Princeton University - Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Conservation Biology (Undergraduate and Graduate) See description below.
Columbia University - Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology Department
Conservation Biology (Undergraduate and Graduate) This course introduces students to the applied science of maintaining Earth’s biological diversity. The course will focus on the biological principles relevant to the conservation of biodiversity at the genetic-, population-, community-, and landscape levels. Here, the emphasis is on problem solving and the translation of theory to practice through quantitative exercises, discussion of primary literature, and exploration of real-world case studies.
Because conservation biology is an interdisciplinary field, some of the social, philosophical, and economic dimensions of biological conservation are also addressed. The course is intended to link perspectives gained from other biology courses under the common theme of how scientific principles can be applied to the conservation. In addition, the course is designed to help students sharpen several professional skills important to professional life: oral and written communication, data analysis, and especially, critical thinking.
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Describe and explain what biodiversity is, why it is important, and the threats it is facing today.
Describe and explain different conceptual and quantitative approaches used to mitigate those threats and address conservation problems.
Analyze a variety of types of data relevant for conservation.
Analyze conservation problems in a critical way: make judgments and reach a position on a conservation problem, drawing appropriate conclusions based on the available information, its implications and consequences.
Biodiversity, Conservation, and Social Change (Undergraduate and Graduate) Environmental programs worldwide are fraught with disputes between groups of people over natural resources. Such conflict can be highly complex, may undermine or deter environmental conservation efforts, and may even foster violence. These conflicts often involve disagreements between different groups that are divided by culture, social values, and perceptions about the ethics and appropriateness of how resources should be allocated or used. Combining specific case studies form the disciplines of complex systems, conflict and peace studies, cultural competence, diversity and inclusion, this course will enhance the proficiency of participants to understand, study, and work within diverse social settings where social conflicts may hinder effective conservation practice.
This upper-level undergraduate/graduate-level course offers frameworks for understanding the range, origins and dynamics of conflicts related to biodiversity conservation and evaluates strategies for effective management and mitigation. The case study approach will illustrate the factors that may encourage unfavorable interactions between people and environmental conservation in many contexts.
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
Identify the variety, causes, and dynamics of biodiversity conservation related conflicts.
Understand their own identities and roles within conservation practice - including the ethics, risks, and opportunities of programs that aim to influence the conservation knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of stakeholders.
Analyze specific natural resource-based conflict cases and discuss the strengths and weakness of different theoretical approaches applied to them.
Describe the appropriate options and strategies for mitigating and/or managing conservation conflicts, including approaches that foster greater cooperation and stakeholder engagement.
American Museum of Natural History - Education Department
Conservation Biology (High School) Human beings have impacts on Earth’s ecosystems no matter where on Earth they live. In the past 100 years, increased consumption has led to a variety of environmental issues from acid rain to climate change. How do scientists measure the impact of human action on non-human organisms? How do environmental problems impact human communities? What can you do to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems? All of these questions and more will be answered in this course, which includes behind-the-scenes tours, field trips, and talks from scientists.
Course Rationale: The American Museum of Natural History Youth Initiatives strives to provide unique informal learning experiences for students in order to inspire new and personal engagement with science and culture. These learning experiences are designed to engage students with the research and collections available at the Museum as well as stimulate their higher order thinking skills by providing them with hands on experiences and access to interesting research opportunities.
Course Objectives:
Explain the causes of current conservation threats, consequences of biodiversity loss, and associated solutions
Identify the role of Museum collections and the important roles they play in biological research and conservation
Recognize the role of conservation biology at different ecological scales
Describe the interactions between human activities and ecological systems
Identify the variety of stakeholders and major players in the field of Conservation Biology
Previous Course and Seminar Topics
General Ecology Biodiversity and Conservation Human-Wildlife Conflict Invasive Species Climate Change Impacts Human Population Growth Genetically Modified Organisms From The Bottom Up: Building Earth's Ecosystems