Training the New Conservationist: Cross-disciplinary Education in the 1990s

Jacobson, Susan K.; Robinson, John G.

doi:10.1017/s0376892900032768

Cited by 28 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…With this shift in the job market, student training and extramural learning experiences must be adjusted to make students competitively marketable (Muir & Schwartz ). Although the call for a revision of conservation‐based training is not new (e.g., Hale ; Jacobson & Robinson ; Martinich et al ), detailed information (e.g., conservation‐focused courses and internships) regarding how to cross the research‐implementation gap (Pietri et al. ) or collaborate with the public and policy makers (Meffe & Viederman ; Brewer ) is still lacking (Muir & Schwartz ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A view of the global conservation job market and how to succeed in it

Lucas

Gora

Alonso

2017

Conservation Biology

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The high demand for conservation work is creating a need for conservation-focused training of scientists. Although many people with postsecondary degrees in biology are finding careers outside academia, many programs and mentors continue to prepare students to follow-in-the-footsteps of their professors. Unfortunately, information regarding how to prepare for today's conservation-based job market is limited in detail and scope. This problem is complicated by the differing needs of conservation organizations in both economically developed and developing regions worldwide. To help scientists identify the tools needed for conservation positions worldwide, we reviewed the current global conservation job market and identified skills required for success in careers in academia, government, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations. We also interviewed conservation professionals across all conservation sectors. Positions in nonprofit organizations were the most abundant, whereas academic jobs were only 10% of the current job market. The most common skills required across sectors were a strong disciplinary background, followed by analytical and technical skills. Academic positions differed the most from other types of positions in that they emphasized teaching as a top skill. Nonacademic jobs emphasized the need for excellent written and oral communication, as well as project-management experience. Furthermore, we found distinct differences across job locations. Positions in developing countries emphasized language and interpersonal skills, whereas positions in countries with advanced economies focused on publication history and technical skills. Our results were corroborated by the conservation professionals we interviewed. Based on our results, we compiled a nondefinitive list of conservation-based training programs that are likely to provide training for the current job market. Using the results of this study, scientists may be better able to tailor their training to maximize success in the conservation job market. Similarly, institutions can apply this information to create educational programs that produce graduates primed for long-term success.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A view of the global conservation job market and how to succeed in it

Lucas

Gora

Alonso

2017

Conservation Biology

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“…A course or program in Applied Biology should provide an education which will assist its graduates to identify and find answers to problems in the real world (Jacobson and Robinson 1990). In addition to applied biologists, postgraduate students who study in fields of botany, ecology and ethnobotany should have an understanding of relationships between the botanical, ecological, social, economic and political dimensions of managing plant resources and conserving botanical diversity (Hamilton et al 2003).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The vascular plants of Buca Faculty of Education Campus (Izmir): Contribution to educational practices

Uğulu¹,

Doğan²,

Kesercioğlu³

2012

Eurasia J Biosci

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Background: Increasing anthropogenic influences on the environment, especially urbanization, have caused adverse effects on the natural ecosystems. As a result, green campuses have become rare places where the characteristics of the area flora can be observed. In this context, the aim of the present study is to identify the floral richness of the campus of the Buca Faculty of Education (BEF), an important floristic area within the city of Izmir, and to clarify how this richness is used in the educational processes. Method:The study was carried out between the periods 2008-2010. Plants growing on the BEF Campus constitute the research material. Plants growing on the campus were examined, necessary samples were collected. After the determination of plants, how they were used in B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. classes was investigated. For this purpose, interviews were performed with seven teaching staff from the Buca Faculty of Education Department of Biology. Results: A total of 108 plant taxa belonging to 52 families were identified in the campus area. Further study of the families showed that the family Rosaceae is represented by the highest number of taxa, fourteen, followed by Fabaceae represented by nine taxa. In addition, according to opinions of the academic staff, different ways of using such plants in training were identified and discussed. Conclusion: A principal conclusion to be drawn is that a general programme in Applied Biology and Ethnobotany should be made available to all students. When the increase of plant usage for medicinal purposes in recent years is taken into consideration, field studies related especially to ethnobotany can be a very useful specialisation for M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. It would be beneficial for graduates in a variety of disciplines, including Botany, as well as Agriculture, Anthropology, Forestry, Medicine, Pharmacology, Sociology, and others.

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“…Applied learning approaches are being incorporated into curricula in a variety of fields, including health sciences (Ibrahim, House, and Levine 2001;Cashman and Seifer 2008;Florence and Behringer 2011) and architecture/engineering (Chan 180 Downloaded by [Georgetown University] at 06:15 27 December 201406:15 27 December et al 2002Dederichs, Karlshoj, and Hertz 2011). Geography has emerged as an interdisciplinary field that integrates cross cutting technologies with arts and sciences education (Murphy 2007;Taylor 2009), particularly with respect to studies of conservation and sustainability science (Jacobson and Robinson 1990;Turner 2002;Clark 2007;Nation 2008).…”

Section: Contemporary Interdisciplinary Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collaborative Learning and Global Education: Human–Environment Interactions in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

Brewington¹,

Engie

Walsh

et al. 2013

Journal of Geography

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This article focuses on two innovative approaches to teaching human-environment interactions and international engagement in geography: (1) utilization of an agent-based model (ABM) at undergraduate levels to explicitly demonstrate complexity theories, and (2) implementation of a teaching experiment that connects students simultaneously enrolled in companion courses in North Carolina and in the Galápagos Islands through various multimedia and synthetic approaches to enrich a case study of conservation challenges to a World Heritage Site. Spatial simulation models are used to complement integrative geographic learning, to demand higher order skills of students and build critical thinking in college classes.

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Training the New Conservationist: Cross-disciplinary Education in the 1990s

Cited by 28 publications

References 9 publications

A view of the global conservation job market and how to succeed in it

A view of the global conservation job market and how to succeed in it

The vascular plants of Buca Faculty of Education Campus (Izmir): Contribution to educational practices

Collaborative Learning and Global Education: Human–Environment Interactions in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

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