Pam Davis, Department of Forest Resources
davi0395@maroon.tc.umn.edu
    Research Interest: The importance of utilizing ecological monitoring in decision making in water resources management. Woven into this subject is learning and understanding new interactive teaching activities to help students explore these concepts.

    Inquiry-based education experience and interest: I use case studies, writing assignments, class presentations, debates, jigsaws, and role playing. During the summer I have assisted in the Water Resources field class where students utilize the facilities at Itasca Biological Field Station and the Large Lakes Observatory on the Duluth campus. We engage the students in field exercises in stream ecology, groundwater, small and large lakes, and wetlands. I addition, I am the coordinator of our Water Quality Team (composed of 10-15 graduate students). We have implemented a curriculum where guest speakers train us in team and individual skills such as goal setting, communication and dialogue in small groups, small group leadership, organizational skills, decision making ,etc.: all skills useful in an interactive learning environment. In my past life as a business manager, I stressed the importance of the employees in feeling a sense of ownership in their jobs and company. We focused on team interaction, the pride of sharing in company goals, and the importance of reinforced performance; all skills necessary in inquiry-based education. Students are encouraged to take ownership of learning the respective subject mater within a managed environment provide by the instructor.

James Perry, Department of Forestry
jperry@forestry.umn.edu
   Research Interest: Interests center on informed decision making (in water quality, environmental management) and science policy linkage. Most of my early education, training and experience were in applied aquatic ecology. My students and I still do a great deal of that. However, collectively we are trying to infuse solid science into decision making at the local, regional and (rarely) national level. Some of our biophysical work deals with fine scale variable like Large scale approaches to water quality management, or ecoregion and watershed scale management. A parallel component attempts to integrate that biophysical information into policy, through use of tools such as risk analysis, ecosystem management and informed dissent.

    Inquiry-based education experience and interest: I have long practiced what I now regard as inquiry-based education and active learning, but did not know it. My formal introduction to the field began about three years ago as a participant in the Bush Program for Diversity and Excellence in Teaching. Since that time, I have intentionally increased the variety of approaches I use and have adopted (and adapted) a large number of formal active learning tools for use in small and large classes. I seek to learn more form all the FIRST participants.

Collette Adkins-Giese, Wildlife Conservation Program
email:cag@fw.umn.edu

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