faculty experiencing targeted attacks will be followed by an exploration of how AESS can assist members to confront media harassment constructively.

• Walter Rosenbaum, tonyros@ufl.edu
• Teresa Lloro-Bidart, tllor001@ucr.edu
• Jennifer Bernstein, jennifer.bernstein@gmail.com

How much health should we teach? How much should students know?

Health issues tend to be sensitive, technically complicated, consequential, controversial, and fraught with reputational risk for advocates who are not licensed health professionals. Students need some degree of health literacy and capacity to evaluate the plausibility and context of health claims, to advocate responsibly, and to address health disparities.

This workshop will explore:

1. What is currently taught to majors or graduate students in environmental studies,
   environmental sciences, and sustainability (env s/s/s) about health?
2. What are the objectives of health literacy among env s/s/s students?
3. What concepts of health do students of env s/s/s need in order to understand the basics of their field? For future employment?
4. What basic skills in health analysis should env s/s/s majors master (assuming they are not going into environmental health careers)?  
5. What is the minimum health content (fund of knowledge) that env s/s/s students should be expected to know in order to understand health-related issues? (Basic toxicology, microbiology, environmental health practice, children’s environmental health?)
6. What are the minimum health-related analytical skills that env s/s/s students should be expected to apply or interpret in order to understand health-related issues in a critical manner? (Basic epidemiology, critical thinking, risk science, ?)

• Tee Guidotti, tee.guidotti@gmail.com
• Elizabeth Friedman, elizabethjuliaswork@gmail.com

Getting Published: Preparing Manuscripts for Journal Submission.

First conducted at the Vermont AESS Conference and now in its eighth iteration, this workshop is intended for graduate students and young professionals desiring to learn more about the publication process. Specifically, participants will learn about preparing articles for publication and how manuscripts are reviewed by professional journals, such as the Journal for Environmental Studies and Sciences.

• Kim Smith, ksmith@carleton.edu
• Walter Rosenbaum, tonyros@ufl.edu
• Abby Lindsay, abby.lindsay@american.edu

EcoTypes: Exploring Environmental Ideas With Your Students

EcoTypes (ds.lclark.edu/ecotypes) is a self-assessment survey and website your students can use to explore a wide range of environmental ideas; to date over 1000 students have completed the survey. The workshop, led by Prof. Jim Proctor, will train instructors how to use these resources.

The workshop will include (a) a background in environmental ideas, and understanding/measuring these ideas via typologies; (b) an introduction to the theory and methodology behind the EcoTypes survey; (c) guidance toward interpreting individual and group EcoTypes survey results; (d) exploration of all resources currently and potentially available on the EcoTypes website; (e) teaching tips toward effective integration of EcoTypes into courses; and (f) anticipated next steps in the EcoTypes initiative, including potential research collaboration opportunities.

• James Proctor, jproctor@lclark.edu

Lone wolves and growing pains: a collaborative workshop for junior faculty managing new programs alone

We offer space to share collective challenges and successful strategies as faculty independently managing new and growing ESS programs. We will engage in a network mapping activity to identify key resources and areas for improvement; participants will discuss ideas to leverage their network for both program growth and personal support. We will offer group counselling for each individual attendee, during which we share challenges and evaluate solutions. Finally, we will explore options for an extended support network comprised of participants and workshop leaders that will serve in lieu of on-campus ESS colleagues. The overarching intent is to minimize the isolation felt by lone wolf ESS faculty, especially those developing new ESS programs. The workshop will be discussion-based and solutions-focused, and each participant will have an opportunity to discuss his/her needs with the group.

• Sam Whitehead, samcwhitehead1977@gmail.com
• Susan Caplow, scaplow@montevallo.edu
• Barry Muchnick, brmuchnick@smcm.edu