The fall semester is underway, and it has been a joy to see students, faculty, and staff return to campus. As a community, we’ve built incredible momentum together over the past many months. I am excited to kick off my second year as Dean of the Rubenstein School and to welcome our new president, Dr. Marlene Tromp to UVM.
This year marks our largest class of undergraduates yet, with 322 incoming first year students in the Rubenstein School. Our graduate programs have also grown, with 23 new Natural Resources students joining our M.S. and Ph.D. programs, and a new cohort of 15 students in our online Leadership for Sustainability programs. Since last semester, we’ve added new roles and team members to support the growing student body and shore up the impactful research happening in our school.
We’re welcoming four new faculty this fall: Dr. Samantha Hoff, Dr. Kyle Buck, Dr. Dorothy Horn, and Dr. Monika Derrien. We also grew our Student Services team this summer, welcoming two new Professional Advisors: Kate Glenn and Hannah Kershaw. And we’ve expanded our leadership team, adding two new Associate Dean positions held by Dr. Jennifer Pontius and Dr. Mindy Morales.
Read my complete Dean's Message for details on our new community members. I’m grateful for the innovative spirit, passion, and care that everyone brings to the Rubenstein School. These traits and our shared values make us resilient. The stories below exemplify some of the ways we are solving problems for a more just, equitable, and ecological world together.
Sincerely,
Peter
Alumni
Building a Life in Big Sky Country: Q&A with Alumnus Brad Koontz ’13
Brad Koontz graduated from the Rubenstein School with a major in Natural Resource Planning. After a year of work as a mentor for college students in Massachusetts, Brad was looking for a change of scenery. He moved west, arriving in Bozeman, Montana in 2014. 11 years later, he has built a life there while working at the Montana Conservation Corps. Brad shares more about his post-graduation journey and how he found confidence in his value as a “generalist” in this Q&A. Read more →
UVM Weekend: September 26 - 28
We're excited to welcome friends, alumni, and families to campus for UVM Weekend! The Rubenstein School is hosting multiple special events. We hope you'll join us in Burlington, VT this weekend, if you're able.
Friday September 26, 2025
Welcome Event at the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory Join us between 4 and 5:30 pm at the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory. Tour the lab (celebrating its 25th anniversary this year!), tour the Research Vessel Marcelle Melosira, and enjoy light refreshments at the Burlington Waterfront. Event details >
Freeze, Flock, Fall: Lessons for facing the climate crisis Join Rubenstein School faculty Paul Bierman, Trish O'Kane, and Joe Roman for an engaging conversation about their critically acclaimed books and the lessons that the ecosystems they study have taught them about facing the climate crisis. The event will be moderated by Gund Institute for Environment Director Taylor Ricketts at the ECHO Leahy Center from 5:30 to 7 pm. Reserve your seat >
Students
Inside the UVM Gardens: A Q&A with Gavin Young '27
Each year, student interns make meaningful contributions to the maintenance and design of UVM's gardens. Gavin Young ’27, a Rubenstein School student and president of the UVM Horticulture Club, is one of those student interns. He is the 2025 Vermont Winner of the National Garden Clubs Award, and the 2025 Recipient of the Vermont Federated Garden Clubs scholarship. Gavin spoke about his internship experience and his passion for gardening in this Q&A. Read more →
A Leap of Faith: Choosing a Master's Degree
Cat Mawn ’24 graduated with her B.S. degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Public Policy analysis. But before she walked across the stage, she’d already completed significant work toward her Master’s degree in Natural Resources and her master’s thesis. Cat describes her decision to apply for UVM's Accelerated Masters Program as a realization that she “wasn’t ready to be done” with her education.Read more →
Capstone Service-Learning Course Connects Students with Community Partners to Tackle Local Issues
From their first week to their final semester, students experience a curriculum rooted in hands-on learning and community engagement. In their senior year, all Rubenstein School students take the capstone course Environmental Problem Solving and Impact Assessment (NR 4060). NR 4060 is special because of its service-learning design. Students work in teams to tackle real-world, complex environmental problems. Read more →
Research
Tracking a New Forest Pathogen Killing Beech Trees
Beech Leaf Disease first emerged in the U.S. in Ohio about a decade ago and has steadily expanded across eastern forests. Five counties in Vermont have confirmed outbreaks with the Jericho Research Forest as its northernmost point. Read more →
From Microplastics to Microbes, UVM Researchers Help Keep Vermont's Water Clean
UVM researchers have active projects that aim to keep pollution out of Vermont’s water, from groundwater to small streams to Lake Champlain. Read more →
