EEGS students and faculty attend East Lakes/West Lakes Division of American Association of Geographers fall meeting
October 24, 2024
The EEGS Department brought 15 students to the 2024 Meeting of the West Lakes Division of the American Association of Geographers held on October 17-19. Western Michigan University hosted this year’s event. NMU student participation at this conference was supported through gifts made by generous alumni and friends of EEGS. Members of Dr. Weronika Kusek's Urban Geography class, students collaborating with Dr. Jelili Adebiyi, and other NMU undergraduates participated.
Avery Case and Julia Janssen, Environmental Studies and Sustainability students, were recognized with second place in the West Lakes undergraduate paper award competition for their collaborative presentation on University Campus Food Waste Reduction Strategy: Perceived Effectiveness of Different Messaging and Framing Campaigns.
Isabelle Honkomp earned third place in the same competition. Her paper was titled Marquette 2049: Preparing the Community for the Future.
Please visit the East Lakes/West Lakes AAG feature news article to learn more.
Freed serves as NMU's native plant intern
October 11, 2024
Grace Freed, a junior majoring in Environmental Studies and Sustainability, recently helped revive NMU’s Campus Nursery. As the first native plant intern for the Sustainability Hub for Innovation & Environment (SHINE), Freed helped prepare the area for new plantings. To celebrate NMU’s 125th anniversary, a new maple sapling was planted at a public reception. The goal is to nurture young perennials and trees until they are large enough to be transplanted into gardens around campus. Learn more about the benefits of the Campus Nursery.
Kuhn’s video promotes Green Athletics initiative
October 11, 2024
Master of Interdisciplinary Science (MIS) student Makaylee Kuhn (BS '23 Environmental Science) produced a seven-minute video titled “Serving as an Example: Small Sustainability Steps to Make a Big Difference” that will be screened at the upcoming Fresh Coast Film Festival on October 18 and 19. The documentary features the sustainability efforts of the NMU Women’s Volleyball team. Dr. Mark Shevy, head of the Communications and Media Studies Department, provided the technical expertise to bring this project to fruition. Makaylee’s goal is to inspire other teams in NMU Athletics to adopt more sustainable practices. Read more about it here, and watch it on Youtube!
Students participate in Gichigaming Water Walk
October 11, 2024
On Saturday, Sept. 14, members of Dr. Sarah Mittlefehldt’s GC 424 Environmental Justice class joined students from the Center for Native American Studies and the Biology Department to participate in the Gichigaming Water Walk. This experience was part of an Anishinabe ceremony to honor water and those who work to protect it. The group walked a copper pail of water from the Montreal River at the border between Wisconsin and Michigan thirty miles to the mouth of the Presque Isle River in Porcupine Mountain State Park. At the end of the ceremony/walk, there was a potluck feast. Students learned about Indigenous approaches to environmental protection and met many new friends and collaborators.
Environmental Studies and Sustainability major Leah Cody wrote of the opportunity, “I have been able to take so much out of my experience at the Water Walk. The most impactful part for me was how I was able to be a part of something bigger than myself. It was inspiring to be surrounded by folks who were there for a collective reason--to protect and celebrate water. Attending a ceremony such as this has created a lasting impact on my personal life and educational journey. It was inspiring to be around such passionate people, and they have reminded me how much I value the natural world and [I will] continue to fight for clean water and accessibility to the wondrous parts of the world.”
Naito receives Faculty Emerging Leadership Award
Dr. Adam Naito is the recipient of the 2024-2025 NMU Faculty Emerging Leadership Award. The award "recognizes and honors junior faculty who since coming to the university have demonstrated exceptional leadership attributes on campus and the broader community." He previously was one of two recipients of the 2023-2024 NMU Excellence in Teaching Award.
Naito joins Dr. Ryan Stock as one of two EEGS faculty members that have received the Faculty Emerging Leadership award.
