A Fight to Be (Finally) Heard
The environmental justice movement was launched by residents who suffered consequences of pollution and other issues — and refused to be ignored. By Kris Dreessen In the late 19th century, John Muir’s writings and advocacy focusing on the Sierra Nevada mountains sparked discussions about protecting wild spaces, ultimately leading to the creation of Yosemite National Park and other preserves. That passion forprotecting wildlife...
New Sustainability Major Grows in Popularity
Courses and experiences prepare students for careers in fields from renewable energy to finance. By Kris Dreessen Learn about how Geneseo is addressing sustainability in the world without our interactive map. Katelyn Adis ’24 entered Geneseo undeclared, open to trying many courses and activities in which she had interest, including dance, anthropology and environmental issues. She helped plan campus Earth Week events and joined...
50 Years of Creating Opportunities — A Campus Tour
From labs to landmarks, donors leave their marks on student experiences. By Carol Marcy Fifty years ago, Geneseo’s then-president Robert W. MacVittie made the visionary decision to create the Geneseo Foundation, in recognition that private support would be needed in the years ahead to supplement declining state support for the College. In the early years, contributions to the foundation from alumni and community members allowed the...
The Human Dimensions of Conservation
Amanda Lewis-Nang’ea’s research brings historical perspective to the issues of land management and resource stewardship in Kenya. By Robyn Rime Amboseli National Park in Kenya is one of the best places in the world to get close to free-ranging elephants. The park, formalized as a national game reserve in 1948 and as a park in 1974, seeks to protect a unique ecosystem through conservation, wildlife viewing and tourism. Supporting...
Trips of Lifetimes
Geneseo faculty first led students on journeys of discovery abroad 45 years ago. Adventures of learning, self-reflection and global understanding have transformed students ever since. By Kris Dreessen The summer after his graduation, Jim Leary ’75 traveled to Italy to learn about The Age of Dante Alighieri with Bill Cook and Ron Herzman — two young professors who would become world-renowned scholars. Leary and other students studied...
VIDEO: Muons Over Letchworth
Geneseo faculty and students placed muon detectors at Letchworth State Park to show how – muons – a subatomic particle interacts with us, every second. Watch a video about the community engagement project:
Seeing the Invisible
Geneseo faculty and students placed detectors at Letchworth State Park to show a subatomic particle interacts with us, every second. By Kris Dreessen Cosmic rays from outer space collide with atoms in the upper atmosphere, creating subatomic particles called muons that fall to earth. Muons pass through everything on their journey, including us. If you hold your arm out right now, two or three will pass through your outstretched hand...
Discoveries in the Deep
Marine biologist Mackenzie Gerringer studies the depths of the world’s oceans from the rolling hills of Geneseo. By Robyn Rime Down in the ocean’s trenches — far beyond the reach of sunlight — the deep sea is unimaginably dark, a world of frigid temperatures and immense pressures. Marine organisms manage to flourish in these harsh environments, and assistant professor of biology Mackenzie Gerringer studies how. “I fell in love...
Video: Fuel for the Future
In his lab in the Integrated Science Center, Barnabas Gikonyo, lecturer in chemistry and director of introductory chemistry labs, teaches students the foundations of chemistry research. Last year, 10 of them assisted with long-term projects to support better health and more sustainable use of resources. Gikonyo, an expert in organic and materials chemistry, and his team are developing both biofuels and a biocompatible cement that may...
Seeds and Harvest
While Geneseo’s mission is to foster student growth, faculty and staff learn and gain inspiration from students as well. By Kris Dreessen In higher education, we most often hear about how students learn from professors and staff. But just as often, those faculty and staff members say they learn from and are inspired by students. They are mentors, but their support of students comes back to them in many, sometimes revelatory, ways....
