As Dean I am often asked to explain the importance of the College of the Environment in simple, accessible language to the public—the proverbial “elevator speech.” In my first year as Dean I often described the size and scope of the College. And, in truth, it’s impressive: the biggest college of the environment in the United States, with $115 million in externally-funded research taking place on all seven continents and in each of the world’s oceans.
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Interdisciplinary collaboration is never far from my mind, but I am particularly focused on it this month. In the next four weeks, I will participate in four different strategic planning retreats that run the gamut from the College’s Executive Committee to the Woodland Park Zoo’s Advisory Board. I know many of you are similarly engaged in planning, whether it is the upcoming quarter, new research projects, or broader initiatives. The best planning exercises are those where we pool our diverse expertise and perspectives to tackle really big issues. And the most creative yet durable strategies are those that arise from the cross-pollination of different expertise and points of view.
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This week we find ourselves in the middle of that annual rite of passage, graduation. Our class of 2014 should be proud of their accomplishments, and feel genuine excitement to use their education as a cornerstone for a successful and productive career. At the College of the Environment, we recognize that the keys to a successful career look substantially different than they did a generation ago.
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Earth Day, April 22, marks a time for the world to celebrate and demonstrate support for a healthy environment. In appreciation for nature and its importance for our own health and well-being, people all over the world come together to plant trees, coordinate recycling drives, and share the most equitable and sustainable ways to steward our environment. From my point of view, at the College of the Environment, every day is Earth Day!
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To understand the importance of freshwater, we need look no further than the current map of drought in the western United States. California is in the grips of an extreme multi-year drought, and farmers and ranchers are facing critical water shortages that affect the nation’s food supply. Here in Washington we are more fortunate in that we are “only” in a moderate drought, but are nevertheless concerned about how low snowpack will impact our water supply and wildfire in the coming months.
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