FIU School of Environment, Arts and Society

School of Environment, Arts and Society College of Arts & Sciences

School of Environment, Arts and Society College of Arts & Sciences

“The challenges we face in the 21st century require solutions that reach across disciplines and deploy holistic approaches to education. The School of Environment, Arts and Society at FIU is answering this call, training the next generation to be critical thinkers and leaders that have an impact on the world around them. By combining the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, SEAS is changing the way we study, explore and communicate the realities and opportunities we face globally.”

—Robert W. Corell

Principal, Global Environment and Technology Foundation Senior Faculty Fellow, SEAS

Biological Sciences student, Kailey MacNamera ’13, made FIU history as the 200,000th graduate.

The mission of the School of Environment, Arts and Society is to ensure the long-term health and well-being of the planet and its societies through inspirational teaching and stimulating creative works, as well as groundbreaking research and global community engagement.

About the School By bringing together the natural sciences, social sciences and humanities, the School of Environment, Arts and Society (SEAS) is transforming the way we conduct research, educate our students and engage the community. Because the world’s environmental problems are no longer just about the environment, our approach to education will ensure today’s students become innovative leaders of the 21st century by providing the communication, research and critical thinking skills needed to make a difference in our local and global communities.

An integral part of the College of Arts & Sciences, SEAS is one of three mission-based schools designed to enhance the experiences for our students and increase collaboration among disciplines. This includes collaborations with its sister schools, the School of International and Public Affairs and the School of Integrated Science and Humanity, as well as other colleges and centers at FIU and with businesses, community organizations, and the government. SEAS fulfills part of the university’s greater global mission to be a major international education center that fosters mutual understandings throughout the world. With more than 140 core faculty in the departments of Biological Sciences, Earth and Environment, and English, SEAS offers 20 undergraduate, graduate and combined degrees and 14 undergraduate and graduate certificates. For information on the school, visit seas.fiu.edu.

Facilities and Resources As a global solutions center, SEAS faculty are actively engaged in field research on all seven continents and their oceans, as well as in state-of-the-art laboratories. In 2011-2012, the school had more than $20 million in research expenditures from government agencies and the private sector. Faculty and students have access to world class facilities at FIU and through community partners including Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Zoo Miami, and National Tropical Botanical Garden’s Kampong. Students can also take advantage of partnerships with various cultural institutions to pursue humanistic endeavors in art, music, history, literature, religion and language.

Departments Biological Sciences The Department of Biological Sciences is research-intensive with funding in grants and contracts worth $10 million annually. The department offers diverse courses in fields including ecology, cellular and molecular biology, physiology and biodiversity studies. The curriculum arms students with the critical thinking, research and communication skills required for graduate and professional studies and careers in public, private and non-profit organizations.

For information, visit biology.fiu.edu.

Earth and Environment The Department of Earth and Environment brings together faculty and students working in the geosciences and environmental studies with those investigating economics, management, policy and social sciences. The department is committed to equipping students with the knowledge and skill sets needed to find sustainable solutions to the environmental problems of the 21st century. A variety of courses in earth sciences, meteorology, hydrogeology and ecology are offered. Hands-on field and laboratory training prepares students for further graduate study and technical work in environmental fields. For information, visit earthandenvironment.fiu.edu.

English The Department of English gives students access to distinguished faculty who have earned national and international recognition for their linguistic and literary accomplishments. The department offers courses in creative writing, literature, writing, rhetoric and linguistics. The department also houses the film studies, exile studies, and professional and public writing undergraduate certificate programs. English faculty and staff encourage students to embrace the power of language—written and spoken—to enrich their lives and create real change in the world. For information, visit english.fiu.edu.

Academic Programs Agroecology In South Florida, natural, agricultural and urban areas are in close proximity. The Agroecology Program educates students and the community about sustainable agriculture, urban food systems and their relationship to natural ecosystems. The program offers specialized courses in agriculture and resource management, hands-on field training, internships and scholarships.

For information, visit agroecology.fiu.edu.

Creative Writing Operating with the simple philosophy of giving talented writers the tools to connect with their intended audiences, the Creative Writing Program has been recognized as one of the best in the nation. Publications by faculty have earned New York Times best-seller status, New York Times Notable Book of the Year honors, the Iowa Short Fiction Award and the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize, to name a few. For information, visit creativewriting.fiu.edu.

Liberal Studies The Liberal Studies Program offers a multi-disciplinary approach to education that can meet the educational interests and goals of each individual student. Students can design their own program incorporating knowledge and concepts from the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and the arts. This program transcends the limits of scholarship within a single discipline, allowing students to develop critical thinking skills across multiple disciplines.

For information, visit liberalstudies.fiu.edu.

Marine Sciences With access to the diverse coastal ecosystems of South Florida and the Caribbean, the Marine Sciences Program strives for excellence in research, teaching and public outreach that will improve the growth and conservation of our precious marine resources. For information, visit marine.fiu.edu.

Centers and Programs (continued) WaterSCAPES WaterSCAPES (Science of Coupled Aquatic Processes in Ecosystems from Space) is a NASA Group 4 University Research Center based at FIU. The WaterSCAPES Center focuses on research and education activities that involve the interaction of water cycling, climate and vegetation in ecosystems. For information, visit web.eng.fiu.edu/waterscapes.

Outreach and Engagement SEAS’ mission extends far beyond the university. Faculty, staff and students work with the community to understand, address and overcome challenges while providing enriching programs. The school is continually developing exciting new partnerships and progams to achieve these goals. A Marine Education and Research Center in the Florida Keys and an International Center for Tropical Botany are currently being developed with our partners.

Using research conducted in the school, SEAS engages in outreach initiatives to better our world, including mangrove restoration projects along Biscayne Bay, hosting teach-ins on issues of local and global importance, and marine science initiatives that serve the world’s oceans.

SEAS has developed innovative and exciting educational experiences for K-12 students used in and out of the classroom worldwide. SEAS features a nationally recognized Agroecology Program that trains high school and university students in sustainable agriculture, and the Florida Coastal Everglades Schoolyard Long Term Ecological Network program that provides projects and lessons for K-12 students. The school’s EcoAcademy Summer Camp brings 6-14 year-old students to FIU every summer for marine science activities, arts and crafts, swimming and kayaking.

Recognizing the impact of the humanities in shaping our perceptions and responses to the world around us, SEAS supports numerous public lecture series and events. These include the Creative Writing Program’s Lawrence A. Sanders Award for Fiction, humanities lecture series, “Zoo FIU” lecture series with Zoo Miami, “Our Common Future” lecture series, and a large collection of environmental art installations on the Biscayne Bay Campus.

Centers and Programs Aquarius Reef Base SEAS operates Aquarius Reef Base, the world’s only operational underwater research center.

Aquarius provides unparalleled means to study coral reefs and the ocean, test state-of-theart undersea technology, train specialized divers, and to engage the imagination of students and the public across the globe in ocean science, coral reefs, conservation, and underwater technology. The undersea lab even offers training opportunities for astronauts headed to space.

For information, visit aquarius.fiu.edu.

Center for Humanities in an Urban Environment The mission of the Center for Humanities in an Urban Environment is to engage the greater South Florida community in conversations on the humanities. It promotes awareness, understanding and appreciation of the humanities through lectures by distinguished scholars, workshops and exhibits. For information, visit humanities.fiu.edu.

Global Water for Sustainability Program The Global Waters for Sustainability Program (GLOWS) promotes the integrated management of water resources and aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Currently, GLOWS is managing $70 million in projects in Africa, South America and the Republic of Georgia. For information, visit glows.fiu.edu.

Southeast Environmental Research Center The Southeast Environmental Research Center is dedicated to research, education and restoration in the Everglades and other threatened environments around the world. It draws from multiple disciplines, including environmental studies, geosciences, biology and chemistry, to study ecology, biogeochemistry and ecosystem dynamics. For information, visit serc.fiu.edu.

Florida Coastal Everglades Program The Florida Coastal Everglades Program studies how hydrology, climate and human activities interact with ecosystem and population dynamics in the Everglades. It’s Schoolyard Program provides hands-on Everglades research experiences for students and teachers and develops curricula for use in K-12 classrooms. For information, visit fcelter.fiu.edu

About Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is Miami-Dade County’s first public, four-year research university. With more than 50,000 students, 1,000+ full-time faculty members, and nearly 200,000 alumni, FIU is one of South Florida’s anchor institutions. FIU offers more than 180 bachelor, master and doctoral degree programs in its colleges and schools. Recently, the university has achieved several notable milestones, including the establishment of South Florida’s only public College of Medicine, and the accreditation of its College of Law.

About the College of Arts & Sciences As the heart of a leading public research university, the College of Arts & Sciences plays a vital role in the intellectual, cultural and civic life of local, national and international communities. The college provides an educational foundation that prepares FIU students to be successful and engaged citizens in a global society.

School of Environment, Arts and Society College of Arts & Sciences Florida International University Biscayne Bay Campus 3000 NE 151st Street, AC-I 300 North Miami, FL 33181

Phone: 305-919-6000 Fax: 305-919-5964 E-mail: seas@fiu.edu

http://seas.fiu.edu

For more information about online programs offered by the College of Arts & Sciences, visit http://cas.fiu.edu.

For general information, visit www.fiu.edu Florida International University is an Equal Opportunity/Access Employer and Institution.

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