Undergraduate environmental science major Austin Cook-Lindsay and I completed a short review of the environmental meaning of the term “stewardship,” including its Christian uses, for a volume on sustainability by Berkshire Press. The volume should be published next year.
Monthly Archives: September 2009
Manuscript on Appalachian Trail spirituality nears completion
My project on the spirituality of Appalachian Trail long distance hikers is nearing completion. The first  manuscript exceeded 600 pages so it is currently split into two drafts, one on the perceptions of experiences of today’s hikers and one on the values of the AT. The social study of factors such as engagement in prayer is in a complete draft with statistics completed.
Baylor Environmental Science moving to new labs
The Baylor Department of Environmental Science is moving to a new home in the Baylor Sciences Building. We have had our first meeting with the architects and current plans will cover the renovation of the 4th floor A Wing. We have funding for 4 new teaching labs (we need 5 of these labs so we will be out looking for additional funds). This move is the result of a strategic plan submitted by the department over two years ago. I served as senior author of the proposal.  The new research labs will be completely up-to-date and will be down the hall from the Geology Department and the Center for Aquatic Systems and Reservoir Research. This move will greatly enhance the interactions between Environmental Science and other science departments, and the quality of both our undergraduate and graduate courses.
Women’s Leadership & Energy meeting
Heidi Marcum and I attended a meeting on women’s leadership and US energy policy and development in New Orleans, LA. The women leading the discussion included two US senators, university based researchers, and executives from energy producing corporations. One of the most interesting topics was the development of new natural gas resources, which will require large volumes of water. A second top issue was climate change and sea level rise, a major concern in Louisiana.