Fall Semester 2003: Introduction to conservation and development
organizations in the Washington, D.C. area
Overview and Methods:
We brought in speakers from
a wide variety of conservation and development organizations in the Washington
D.C. area (taking advantage of our program's proximity to these resources).
Spring Semester 2003: The conservation implications of Chronic Wasting
Disease
Overview and Methods:
Chronic Wasting Disease has
been present in elk and deer populations in Colorado for decades, but only
recently has been spread (apparently via game farming) to several other states.
We considered the implications of this spread of this prion-caused disease
(similar to Mad Cow disease) for conservation biology, particularly in light
of evidence that hunters may reduce their harvest of elk and deer in areas
with infected animals.
Spring Semester 2002: Defining leadership in conservation and sustainable
development
Overview and Methods:
The objective of this seminar
is to define the characteristics of leaders in conservation and sustainable
development. Students will design and
conduct semistructured
interviews of 11-12 people recognized for their leadership in conservation
(directors, CEOs or Chief Scientists of conservation organizations or government
agencies in the
Fall Semester 2002: Current topics in conservation science
Overview
and methods:
This
seminar is designed to provide graduate students in CONS and related areas with
a format to read and discuss current research papers in the field of
Conservation Biology. On the first day
of class students will choose topics and discussion leaders for each topic. During the week prior to class, Discussion
will select 2—3 papers appropriate to the topic and 3—4 relevant discussion
questions. Discussion Leaders will begin
each class with a short (15min.) overview of the topic. The class will then divide into discussion
groups. Discussion Leaders will facilitate
group discussions and give short summaries (5 min. each) at the end of class.
Spring Semester 2001: Theory and Practice of Migratory Bird Conservation
Overview
and methods:
An associate faculty member from
the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Migratory Birds will lead this
seminar. Migratory birds represent many
of the complexities presented to conservation biologists. Despite being
relatively well-studied, migratory bird population declines remain poorly
understood. In this seminar, we will review and evaluate the status of
migratory bird research and conservation. Subjects likely to be covered
will blend biology, policy, and other aspects of migratory bird conservation,
and will include topics such as: recent research on migratory bird ecology and
behavior; research needs; the monetary value of birdwatching
and bird-centered tourism; review of the status and effectiveness of
legislation to protect migratory birds; and the conservation value of specific
programs, such as bird-friendly coffee. The seminars will consist of
discussions of literature chosen by students.
Fall Semester 1997:
Theory and Practice of Captive Breeding for Conservation
Overview and methods:
Two Population Managers from
the National Zoo will coordinate this seminar.
Our focus this semester will be on captive breeding for conservation. We will use golden-headed lion tamarins (GHLTs) as our case
study. Students taking the seminar for 1
credit will read 2 - 4 assigned papers on a specific topic each week. Discussion will be led by appointed
Discussion Leaders. Students taking the
seminar for 2 credits will participate in the discussions and also produce a
captive-breeding Masterplan for GHLTs. This document will be published and used to
manage the North American population of GHLTs.