Stories Archive
Featured Content
EVST 50th Celebration Virtual Alumni Panel
EVST celebrates 50 years with a virtual alumni panel. Listen to the recording here!
Erynn Castellanos, MS expected in 2021
Making Environmental Education More Accessible for Communities of Color
Erynn Castellanos
By Bryony Schwan
Erynn, currently a graduate student in EVST focusing on environmental education, grew up in Los Angeles, California. Erynn is focusing her work in EVST on making environmental education more...
Bryan von Lossberg, MS 2007
Missoula City Council President & Conservation Land Manager
Bryan von Lossberg
By Bryony Schwan
Bryan, who grew up in La Canada in the San Gabriel mountains near Pasadena, California, currently lives in Missoula with his wife Genevieve Jessop Marsh, an EVST alum, and their daughter Austen. Bryan...
Anne Harney, MS 2019
Working to increase access to healthy, local food.
Home:
Anne grew up in Charleston, West Virginia and currently lives in Missoula.
Present Position:
Anne is the Local Food Promotion Coordinator for Lake County Community Development Corporation in Ronan. Anne works to increase access to healthy,...
Tracy Stone Manning, MS 1992
People & Place: Leaving a place better than we found it for future generations.
Home:
Tracy lives in Missoula. She moved here to do her masters at EVST from just outside Washington, DC in Maryland where she grew up.
Present Position:
Associate Vice President for Public Lands for the National...
Anna Wearn, MS 2020
Protecting & Restoring Ecosystems at the Landscape Scale
Home:
Anna grew up in Portland, Oregon. She moved from Missoula to Bozeman a month ago to take a job at the Center for Large Landscape Conservation.
Present Title:
Conservation Policy Analyst for the Center for Large Landscape Conservation.
Her...
Peter McDonough, MS 2016
Passionate About Teaching at the Intersection of Issues like Climate Change & Racial Justice
Home:
Peter grew up in Wisconsin and Michigan but now lives in Missoula.
Present Title:
Climate Change Studies Program Coordinator, Davidson Honors College, University of Montana.
His Passion:
“I came to EVST...
Kitty Galloway, MS expected in 2020
5,000 Miles Hiked & a New Book
Home:
Kitty grew up on Bainbridge Island just west of Seattle but has lived in Missoula for almost ten years.
Present Title:
Kitty is a field instructor for the Wild Rockies Field Institute (WRFI) where she teaches the Colorado Plateau: Desert Canyons and Cultures in...
Caroline Byrd, MS 1988
Making the Greater Yellowstone Coalition Even Greater!
Home:
Caroline grew up in West Los Angeles. Her parents emigrated there from England. She came to Montana on a UC Santa Cruz (where she did her undergrad degree) field quarter to study bighorn sheep in 1978. That's when she fell in love with...
Indigenous Knowledge & Environmental Sustainability Certificate
Environmental Studies is always on the cutting edge of the intersection of community and academics. This past year the University of Montana encouraged departments to add new ways to credential students and community members. I developed the Indigenous Knowledge & Environmental...
Erika Berglund, MS expected in 2020
Shaping food policy
Home:
Erika grew up in Santa Barbara California but has now been living in Missoula for the last 3 1/2 years.
Her Focus:
Local food systems and government policy.
Her Passion:
Erika really discovered her passion at EVST—food! “Everyone has to eat food,” she says, “but food is also...
Scott Pancratz, MS 2000
Connecting youth to research & conservation
Home:
After growing up in Thousand Oaks, California Scott moved to Montana to join the ski patrol in Big Sky.
Present Title:
Until a month ago Scott was the Executive Director of Ecology Project International, an organization he co-founded with his wife...
Caroline Stephens Joins EVST Faculty
PEAS Farm Lecturer
The Environmental Studies Program is excited to announce that Caroline Stephens has joined our faculty as the PEAS Farm Lecturer. She just finished up her first full season on the farm, successfully leading a great crew of learners. Caroline is a farmer, educator, and...
Maggie Gammons, BS Expected 2021
Turning Backyards into Food Gardens!
Home:
Having grown up in Butte, Montana to a “very scientific family,” Maggie now lives in Missoula in the UM FLAT which she loves. The Forum for Living with Appropriate Technology, is an intentional, living-learning community dedicated to everyday...
Jim Berkey, MS 1997
Making Real Change on the Ground!
Home:
Jim was born in Pasadena and grew up nearby in Sierra Madre. He did a double major undergraduate degree (a BS and BA in earth science and environmental studies) at UC Santa Cruz. After wandering and working in exotic places like Antarctica, Alaska and New...
Megan Schuknecht, MS 2004
Scaling Nature Inspired Innovation
Home:
Megan grew up in the small town of Chilton in eastern Wisconsin and now lives with her husband and son in Missoula.
Present Title:
Director of Design Challenges at the Biomimicry Institute
Her Passion:
“I’m passionate about so many things,” says Megan. “When I...
Professor Neva Hassanein Receives the Excellence in Public Service Award from AFHVS
Congratulations to Professor Neva Hassanein for receiving the Excellence in Public Service Award from the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society (AFHVS) this summer. The award honors “AFHVS members who have made academic or non-academic contributions that have had significant public service...
Commencement Ceremony Addresses
2019 Commencement Address by MS Graduate Sophia Cinnamon
I first want to express my infinite gratitude to everyone in this room for showing up to support and celebrate the incredible and diverse work of this amazing cohort of graduate and undergraduate students. We are artists, activists,...
2019 Kittredge Distinguished Visiting Writer
EVST alumna Dr. M Jackson is serving as the Kittredge Distinguished Visiting Writer in EVST this semester. Dr. Jackson, who goes by “M,” is a geographer, glaciologist, TED Fellow, and National Geographic Society Explorer.
When I asked her why she came back to teach at EVST this semester she...
University of Montana Students Named Wyss Scholars
Anna Wearn, Taylor Simpson, Hannah Leonard, and Daniel Brister have been named The University of Montana’s 2019-20 Wyss Scholars for Conservation in the American West.
The Wyss Scholars Program provides financial support to UM students who are committed to careers in Western land conservation...
EVST Professor Dan Spencer
Attends United Nations COP 24 Climate Change Conference in Poland
EVST Professor Dan Spencer and recently retired Philosophy Instructor Pat Burke recently attended the United Nations COP 24 climate change conference in Katowice, Poland December 2-9, 2018. As part of a sabbatical leave, Spencer...
Aubrey Pongluelert
EVST Student and FLAT mate
Home:
Aubrey grew up in the Central Valley of California, the heart of large, corporate agriculture—but only 45 minutes away from Yosemite. She is currently living at the UM FLAT in Missoula, Montana.
Her Focus:
Sustainable Food and Farming
Her Passion:
"For the...
Tom Platt, MS 1996
Remembering EVST alum Tom Platt
In the fall of 2018, the EVST program lost an amazing alumnus, Tom Platt. For those of you who may have missed this sad news, below is excerpt from his obituary. Tom’s memorial resembled an EVST reunion with alumni gathering from far and near.
Thomas Morton Platt...
Brook Artziniega, MS Expected 2019
Telling Stories that Change the World
Home:
Brook grew up both on the coasts of New England and California. While both places feel like home to her, she doesn't have any plans to leave Montana anytime soon. "I love it here," she says, "I plan to move to Bozeman when I graduate."
Present Title:
Brook...
Joel Tickner, MS 1994
Concept Entrepreneur & Green Chemist
Home:
Joel was born in the Chicago area, went to college in Maine, spent three years in Spain before going to EVST and has been in the Boston area since 1994.
Present Title:
Professor of Environmental Health at UMass Lowell, Project Director of the Chemicals...
Josh Slotnick to retire from teaching and farming to serve as Missoula County Commissioner
(Photo by Chad Harder)
As the fall of 2018 approaches, it brings with it the end of an era. EVST lecturer and PEAS Farm Director, Josh Slotnick, will retire from teaching to take up an elected seat as one of three Missoula County Commissioners in January. Josh and others started Garden City...
Rachel Dickson: Graduation Remarks 2018
When Phil asked me to give this speech I almost said no because I hate public speaking that much. There aren’t many things that will persuade my anxiety that it’s a good decision. But the support that I have had through the Environmental Studies department is definitely one of those things. How...
Catie DeMets: EVST MS Graduation Speech 2018
Hi everyone, and welcome on this beautiful day to this beautiful basement. I want to begin by saying congratulations to all of the 2018 environmental studies graduates. Undergrads and grad students alike, the senioritis-laden limp to the finish line is no small feat, but here we are. So on...
Vicki Watson Public Interest Environmental Science (PIES) Scholarship Fund
Give to the Watson PIES Fund
Garrett McAllister, MS Expected Spring 2018
Land Use Planner
Home:
Born in Kotzebue, Alaska, Garrett spent his childhood in Tucson, Arizona, went to high school and college in Iowa, then moved back west. "Tucson will always be home to me, but my wider 'home range' is the four corners area, "says Garrett.
Present Title:
Currently a Land Use...
Jamie McConnell, MS 2007
Organized Leader and Fierce Negotiator
Home:
A native Montanan, Jamie was born in Helena and her grandparents homesteaded in Great Falls. After living in Newbury Park, California for a while Jamie is now living in Missoula, Montana.
Present Title:
Director of Programs and Policy, Women’s Voices for...
Quinn Gordon & the Certificate in Community Agriculture Program
Quinn Gordon came all the way from Missoula to join us in the EVST undergrad program four years ago, but he's used the program as a jumping off point for far distant locales. In 2015 Quinn spent a month working on an elephant conservation center in Surin, Thailand, where he worked with Thais and...
Josh Carter, MS 2005, and Sustainable Agriculture
Inspiring and educating people about sustainable agriculture
Home:
Shelburne, Vermont via Canterbury, New Hampshire
Present Title:
Market Gardner, Shelburne Farms
His Passion:
Josh's passion is feeding his family, friends, and community, healthy and delicious organic produce. He also loves to inspire...
Studying Climate Change in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Chúc Mừng Năm Mới! Happy New Year from Vietnam! Fifteen UM students recently joined me for four weeks in Vietnam to examine current and anticipated effects of climate change on the people, lands and waterways of the Mekong Delta. The travel seminar is set up to explore both the socio-cultural...
Melissa Petersen, Conservation Biologist and Published Author
Convservation Biologist and Published Author, Melissa Petersen
Home:
Shelton, Washington
Her Passion:
Melissa is passionate about the restoration and conservation of natural areas and showing people the complex beauty of those places through writing. With a two-year-old son she also enjoys...
Peter Gurche on Finding the "Radical Center!"
Home:
Spokane, Washington
Present Title:
Associate at the Center for Natural Resources & Environmental Policy at the University of Montana and Coordinator of the Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent.
Accomplishments:
Peter earned a Brainerd Fellowship to work with Professor Len Broberg on the...
EVST Alumna Kiki Hubbard Director of Advocacy & Communications at the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA)
EVST Alumna Kiki Hubbard Director of Advocacy & Communications at the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA)
Home
Missoula, by way of Wisconsin and Washington D.C.
Present Title
Director of Advocacy & Communications at the Organic Seed Alliance
Her Passion
Protecting family farms and community food systems from...
Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel Wins Gournay Prize
EVST M.S. alum Kisha Lewellyn Schlegel won the Gournay Prize at Ohio State University for her nonfiction book Fear Icons, which will be published in the 21st Century Essays series in Fall 2018.
Ohio State Press Gournay Prize announcement
Alumna Sikina Jinnah named a 2017 Andrew Carnegie Fellow
Her work on “Global Governance of Climate (Geo)Engineering" addresses the political challenges surrounding governance of emerging technologies designed to address climate change.
Grow Food with a Purpose and for College Credit
Earn 6 credits this summer learning and working on the PEAS farm at the University of Montana in Missoula. Students currently enrolled at other colleges are encouraged to apply for this summer opportunity. Students get their hands dirty in every facet of our 10-acre vegetable farm, sowing...
Graduate Fellowship Opportunity Food, Energy, Water Nexus
Are you applying to the Environmental Studies graduate program and interested in studying questions that are at the nexus of food, energy, and/or water?
The University of Montana recently received a major grant from the National Science Foundation to create the BRIDGES program, a special...
2016 National Wilderness Workshop, Nov. 8-10
November 8-10
In the UC
Free
EVST alum Heather MacSlarrow (Society for Wilderness Stewardship Executive Director)
The 2016 National Wilderness Workshop, free to all University of Montana students and faculty, includes sessions relevant to conservation advocacy including:
case studies that explore...
Congratulations to Sonny Kless Scholarship Recipients
EVST undergrad Dominque Nault has been selected to receive the Sonny Kless Clean Energy and Climate Change Scholarship for 2019 based on her dedication, passion, experience, initiative and leadership. Dominque is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy’s Reservation, where she...
Professor Robin Saha Granted the 2016 Thomas Ehrlich Civically Engaged Faculty Award
Read Campus Compact’s post about Robin Saha’s award
Read the Missoula Independent’s article about Robin Saha
Campus Compact is pleased to announce that Robin Saha, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Montana, has been selected as the recipient of the 2016 Thomas...
Food Justice Lecture
Free Public Address on “The Good Food Revolution”
Thursday, September 22, 2016
7:30 pm
North Underground Lecture Hall, University of Montana
Malik Yakini will discuss the work of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network (DBCFSN) as an example of a grassroots effort to build community...
Community Farming: Josh Slotnick at TEDx
One of the oldest campus-community farms in the U.S., the PEAS Farm will soon wrap up its 20th season. Through the Program in Ecological Agriculture and Society, undergraduate and graduate students combine traditional academics with hands-on work at an urban, sustainable farm. That’s two decades...
2016 Bachelors Graduates
The latest group of EVST Bachelors of Arts Graduates in front of Rankin Hall after EVST Commencement Ceremonies, May 22, 2016. Best of luck in everything and we will miss you!
