Randolph G. Pack Environmental Institute

Director: David A. Sonnenfeld

The Randolph G. Pack Environmental Institute was inaugurated in November 1995 to support and encourage research and public service activities of SUNY-ESF's Department of Environmental Studies. A wide variety of activities has been envisioned for the Institute, incorporating also some activities launched prior to its inauguration. A key feature has been the large number of faculty participating in activities of the Institute, including scholars from across ESF, Syracuse University, elsewhere in New York state, the USA, and internationally.

Mission

The purpose of the Randolph G. Pack Environmental Institute is to enhance the ability of the Department of Environmental Studies to create and disseminate knowledge about environmental concerns of high public interest. Reflecting and strengthening our graduate program themes, the Institute particularly seeks to advance the state of scholarly and popular knowledge of key contemporary issues related to environmental policy and regulation. It focuses on how democratic public decisions affecting the natural environment are made, concentrating on topics such as public participation, environmental equity, and sustainable development. The Institute promotes these interests through encouraging research and service activities in community, state, national, and international venues.

The Randolph G. Pack Environmental Institute is located in the Department of Environmental Studies at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in Syracuse, New York. The Department of Environmental Studies commences its new Environmental Studies Graduate Program in Fall 2008, and participates in SUNY-ESF's interdepartmental Graduate Program in Environmental Science and joint Ph.D. program in Environmental and Natural Resource Policy. Departmental faculty specialize in a number of areas related to people's interaction with the natural environment, including:

• Environmental policy and democratic processes;
• Environmental systems and risk management;
• Water and wetland resource studies; and
• Environmental and community land planning.
  

Links

• Report: Manno, J., R. Smardon, J. DePinto, E. Cloyd, & S. del Granado, "The Use of Models in Great Lakes Decision Making." Pack Occasional Paper No. 16. (2008) [pdf]
• Brownbag Mini-Series: "Climate Action: Sociological Perspectives on the Challenges of Environmental Governance" (2008) [pdf flyer]
• Web Link: 2nd Environmental Studies Summit @ Syracuse (2007)
• Conference Notes: "SUNY Conversations-in-the-Disciplines: Feasibility of an Energy Conservation/ Global Warming Consortium" (2003)