Featured Research Team Members

Roberta Armstrong is an undergraduate in Paper Science and Chemical Engineering.

Tim Brown is currently a graduate student in Forest Engineering and Hydrology. Tim's main research interests include sedimentation mechanics and habitat restoration.

"Watershed management is a responsibility that crosses all cultural and social boundaries in some way. The complications of working across cultures and other social groups has led to inefficiency and mistrust, at the expense of the land and people involved. Therefore, if a curriculum could be developed that helped students understand more of these different viewpoints, the end-result would be better managers and possibly more efficient conflict resolution, a benefit to all."

Allison Cocke majored in Forest Resources Conservation and minored in Forest Management. Allison's senior thesis investigated biomass accumulation of hybrid poplars at the Wallula Fiber Farm. Allison is currently assisting a Dr. Ford in a corn hybridization study, an analysis of how yield improvement objectives of Pioneer Seed Company have affected the evolution of corn over the last 60 years.

"I think the project was excellent in many respects. It gave me a chance to hear first-hand perspectives regarding natural resources from people who have been involved in activities that have affected them and their environment. I think it is very important to learn these perspectives so that current and future students can benefit from a curriculum that can include many backgrounds. It demonstrated how many variables exist, but that all need to be looked at, no matter how complex."

Veronica Mansuri is a senior studying Conservation Biology.

"The most important aspect of this project is the opening of the University to the diversity of peoples it serves."

Jason Niebler is a graduate student in Forest Management. Jason's research looks at the adaption of agroforestry systems management, by Mexican communal farmers, given changes in the bio-physical environment over an elevation transect in Veracruz State.

"As local producers are increasingly incorporated into and affected by global political economies, their cultures and natural resources are experiencing a transformation. Educating students and the community about these complicated relationships is incredibly germane. Due to an intense and collaborative effort by cultural spokespersons, the Multiple World Views Project attempts to address such issues and establish educational pathways. I am proud to have been part of the process."

For more information about the project, please contact Dr. Robert G. Lee.
© M W V web originally developed  by Jason Niebler. Redesigned September 2000 by TZA and Pete Shima.