Environmental Science

June 23 - July 14, 2013

Click the image above to see our Environmental Science catalog.

Mission

The Hotchkiss Summer Environmental Science (SES) program cultivates in its students a knowledge of environmental science, provides an immersion in the natural world, and encourages them to become stewards of those resources on a local, regional, national, and global level.

You & We

Everyone knows that we humans have to do a better job of understanding, restoring, and preserving our natural environment, and to do this, we need a whole new crop of young, talented, and well educated scientists. That's where you come in. If you're a student, 12 to 15 years old, who is enthusiastic about learning and not afraid of getting a little muddy, we need you. We need you to learn all about environmental science so that you can go on to help our planet become as healthy a place as possible. To do this, you'll need a great program where you can learn from passionate teachers and experienced researchers, where you can put into practice out in the field what you've studied in the lab, and where you can get connected to on-going environmental studies so that you can make a real difference in the world. That's where we come in. The Hotchkiss Summer Environmental Science (SES) Program will help you do all this.

Three Summers – Three Strands

The SES program follows a three-summer sequence that looks like this:
Summer #1 – you'll learn the basics, developing crucial analytical skills in the field and in the lab.
Summer #2 – you'll put what you learned last summer into practice, analyzing the various ecosystems of northwestern Connecticut.
Summer #3 – you'll put first- and second-year knowledge to the test, working as a scientist conducting research in the field.

Besides some clothes that you don't mind getting dirty, you'll need to bring an eagerness to learn, a curiosity about the natural world, and a willingness to spend time outdoors—rain or shine—in the beautiful New England countryside. We'll bring the state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratory facilities of the Griswold Science Building on the Hotchkiss campus and over 750 acres of open land, woodlands, farm pastures, streams, and lakes. This incredible, natural environment offers unparalleled opportunities for exciting, hands-on research.

The SES Curriculum – Our Triple Helix!

Three primary strands make up the SES curriculum of Summer #1. The first two strands – aquatic ecology and terrestrial ecology – form the core elements that every student experiences. Your aquatic studies will have you exploring the biological and chemical underpinnings of Lake Wononscopomuc, Long Pond, and nearby streams and wetlands areas around Hotchkiss. The terrestrial portions of the class will focus on the School's woods, meadows, and farmlands, and on the more mountainous terrain of the southern Berkshires. The third curricular strand focuses on connecting you to professional scientists to assist them with their environmental research. You get to put into practice what you have learned from the first two strands, and you get to see how scientists work. Summer #2 pulls together Summer #1's three strands as you're assigned to help with solving a real-world environmental problem. You'll gather data, study models, and assist with formulating effective strategies for improving environmental conditions. Finally, Summer #3 provides the opportunity to experience the life of a field researcher, mapping quadrats, collecting and observing data. Your time at Hotchkiss will conclude with a formal presentation of your scientific paper to the community. In addition, the data will be archived with HabitatNet and the Smithsonian.