As keynote speaker for the 2026 Academic and Creative Excellence (ACE) Festival, Lawrence told a crowd gathered at Lehman Auditorium on Wednesday morning about the year she spent researching plant-animal interactions on the tropical island.

She was tasked with walking a specific route through the forest, starting at dawn, recording every animal she observed and noting what it was doing and eating. She recalled listening to gibbons sing in the mornings, watching macaques leap from tree to tree in the evenings, and seeing her first orangutan in the wild. 

Lawrence, who holds a BA in anthropology from Harvard University and a PhD in botany from Duke University, said she had arrived at college three years earlier “pretending to be a pre-med major so I would have something to say when asked,” but still unsure what she wanted to do. When she returned from that year in Borneo, she discovered a newfound sense of purpose: to save the rainforest. 

“The rainforest had held me for a year, giving me a place to learn about nature and about myself,” she said. “What a gift.”

In the years since, she has devoted much of her life to understanding the human connection to nature and the consequences of actions like deforestation. Her research has taken her around the world to forests in Cameroon, Costa Rica, Mexico, and East Africa, as well as North Carolina and Virginia.

Lawrence spent more than 25 years as a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Virginia, where she focused on global forest systems and climate dynamics.

In addition to her academic career, she served as a science advisor to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Global Change, supporting climate policy and international negotiations. She played a key role in establishing SilvaCarbon, a U.S. interagency program dedicated to forest carbon measurement and monitoring.

For the past four years, Lawrence has worked as chief scientist at Calyx Global, a carbon credit rating agency. At the startup, she leads efforts to ensure the scientific integrity of greenhouse gas ratings. She also directs research and analytics for nature-based solutions and engineered carbon dioxide removal.

“I still do science every day, but my target is different,” she said. “I think of it as the flip side of academic research. I used to study nature’s climate solutions—how forests and land can alter the climate. Now I study how those solutions get put into action, bundled up, and sold as carbon credits. And my job is to make sure [corporations] are delivering the climate impact that they promise.”

In her address, Lawrence spoke about the wonders of photosynthesis—“It takes something you cannot see and turns it into something you can touch and eat”—and the glorious splendor of spring. “Life is simply bursting out all around us, and it’s an amazing thing,” she said.

She recognized her feelings of eco-grief, the sadness she feels about the loss of ecosystems and living beings, and the increasing rate of extinction. “[T]he earth is more than just a place where we live,” she said. “It’s a place we love. We would not feel sadness if we felt no love. So I just want you to remember that. If you are feeling sad about what’s going on in the world, you’re also feeling love.”

Lawrence said she had been encouraged to read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer six years ago but hadn’t found the time. Having recently read the book, which is 91����Ƶ’s Common Read for 2025-26, she expressed appreciation for its wisdom. 

“Trying to know something is a way to love it,” she said. “That’s what I wish for all of you while you’re here in college. Study something deeply. It will change the way you view the world, including yourself, including nature.”

91����Ƶ’s ACE Festival continues Thursday with a full day of student presentations and performances, an authors’ reception and award presentation, and the first-ever ACE Fest Career Fair. For a full schedule of events, visit .

Watch a video recording of the address below!

Thanks to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Daniel B. Suter Endowment, and the Center for Interfaith Engagement for collaborating with ACE Festival and the Provost’s Office to bring Dr. Lawrence to campus.

ACE Fest Keynote Address
Date: Wednesday, April 15
Time: 10:15-11:15 a.m.
Location: Lehman Auditorium
More info:

Dr. Deborah Lawrence, chief scientist and director of forest and land at Calyx Global, will open the 2026 Academic and Creative Excellence (ACE) Festival as keynote speaker at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, April 15, in Lehman Auditorium.

At Calyx Global, a Colorado-based carbon credit ratings agency, Lawrence ensures the scientific integrity of its greenhouse gas ratings. She spent 25 years as an environmental sciences professor at the University of Virginia, where she conducted global forest and climate research.

She also served as a science advisor to the U.S. Department of State and established SilvaCarbon, a U.S. federal program for forest carbon measurement and monitoring, according to a staff listing on . 

Lawrence holds a BA in anthropology from Harvard University and a PhD in botany from Duke University. 

Her keynote address will reflect on “our connections to nature and how they have changed over the course of my life,” Lawrence said, “informing my scholarship, my work, and my daily life.”

Jennifer Ulrich, chair of the Intellectual Life Committee, said Lawrence’s teaching experience, research, and international background were key factors in selecting her as keynote speaker. 

She said Lawrence readily embraced both the university’s annual theme of environmental sustainability and its Common Read, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, as she developed her address.

“I am grateful for her willingness to speak with us and look forward to her keynote address,” Ulrich said.

91����Ƶ ACE Festival

91����Ƶ’s Academic and Creative Excellence Festival provides an opportunity for students to learn from their peers and to showcase their own research, creative projects, and papers. It’s also an opportunity to continue conversations sparked by 91����Ƶ’s Common Read for the year.

In addition to poster and oral presentations held throughout the day on Thursday, April 15, ACE Fest events include a music department student recital at noon in Lehman Auditorium, an art exhibition opening for senior capstone projects at 4:45 p.m. in the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery, and a wind ensemble concert at 7 p.m. in Lehman Auditorium.

The 17th 91����Ƶ Authors’ Reception and Award Presentation will be held from 3:45-5 p.m. in Old Common Grounds (University Commons 177) on Thursday. The annual event, hosted by the Office of the Provost, recognizes and celebrates winners of the university’s Excellence in Teaching Awards and recipients of student writing awards, as well as 91����Ƶ faculty, staff, and students who have published scholarly work since Jan. 1, 2025. The awards presentation part of the program will begin at 4:30 p.m.

An 91����Ƶ Career Fair, hosted by the Alumni Engagement Office, will be held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Thursday at the Hall of Nations. It will provide an opportunity for students to interact directly with employers, connect with alumni professionals, explore career options, and potentially secure internships or employment. 

The ACE Festival is hosted by the Provost’s Office and made possible by the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the Center for Interfaith Engagement, and the Daniel B. Suter Endowment, which supports 91����Ƶ’s commitment to fostering curiosity, discovery, and scientific learning. 

For more information about the festival and a schedule of events, visit .

“I’ve always been conscious of how much money I’m spending,” he said. “I don’t want to have tons of debt I’ll have to pay back later, especially at high interest rates.”

And so for Vasquez, who works a part-time job at The Home Depot, financial aid from the Montgomery GI Bill, the Virginia Tuition Grant (VTAG), and a new National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM Scholarship has been a godsend in covering the full cost of his college education.

“Without the NSF S-STEM Scholarship, I would’ve struggled financially,” he said. “The scholarship really takes the pressure off my shoulders, because now I won’t have that debt looming over my head.”

Born and raised in Harrisonburg, Vasquez graduated from high school in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and attended Blue Ridge Community College while enlisting in the military. After completing recruit training, taking time to reassess his academic goals, and changing majors from business to computer science, he transferred to 91����Ƶ last fall. 

He is among an initial cohort of 91����Ƶ students receiving the NSF S-STEM Scholarship, which provides:

• Up to $15,000 in unmet financial need annually for the length of the degree
• A paid one-week Bridge to College program
• A STEM mentorship program
• An eight-week paid internship
• Free conference attendance
• Forest restoration opportunities in Park Woods (91����Ƶ’s on-campus woodland)

The scholarship is open to high-achieving, income-eligible students who are majoring in Biochemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Math, or Psychology (research/STEM track).

Applications for the S-STEM Scholarship
are due by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.

For more information, visit .

‘A welcoming community’

Forming friendships at a new school can have its challenges.

Along with other initiatives provided by the scholarship, a Bridge to College program helps new 91����Ƶ students adjust to life on campus by moving them in a week early, introducing them to STEM faculty and staff members, and engaging them in activities to build camaraderie and form connections with one another. Students participating in the weeklong program receive a generous stipend for their time.

Ani Koontz, a first-year biology and secondary education double major from Newton, Kansas, is a recipient of the S-STEM Scholarship. She recalled traveling to Shenandoah National Park with students and faculty the week before classes, surveying salamanders and hiking trails, before bicycling around Downtown Harrisonburg on a tour led by city officials.

“That first week showed me how friendly and approachable my professors are,” she said. “They’ve done a great job creating a welcoming community.”

Another S-STEM Scholarship recipient, Mara Carlson, is a first-year psychology major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “Many of us have become close friends,” she said. “I’ll see the other scholarship recipients around campus and we’ll say hello to each other.”

Through the scholarship, each student is paired with an academic advisor specific to their major, who can answer questions and help guide them forward. Carlson said she meets with Kathryn Howard-Ligas, assistant professor of psychology at 91����Ƶ. “We discussed a four-year plan, and I was really grateful for that,” she said. Part of that plan includes gaining invaluable experience through internships and conferences, additional perks of the S-STEM Scholarship.

Carlson said she already knew she wanted to attend 91����Ƶ, and that receiving the S-STEM Scholarship was “a nice surprise.”

For the Kansas-born Koontz, 91����Ƶ had always been on her radar, but she also considered attending in-state schools that normally would’ve been cheaper. When she learned she had been offered the S-STEM Scholarship and that it would lower her college costs to “a very affordable amount,” her choice to attend 91����Ƶ became an easy one.

“It’s 100% the reason I came,” she said. “When I got that, it meant I could completely afford to go here, and it honestly made 91����Ƶ more affordable than any other college in my area. It’s my joy to share how grateful I am because this is truly just an amazing thing that 91����Ƶ has.”

The grant, awarded through the NSF’s , will fund up to $15,000 annually for each scholarship recipient throughout the length of their degree. Overall, the S-STEM Scholarship will fund a quality undergraduate education for 23 91����Ƶ students among three cohorts over the next six years, beginning with first-year students entering the Fall 2025 semester.

The scholarship is open to academically talented students with financial need who are majoring in the following fields: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Science, Math, and Psychology (research/STEM track).

Applicants for the S-STEM Scholarship must submit their application and reference forms by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit: emu.edu/stem/scholarship

In addition to scholarships, the program offers students a paid one-week Bridge to College experience, where they can meet professors, learn material from their discipline, acquire study skills, and become better prepared for college.

91����Ƶ Biology Professor Dr. Kristopher Schmidt said that some first-year students can struggle to adjust to life on campus, and that the grant aims to ease that adjustment.

“We want to create a sense of belonging,” said Schmidt, who is principal investigator for the grant program.

The program also provides funding for embedded tutoring services and paid tutoring opportunities for students, specialized advising, and guidance from professional STEM mentors.

“This would be a person outside the university in their field of interest who can encourage them, help them, and connect with them along their four-year program,” Schmidt said about the mentors. 

The S-STEM Scholarship program offers innovative opportunities for place-based learning and funding for an eight-week paid internship. Students can use grant-funded resources to conduct research on forest restoration in the Park Woods space, which serves as a key learning lab for STEM students.

This latest grant builds on the success of a similar STEM grant that wrapped up in 2023.

By leveraging grants like these, 91����Ƶ lives into its mission and vision, outlined in its 2023-28 strategic plan Pathways of Promise of opening new pathways of access and achievement, and can help the NSF achieve its goal of diversifying the STEM workforce.

“We were thrilled to receive this,” Schmidt said. “We’re excited and grateful the NSF has chosen to invest in our students at 91����Ƶ.”

Faculty members Kristopher Schmidt, Jim Yoder, Daniel Showalter, Stefano Colafranceschi and Dean Tara Kishbaugh wrote the S-STEM grant proposal.

The term “environmental justice” is increasingly joining the common lexicon of activists and community leaders. The movement addresses massive problems like climate change and racism – but rather than siloing these struggles, looks at their intersections: how social issues and environmental crises play off one another, and how marginalized communities often bear the brunt of environmental degradation.

Take, for example, work that 91����Ƶ (91����Ƶ) Professor Doug Graber Neufeld has done . The dams’ history, having been introduced at the hands of British colonizers who forced local residents to build them, had to be addressed. But when building these sand dams became a collective endeavor that was cohesive with locals’ community values, they became an effective and climate change-resilient method of water storage.

Or look at the stream restoration work that biology students and faculty conducted in the rural area around Bergton, Virginia. They were joined in the project by students at 91����Ƶ’s , who interviewed community members about their social climate concerning aquatic ecosystems and water quality. 

It’s a field that students at 91����Ƶ have been calling for more education in – prompting faculty and staff to create a new environmental justice minor.

Professor Jenni Holsinger, who oversees the minor, said student interest has been building in the relationship between social and environmental issues. 

“Environmental justice is touched on in multiple courses, but not often named, and students have asked for a more explicit focus,” Holsinger said. “The minor will provide an interdisciplinary space to bring together students who are majoring in natural science programs and with students from other majors.”

The interdisciplinary minor will benefit students going into a variety of fields, including public health, urban planning, public administration, community organizing, humanitarian aid, engineering, and law. It includes an upper level course specifically focused on environmental justice, in which students analyze problems such as water rights, internal colonialism, and pollution, and the social movements that have responded to those issues. 

“Our students have a strong interest in the intersection between environmental and the social sciences, and the environmental justice minor will allow them to delve deeper into prevalent injustices around environmental harms and marginalized communities,” said Professor Jim Yoder, director of the environmental sustainability program in which the new minor is housed.

While students can begin working towards the minor now, the new course will debut in the 2021-22 academic year.

Other courses included in the minor cover sustainable food systems, race and gender, community health, urban sociology, and marginalized voices in Hispanic America: providing a wide-angle lens to examine the intersections of environmentalism with different social justice movements.

“The curriculum is also extremely relevant to events from this summer,” Holsinger explained. “It provides a perspective to help us understand the ways that our experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic are connected to historical and current anti-Black racism through structural patterns of injustice around environmental harms and benefits.”

Participants in the minor will also have opportunities to construct community-based research projects in response to local environmental justice issues.

“This type of experiential learning is a promising way for students to be involved in addressing the interrelated issues of poverty, health, and environmental conditions,” said Holsinger.

“It happened after I received my ‘Enhanced,'” explained Rogers, in reference to an EMT-level he earned in January 2012. “Then, one day, we got a call about a diabetic emergency.”

On arriving to the scene in Clover Hill, Rogers encountered an unresponsive woman who had gone into diabetic shock, meaning her blood-sugar level dipped into the 20s – a normal blood-sugar level runs from 80-120.

Remembering what he had learned during his basic EMT training months prior, Rogers immediately set up an intravenous therapy and injected the woman with medication to raise her blood-sugar level. Minutes later, her blood-sugar level reversed, and the woman became alert and responsive.

“It was definitely a nerve-racking moment,” recalled Rogers, who was just two years removed from high school at the time. “But it was reassuring to see our training go into effect, which was a testimony to how hard we have worked.

“It’s always great to see that hard work pay off in the form of achieving an advanced level of care.”

Dedication and commitment

The Clover Hill Volunteer Fire Company – located on Clover Hill Road in Dayton – serves as a dual-purpose agency housing both volunteer paramedics and firefighters, a practice that is somewhat uncommon in the Valley.

“All of our members can function dual purpose, whereas Harrisonburg has their own rescue squad and their own fire department functioning as separate entities,” explained Rogers.

Rogers has been with the company for the last four years, serving as rescue captain for two. His demeanor is far more savvy than his 21 years would suggest.

As he toured the station – passing large, red engines and a tanker along the way – he was joined by 21-year-old Wanita King and 19-year-old Katie Lee, both of whom are EMTs with the agency.

“There’s a dedication and commitment by the people in their 20s,” said Rogers, when speaking about the company’s younger volunteers. “There’s about 10 to 15 individuals in their 20s that actively commit to running calls, so it’s a bit of a different atmosphere from most other squads or fire agencies.”

King noted that the number of young volunteers when she joined the agency at age 18 was lower, but over the years, more have joined, which somewhat eases the workload for everybody else.

“I’ve got to say, it’s been nice having more people taking calls,” she laughed.

Each individual volunteers 10 to 20 hours per week with the station, averaging one to two emergency calls each day – running the gamut from structure fires to medical emergencies – totaling about 60-70 calls as a whole, per month, stretching the Fulks Run-area to Augusta County.

The volunteers are dispatched through the station’s emergency communication system, which also sends out an alert to each person’s pager and cell phone, via email and text message.

“Sometimes, I’m sitting at work, we get an alert, and I start to worry about who is running the call,” said Lee, who works part-time as a receptionist at .

“But I really don’t have to worry, because our volunteer system is awesome.”

Paramedic training

It’s worth noting that six squad members- including Rogers, King and Lee – are in the process of completing 600 classroom hours of paramedic training, along with 500 clinical hours, at Sugar Grove Navy Base in West Virginia. At the course’s completion, each squad member will be qualified to execute surgical and advanced airway procedures at emergency scene.

“We will all earn an associates degree in Emergency Medical Services from Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, in Martinsburg, W.Va.,” said Rogers, who added that all six members are on track to earn an associate’s degrees in emergency medicine.

“We all have taken basic prerequisites, like English, psychology and math, outside of the [paramedic] program in order to obtain the associates degree, as well.”

No higher reward

Though their dedication is evident by the time devoted, Rogers, King and Lee explained volunteer EMTs must have something more.

Rogers maintained that one must “be motivated and confident,” while Lee added that a person must be able to adapt to “unexpected” or “on the fly” situations that may occur on site.

King, who works full-time at as a patient care technician and part-time at G&W Ambulance, echoed Lee’s sentiments, adding that a person must be “fully committed” to the craft.

“You never know exactly what a call is going to end up being,” said King. “It could be a code that somebody isn’t breathing or it could be a code that somebody is dead. Either way, you have to be prepared to go under the job no matter what and be able to jump right in and just do it.”

While life as an EMT can be challenging and the situations can be tense, all three admit that, at the end of the day, there is “no higher reward” than saving someone’s life.

“After a while, you begin to sit back and think about the fact that `I actually helped save this woman’s life,’ or `I was involved in something that is bigger than myself,’ ” says Rogers, an aspiring physician’s assistant.

“I played a role as a team member in something that ultimately worked out for the community, and that is rewarding.”

– Courtesy of the Daily News Record, Mar. 4, 2014

Blake Rogers gave a ” at a donor appreciation banquet on Oct. 11, 2013.

Graduating from 91����Ƶ in 2005 with a double major in sociology and environmental science, Good has filled a number of roles at 91����Ƶ: admissions counselor, associate director of admissions, director of retention, women’s head soccer coach, cross-cultural leader to Spanish-speaking countries, and instructor in several programs, , , and the .

“I look forward to continued enrollment success, a continued commitment to the Anabaptist mission and vision of 91����Ƶ, and superb admissions leadership from Dr. Jason Good,” said , PhD, vice president for enrollment, in announcing Good’s appointment.

Good earned his master’s and doctorate in Hispanic studies from the Universidad de Cádiz in Andalucía, Spain. His dissertation, completed in Spanish, focused on the integration of immigrant students into educational systems, specifically analyzing how to welcome and retain underrepresented groups.

Good is the son of Nelson Good ’68 () and Betty Good-White ’67, a psychotherapist in Washington D.C., as well as the brother of Deborah Good ’02, the husband of Bryn Mullet Good ’06, and the nephew and grandson of alumni. In short, he has deep roots in this educational community, though he was raised in Washington D.C.

Good replaces Stephanie Shafer, who had been director of admissions since 2004, supervising Good in several of his roles. Shafer announced her intention in August to be director of development at Cornerstone Christian School, a Harrisonburg institution with students in preschool through grade 8, where she will be in charge of enrollment, marketing, public relations and fundraising.

“Stephanie leaves the 91����Ƶ enrollment office in tremendous shape as she exits, bringing in two out of the three largest classes in over 14 years and being part of the sixth consecutive year of overall enrollment growth,” said Hartman in an email announcing her departure to the campus community. “We wish her the very best in her future endeavors and will miss her contribution immensely.”

Good’s former position of director of retention is now open, with candidates being considered by Hartman.

New models and workshops funded by a $5,300 grant will help visitors to 91����Ƶ’s (91����Ƶ) answer those questions.

, PhD, professor of and museum curator said the grant will allow the museum to purchase watershed models, develop a new workshop to raise local awareness and educate area school groups on restoration of the Chesapeake Bay.

, education director at the Hostetter Museum, submitted the grant which will be available this spring.

“One of the most important things our school age students need to understand is that we all live in a watershed, no matter how far away from the ocean or river we live,” said Gallon. “We will be able to provide a dynamic, hands-on learning program for students and teachers that will enhance several Virginia Standards of Learning. Our goal is to reach students and teachers in every school with this new programming.”

The grant is made possible through the , which procures the funds through the sale of specialized “Friends of the Chesapeake” license plates.

The are open to the public 2-5 p.m. Sundays . School groups (maximum of 75 students), church groups, community organizations or clubs wanting to visit should contact the museum at 540-432-4400 or museum@emu.edu.

91����Ƶ the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund

The Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund was created by the Virginia General Assembly for use by nonprofit and public agencies for environmental education and restoration projects to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. For each vehicular license plate sold or renewed at a cost of $25, the Department of Motor Vehicles gets $10 and the Chesapeake Restoration Fund receives $15. Thanks to the generosity of Virginia’s citizens, revenues from the purchase of the popular Chesapeake Bay commemorative license plate have continued to grow, resulting in the awarding of $6 million in grants for Chesapeake Bay projects.

“David Kline has a wealth of knowledge and a unique perspective on what it means to live sustainably and respect God’s creation,” said , professor of at 91����Ƶ.

As a sponsor of the talks, 91����Ƶ has arranged for Kline to be driven from Ohio for this series of rare public appearances.

“I think many people will be both surprised and inspired by David’s stories of simple living, observing nature, and his success at promoting small-scale diversified farming in Ohio,” said Yoder. “He is one of the most intelligent men I’ve ever met.”

Based on his 120-acre farm in Holmes County, Ohio, Kline is author of “Letters from Larksong: An Amish Naturalist Explores His Organic Farm” (2010); “Great Possessions: An Amish Farmer’s Journal” (2001); and “Scratching the Woodchuck: Nature on an Amish Farm” (1999).” He also edits “Farming Magazine: People, Land and Community.”

Kline has been compared to Kentucky-based author and farmer Wendell Berry, who has written the forewords to Kline’s last two books.

“The farm is a place we live and not merely reside,” said Kline in an interview with the . “Our philosophy was my dad’s philosophy. That we should leave our land in much better condition than when we got it.”

91����Ƶ events open to the public

• Thursday, Feb. 9, 8:30-10 p.m., “An Evening with David Kline,” , University Commons.
• Friday, Feb. 10, 10-10:30 a.m., university chapel forum, .

Additional events, more information

In addition to publicly and visiting classes at 91����Ƶ, Kline will serve as guest speaker on Wednesday, Feb. 8, from 6:45 8:30 p.m., at Montezuma Hall, 4736 Ottobine Road, Dayton, on the topic, “Living on Earth as Respectful Stewards.”

Kline’s visit is sponsored by 91����Ƶ and the . Admission is free to the public events.

For more information contact Jim Yoder at 540-421-9912 or email yoderjm@emu.edu.

Brown, a native plant corps project leader at the , is charged with the task of working on the restoration of the , a project that brings back memories of his undergraduate work as an environmental science major.

“I’ve had flashbacks to my senior practicum at ,” said Brown, an major at 91����Ƶ. “Big Meadows Swamp and Cowles Bog look nothing alike, but the underlying principals and techniques used to minimize impact and restore these areas are very similar.”

Indiana Brown and the wetland of dunes

Since graduating, Brown has explored Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky; built trails at Point Reyes National Seashore in California; and spent a winter doing restoration with the Bureau of Land Management at Turtle Mountain Wilderness in the Mojave Desert.

His current focus is on the installation of native plant species in areas of the Cowles Bog Wetland, a section that has become infested with invasive plants.

Working in a “full circle restoration” process, Brown and his team harvested seed from plants in unblemished wetland areas to maintain genetic consistency. After non-native vegetation is removed, the harvested seed is used to propagate the area with the hope they will yield more seed the following year.

“Currently, we are working to remove species from wetland areas that were left as remnants of human influence in the mid-1900s,” Brown said. “Today these species negatively impact hydrology and their removal will allow the wetland to function more like it did before human influence.”

Building bridges at 91����Ƶ

Brown points to his practicum under , professor of , and courses with , professor of biology and , associate professor of , for helping to develop his theoretical and practical skill base and opening doors to his current job.

“My senior practicum provided me with a great background in wetland ecology and the unique concerns that confront anyone attempting to restore sensitive wetland areas,” said Brown. “I am a kinesthetic learner, and my courses with Roman and Terry, in addition to the experience of working with the the U.S. National Park Service at Shenandoah, tied together all the theoretical models we learned about.”

Brown also believes his practicum at Big Meadows Swamp provided him with an internal “swamp GPS,” adding, “If you can get out of [Big Meadows] without getting disoriented you can pretty much find your way around anywhere.”

Christina Harman, a sophomore environmental science major from Harrisonburg, Va., admires an uncommon plant showing off in the Suter Science Center greenhouse. Photo (and insert) by Lindsey Roeschley

This week only, there is an uncommon plant showing off in the Suter Science Center greenhouse.

Amorphophallus konjac, also known as Konjac or Snake Palm, is from eastern Asia and has an eye-watering “distinct scent” that attracts flies for pollination.

Despite the scent, part of the plant (the underground corm) is used in many dishes, in which the scent of the flower does not affect the flavor of the food, according to Dr. Shelly Thomas, assistant professor of biology.

The flower is expected to bloom for only about one week. It is on loan from Robert and Gretchen Maust, 91����Ƶ alumni from Keezletown, Va., and is a descendant of a plant belonging to Dr. Ervie Glick, professor emeritus of German.

Richard Wright, professor emeritus of biology at Gordon College, Wenham, Mass., will speak on an environmental theme at the second Suter Science Seminar of the fall semester.

Dr. Wright will speak on “Stewardship, Sustainability and Sound Science: Healing a Sick Planet,” at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18 in the Suter Science Center Auditorium (S-106). His address will focus on strategic themes that can give direction to human interactions with natural systems in order to forge a sustainable future.

Wright co-authored a major college textbook that is currently in its eighth edition, “Environmental Science: Toward a Sustainable Future.” He is also the author of the book, “Biology through the Eyes of Faith,” which provides insights into the linkage between Christian faith and Science.

The seminar, the second of four scheduled for this fall, are made possible in part by a generous grant from the John Templeton Foundation and the American Scientific Affiliation (ASA).

Refreshments will be available at the Suter Science Center Auditorium 15 minutes before the presentation.

The seminar is open to the public, free of charge. For more information, call Dr. Roman J. Miller at (540) 432-4412 or e-mail millerrj@emu.edu.