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Environments + Sciences + Humans

The Center for Environmental Sciences and Humanities
(formerly known as the Center for the Study of Land, Air, and Water)
puts Bard’s dedication to the environment, science, and social change into practice to support the fair management of our shared natural resources. We solve problems using tools that span academic disciplines. We conduct quantitative research in the natural and social sciences, craft communication, participate in policy making, and bridge academic inquiry with community need. In doing our work, we strive to shift the understanding of “environment” to include humans and the urban ecosystem. And we recognize that real solutions to environmental issues must acknowledge the barriers that race, class, and gender inequities present to the cultural shifts required to make real change.

Do you have an environmental concern that needs to be addressed?

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Taking Community Science on the Road

Taking Community Science on the Road

Follow CESH Director Eli Dueker on Instagram as he takes the newly outfitted mobile community science RV Anchor’s Drop on its maiden voyage across the United States. Air quality measurements will be taken at each stop, and every body of water encountered will be Planktoscoped. Stay tuned!
instagram.com/bard.eus
AnchorStories Blog 

CESH Partners with City of Kingston to Monitor Air Quality
Dr. Eli Dueker installing a MetOne 212-2 particle profiler at a field site atop the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center in Midtown Kingston. Courtesy City of Kingston

CESH Partners with City of Kingston to Monitor Air Quality

“Although Kingston's air quality is, for the most part, doing well, we know that increased traffic, train activity, wood burning, and household heating systems can contribute to short-term air quality issues and long-term health issues if not appropriately managed,” says Eli Dueker, director of the Bard Center for Environmental Science and Humanities, which has partnered with the City of Kingston’s Conservation Advisory Council to form the Kingston Air Quality Initiative. “This research addresses what Kingston needs to be able to meet its sustainability goals long-term.”

READ MORE IN THE DAILY FREEMAN

Spotlight on Research

  • Antibiotic Pollution in the Environment
    The ability to fight bacterial infections with antibiotics has been a longstanding cornerstone of modern medicine. However, widespread overuse and misuse of antibiotics has led to unintended consequences, which in turn require large-scale changes of policy for mitigation. 
    Read the Article
Community Science

Community Science

Watersheds connect people in multiple communities through a shared interest in water. Water doesn’t respect municipal boundaries, so watershed protection encourages water users to form partnerships—not only among towns and villages but also with colleges and universities. 

Monitoring the Saw Kill Watershed