Links

Crossing Boundaries Conservation Scientists

Graduate Student Application Information

Each year, two Cornell University graduate students who are conducting intriguing conservation-related research in international settings will be selected as Scientists in Action. Video-based vignettes will portray these students conducting field research, highlight their use of ICT, and include stories about how they developed interest in their area of study and the choices they made to get where they are today. These graduate students will correspond with Crossing Boundaries classes throughout the school year via web-based communications from their field settings.

Each summer, one HWS undergraduate will be selected to participate in a ten-week summer internship in Brazil or Mexico. These interns, who will have had college-level coursework in GIS, will work with GIS specialists and other conservation professionals to develop in-depth understanding of the targeted biodiversity issue, the professionals involved in addressing this issue, and the people affected in the local and regional communities. As the summer progresses, the intern will begin identifying curriculum resources and opportunities that reflect the complexity and nature of the biodiversity conservation issues at hand. The interns will capture their ideas, thoughts, and experiences in reflective video-based blogs for potential future use in Crossing Boundaries classes.

The graduate and undergraduate student mentors also will interact with participating classes via live webcasts at specified times during each school year. In their profile and during these conferences, the mentors will model and discuss ways in which they are using various technologies to investigate, address, and communicate about international conservation issues. These vignettes will illustrate the nature of each graduate student’s work in an international setting, display use of technology in conservation research, and highlight ICT-related career options for younger students.