Campus Ecology Examination: Examining the Environmental Impact in Institutional Education Settings
At Princeton University, a unique research course is empowering students to make a meaningful impact on their immediate environment. Led by Geosciences major Artemis Eyster '19, the course titled "Analyzing Ecological Integrity: An Assessment of Princeton's Natural Areas" is engaging students in geological and ecological field research on campus.
The idea for the course was born when GEO Professor Adam Maloof came across a natural resource assessment report provided to the University by a professional consultant. Inspired by the potential for students to advance such assessments with high-quality scientific measurements, he developed the concept for the course.
Eight students are enrolled in the course, each working on various field research projects. These projects include measuring the bathymetry of Lake Carnegie, gauging water-quality in campus streams, and surveying invasive plant species in campus woodlands. The purpose of the course is to better understand Princeton's natural areas through rigorous scientific research and to use the findings to articulate relevant land-use recommendations to the University.
The course is part of a series of research-based courses at Princeton, offering students opportunities for meaningful, local impact research. Another priority of the class is to record baseline measurements and design methodologies so that future student researchers have a strong framework they can expand upon either in classes or independent work.
Setting up the course was relatively easy, but compiling University data for comparison with current fieldwork measurements was a challenging process that required a lot of personal effort and time. Artemis finds it challenging to let go of the feeling of personal responsibility for the success of the course, reflecting her dedication to the students' learning experience.
Weekly class meetings are led by Artemis, with the assistance of course advisers GEO Professor Adam Maloof and WRI Professor Amanda Irwin-Wilkins. These meetings serve to discuss course goals, review progress, and plan ahead. Reflecting on what makes research meaningful to individuals can help students identify academic goals and transcend moments of struggle, stress, and doubt, making the course all the more impactful.
This approach promotes student initiative in designing, conducting, and analyzing field-based studies that complement classroom knowledge with practical experience. By engaging students directly with hands-on scientific inquiry in their immediate environment, the course fosters experiential learning, research skills development, and a deeper understanding of Princeton’s local ecosystems and geology.
- Artemis Eyster, leading the "Junior Paper" titled "Analyzing Ecological Integrity: An Assessment of Princeton's Natural Areas," encourages students to undertake independent work focused on geological and ecological research, such as measuring Lake Carnegie's bathymetry or surveying invasive plant species in campus woodlands.
- The online education course, aimed at understanding Princeton's natural areas through scientific research, also prioritizes student education and self-development, guiding students to form relevant land-use recommendations for the University based on their findings.
- The course is designed to record baseline measurements and establish methodologies that can be expanded upon in future classes or independent work, contributing to the ongoing study of climate-change and environmental-science at Princeton University.
- The course, part of a series of research-based courses, fosters experiential learning, research skills development, and a deeper understanding of Princeton’s local ecosystems and geology, helping students identify academic goals and persevere through challenging moments.
