Life at SUNY-ESF

Its Earth Week!

2011-04-20T15:47:00.002-04:00

A tradition on ESF campus for many years, Earth week is a celebrate that occurs during the week of Earth Day (April 22nd). There are a variety of events students can attend to learn more about sustainability on campus as well as ways to live more green. A complete guide can be found here:
http://www.esf.edu/earthweek/

Also, ESF and SU have just launched a partnership for a ride-share program. If you are looking for a ride to/from the Syracuse area you sign up and connect with people who may be traveling around the same dates. Here is a link for more information: http://www.esf.edu/communications/view.asp?newsID=786

Important Dates!

2011-03-03T15:22:00.000-05:00

Spring Break is right around the corner! weeks away. Here are some important dates to mark down to make sure you are prepared as the semester progresses:

Spring Break: March 13th to 20th
Easter Break (no classes): April 22nd, Friday

Last Day of Classes: May 3rd, Tuesday

Final Exams: May 5th and 6th and May 9th - 11th

Also, for those of you planning to graduate this spring, you will want to read over this carefully.

Academic Deadlines for Fall 2010

Action required if you wish to graduate in...	December 2010
Request Appointment for Defense of Thesis/Dissertation Examination Committee (Form 5B)	Friday, February 11th, 2011
Latest day to defend to qualify for degree	Friday, April 29th, 2011
MPS, MF and MLA students must notify OI&GS of their intent to complete the degree to be included in the convocation program	Wednesday, April 27th, 2011
Submit a final, revised, and signed version of document and associated paperwork to Office of Instruction & Graduate Studies	Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Please note: Consult the Instructions and Guidelines for Formatting a Thesis or Dissertation prior to submitting a final draft to your defense committee members. All committee members (Major Professor, Steering Committee, Readers/Examiners, and the Defense Committee Chair) must have a final draft at least two weeks prior to the defense. Students should notify the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies via svandeburg@esf.edu of the date, time, and location of the defense at least 2 weeks in advance of the defense or it may be rescheduled.

Fall Time at ESF

2010-09-30T13:14:00.000-04:00

So its that time of year again. The summer heat gives way to cool fall days and the green leaves show their true and vibrant colors. With the changing of the seasons comes a changing of outdoor activities for people to do.

Instead of taking a trip to the beach. Try checking out the Lafayette Apple Festival
http://www.lafayetteapplefest.org/
You can see apple cider getting made and get to sample it fresh from the press. Or learn how to make apple dumplings. There is live music, games, and plenty of hands of activities to enjoy!

Think you have a good sense of direction? At Critz Farms in Cazenovia, NY you can take a hay ride, pick you own pumpkin for Halloween, and then test your orrienation skills in on of the larges corn mazes in the area. http://www.critzfarms.com/fall.html

Lastly, is the monthly TG! This Friday, October 1st at 5pm the Graduate Student Association will be hosting a TG in Nifkin Lounge. In addition to our normal selection of pizza and Middle Ages beer, we will also have:

NY Wine

NY grown Apples

NY produced cheese

Crackers, Grapes, Pepperoni, and more!!!

Please join us for a relaxing evening of food and drinks. Remember, this is a TRASH FREE EVENT. Please bring your mug!

Maymester Course: Environmental Social Marketing

2010-05-12T19:00:00.000-04:00

EST 496/696

May 17 – May 28 (M, T, W, Th, F)

9:30am-2:00pm

Instructor: Bruno Takahashi

Recycle, turn off the lights, ride the bus, use less water, reduce consumption. Wonder how to get people to effectively and permanently engage in these behaviors?

This new 3-credit course is intended to provide students in communications, business, and public policy, among others, with an introduction to the current theory and practice in the emerging field of social marketing, and its application to promote pro-environmental behavior change.

You will learn the tools that commercial marketers successfully use to sell their products and services, drawing from a wide range of disciplines including communications, psychology, and sociology. We will focus on the ways in which social marketing techniques can be used in conjunction with other approaches such as policies, education, and information to influence voluntary behavior change. This course could be used towards communication option or methods requirements, or just as an elective.

Finding Housing

2010-05-10T12:52:00.000-04:00

View Larger Map

It's that time of the year: time to find a roommate.

Here are my tips on finding housing.

Most students live in the Westcott neighborhood, off of (Outer) Comstock Ave., or in Nob Hill. If you want to be within walking distance of most other ESF grad students, look in the Westcott area. Generally, the closer to campus you live, the more undergraduates you'll find. This may mean "party time", be forewarned.

Roosevelt Ave., Miles Ave., Westcott St., Allen St., Westmoreland Ave., these are all streets that have more graduate students and families on them. These streets are not nearly as wild on a weekend night as the ones closer to campus.

The ESF Graduate Student Association just started a rent/sublet forum. Search housing, sublets, post if you're looking for a roommate:

http://esfgsa.webs.com/apps/forums/

Another site that people often use to find apartments is Orange Housing:

http://www.orangehousing.com/

Plus, there is always Craigslist:

http://syracuse.craigslist.org/search/hhh

Expect to pay from $275-$450 before utilities, up to $550 with utilities included. Good luck!

Living: Tipperary Hill

2010-04-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

Located on the West Side of Syracuse, Tipperary Hill is a great neighborhood, only a short commute from campus. A handful of students live there, encouraged by a preponderance of split-level homes, and a young, festive atmosphere, especially around St. Patrick's Day.

Originally a predominantly Irish neighborhood of Syracuse, the area is still true to its roots, hosting the Tipp Hill Shamrock Run, and famosly the location where green beer is delivered by tanker truck to Coleman's Pub.

On a more historical note, Tipp Hill, as it is known to residents, is home to the world's only upside-down stoplight. In the 1920s, the children of Irish immigrants, in their hatred of the British, would throw rocks at the stoplight at the corner of Tompkins St. and Milton Ave to knock out the "British" red light that hung over the "Irish" green. When the city realized this problem would not go away, an upside-down stoplight, with the green on top, was installed at the intersection.

The Palace Theater

2010-04-26T21:36:00.000-04:00

The Palace Theater, on James St. in the Eastwood neighborhood, is a one-of-a-kind venue, active in the community since its opening in 1922. It hosts current movies, 35mm cult film triple-features, and other assorted events. Recently, I caught "Invictus", the story of Nelson Mandela and the South African rugby team, at The Palace shortly after it left the main theaters. I went there with some ESF classmates to see "Total Recall" and "Conan the Barbarian", and was greeted by nerdy trivia and prize giveaways between shows.

As part of the same Brew & View series, Monty Python's "Life of Brian", "Time Bandits" and "Brazil" will be showing on Saturday, May 1. Don't miss "The Big Lebowski" on May 21.

Additionally, if you are so inclined, The Palace is generally the venue to catch a rousing Halloween showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show (something I have yet to experience).

The Westcott Community Center

2010-04-26T21:18:00.000-04:00

Housed in a former firehouse at the corner of Westcott St. and Euclid Ave., the Westcott Community Center is a hub of local activity, from bands and community meetings, to art exhibitions. It has also hosted ESF departmental potlucks with students and faculty, and can be rented for any event.

Among the activities it hosts:

- Figure drawing

- African dance and drumming

- University Neighbors Lecture Series

- Karate

- Exercise classes

It is also home to a GED program, as well as a childrens' after-school program.

The Westcott -- as it was called, especially before the movie theater down the street also converted to a concert venue -- is perhaps best known for hosting local young and amateur music acts in an alcohol-free venue friendly to highschool students. Concertgoers still gather on spring and summer evenings to pass the time outside before a show.

In the meantime, tune in online to Westcott Radio, also housed at the Community Center.

Sustainability in Action: Biodiesel Production

2010-04-07T14:16:00.000-04:00

Dirty cooking oil does not go to waste on the ESF or Syracuse University campuses.

Several times each month, it is gathered in 55-gallon plastic drums and deposited at the old greenhouses on the ESF campus. When heated, cleaned, and processed with methanol and an acid catalyst, it is ready to be mixed and used to power campus vehicles. Biodiesel production involves students at every step of the process, from collection to creation.

Mike Kelleher, ESF Director of Renewable Energy, often integrates the biodiesel project with students' classwork. Engineering students may redesign the biodiesel processing unit, while environmental science students may compute a cost-benefit analysis of expanding the current system.

ESF stores its biodiesel - mixed with petroleum diesel at 5% for winter and 10% in the summer - next to the fuel cell and ethanol tanks behind Walters Hall.

To read more, click here, or visit the project page for even more in-depth information on multiple biodiesel-related projects.

Sustainability in Action: Fuel Cell

2010-04-07T14:07:00.001-04:00

ESF's very own fuel cell was dedicated on February 21, 2006. Since its installation, it has provided approximately 17% of campus energy needs (at 250 kW/hour). It does so with close to 0 emissions, through an efficient process that utilizes oxygen, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen from natural gas. In the winter, excess heat from the unit is used, by means of a heat exchanger, to heat adjacent Walters Hall.

To read more about our fuel cell, and check out a diagram of the electricity generation process, click here.

Sustainability in Action: Green Roof

2010-04-07T13:54:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, this is a summertime photo of the rooftop on Walters Hall. As part of the campus-wide sustainability plan, wildflowers and native vegetation were installed as a "green roof".

The green roof system reduces stormwater runoff by slowing moisture passage through its soil layer and root structure. It regulates temperature - the black tar roof is now as cool as a field of wildflowers. This has the added benefit of prolonging the life of the roof.

Plus, for those few weeks in the summer, it is truly eye-catching. Learn more about ESF's efforts, including background and design diagrams, here.

Living: Westcott Neighborhood

2010-04-05T15:55:00.000-04:00

Many visiting prospective students ask where graduate students live, whether on- or off-campus, and what there is to do outside of class. For myself and a large contingent of my classmates, the Westcott Neighborhood is home. Approximately 1/2 mile from the ESF campus, students that live here can easily bike or walk to class in minutes. Rents are generally from $300 (shared) - $450 per month, per person, including utilities.

Its old houses and mix of residents, students, and graduate students gives the area a relaxed, yet vibrant atmosphere. Rental units - often split-level homes - are mixed together with owner-occupied housing. There is always some commotion in the business district, regardless of the day of the week, but the calmer neighborhood sections are quiet and peaceful.

The neighborhood is home to a handful of local businesses, including:

The Westcott Theater, a concert venue that hosts many jam bands and touring acts
Alto Cinco, a Tex-Mex and vegan-friendly restaurant and bar with great fresh food (try the Fried Catfish Burrito)
Westcott Florist
Munjed's Middle Eastern Cafe, has great falafel!
Sabastino's Pizza, great hot wings!
Recess Coffee House & Roastery, a cafe that roasts its coffee on the spot, it has comfy chairs, free wi-fi, and occasional music and movie nights

For those that enjoy soccer or basketball, Barry Park (previous post) is at the end of Westcott Street, not more than a mile from campus. Petit Library is the neighborhood public library, a quiet and shade-speckled place to check out a book or study.

Food and Drink: People's Place

2010-04-05T15:06:00.000-04:00

Every graduate student's best friend, cheap coffee.

Founded in 1971, People's Place is a student-run non-profit coffeeshop located in the basement of Hendricks Chapel on the Syracuse University quad. It is only a small nook set into the wall, but it fills the entire hallway with commotion during class breaks. Only a short walk off the ESF campus, People's Place offers not just coffee, but also tea, juices, bagels, donuts, soup, and sandwiches.

For ESF students tend to carry around their reusable school-branded mugs. If you are so inclined, People's Place offers a 10-cent discount for those that bring their own container. When most drinks are between 50 cents and $1.00, this amounts to a generous environmentally friendly discount.

For a short student-penned piece on People's Place, including a photo essay, click here.

Construction on Campus

2010-04-05T14:56:00.000-04:00

Visitors to our campus may notice a big chunk of earth being carved out, fenced off, and pushed around between Bray and Walters Halls. This project is the creation of an access road meant to create a navegable loop out of the one main road on campus. Formerly, cars traveling to this corner of campus would have to turn around and exit the way they came.

While access to Walters Hall from Bray, the flagpole and surrounding parking are out-of-commission for the moment, they will return soon.

Food and Drink: Syracuse Real Food Co-op

2010-03-29T14:36:00.000-04:00

Located at 618 Kensington Road, in the Westcott neighborhood, the Syracuse Real Food Co-op has been providing local, fresh and organic foods to area residents since its inception in 1972. The store is open to the public, though a co-op membership entitles the holder to special voting privileges and periodic discounts. Organic cereals, energy bars, snacks, and milk products are available, among a range of products.

While other grocery stores such as Wegman's, P&C, and Price Chopper may offer a wider selection in a larger location, the Co-op has all the necessities in an easy bike- or walkable location. It is located two blocks from Westcott Street, near Barry Park:

View Larger Map

Food and Drink: Middle Ages Brewery

2010-03-29T14:18:00.000-04:00

A Syracuse institution, Middle Ages Brewery, has been pumping out tasty microbrews for almost 15 years. Its local flavor and focus on quality is especially popular with students. Its tap room on Wilkinson Street is open Monday-Friday from 11:30-6pm and Saturday until 5pm. Its beers are named with a medieval flair: Grail Ale, Dragonslayer, Druid Fluid, Wizard's Winter Ale. Wailing Wench and Swallow Wit wheat beer are both regular selections at the ESF graduate "TG" parties.

Sample the wares responsibly, and don't feel pressured to make a purchase. If you do, however, beers can be carried home in half-gallon refillable glass "growlers".

Food and Drink: Farmer's Market

2010-03-29T14:06:00.000-04:00

The Central New York Regional Market is a favorite Saturday-morning destination for the go-getters in the ESF community. While early morning around 10am is best, the market is open until 1pm. It is not uncommon to see a dozen or more fellow students and professors doing their weekly shopping on a typical visit.

The Market features locally grown produce, especially during the summer and fall, when the offerings change on a weekly basis, from berries and fruits to apples, squash, and potatoes in the autumn months. A large number of vendors offer necessities with a specialty flair: cream-on-the-top milk, fresh yogurt, unfiltered apple cider, homemade pastas, granola, and breads.

In the summer, fresh local peaches are a must-have. Highly recommended and year-round are the very reasonably priced Mennonite baked goods, locally produced cheeses, and various free-range and grass-fed meats, from Buffalo to Lamb.

Food and Drink: Inn Complete

2010-03-29T13:55:00.000-04:00

Every graduate student's favorite hang-out, the Inn Complete is housed in the former ski lodge on South Campus. You can reach it by car or via the Winding Ridge bus route, free to students. The Inn features standard student fare - chicken fingers, cheese fries, wings, sandwiches and wraps - all with a 25% discount for showing your grad ID. Apart from food, there is a great selection of beers at very reasonable prices - $1.50 is the "grad special": a random bottled beer or a selected draft.

On Thursday nights they host a trivia night, and at least twice per year they host a Friday "TG" party for ESF students. Apart from its food and drink, the Inn is also home to free foosball, pool, ping pong, and Nintendo Wii for all students and visitors. (I head here regularly with other ESF friends for my foosball fix.)

Food and Drink: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

2010-03-26T14:36:00.000-04:00

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - on Willow Street, near Clinton Square in Downtown Syracuse - is a Syracuse landmark and must-see destination. In May 2009, it was voted America's Best Barbecue in a Good Morning America poll. For bikers, blues fans, and barbecue lovers, it needs no introduction.

Try the cornbread, pulled pork, or ribs. All meat is slow-cooked in their own wood-fired barbecue.

It features live blues and rock music Monday-Saturday nights and only takes walk-in reservations. Carpooling is suggested, as parking in the restaurant's general vicinity can be difficult. Campus groups that are lucky enough to have Dinosaur cater their event are usually descended upon by a pack of hungry graduate and undergraduate students.

New composting system

2010-03-10T15:17:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Green Campus Initiative, a student group dedicated to making the ESF campus more environmentally friendly, we now have our very own on-campus composting system. Located near the greenhouses on the edge of campus next to Oakwood Cemetery, the new system will handle food waste collected from across the campus and turn it into rich organic material.

Related news:

Students in the Green Campus Initiative and ESF President, Dr. Cornelius Murphy, Jr., will give a demonstration of the new food and organic waste composting operation tomorrow (Thursday, March 11, 2010) at 1:00PM.

The project includes an innovative process called static aerated composting which produces a weed free, pathogen free compost in as little as 3 weeks.

Scheduling of candidacy exams and thesis/dissertation defenses

2010-03-10T15:13:00.000-05:00

A message from Scott Shannon, Dean of Instruction and Graduate Studies:

MS and PhD Students & Colleagues:
As the busiest season of the year for defenses and candidacy exams approaches, I’d like to remind everyone of the standard protocol for setting times and dates and reporting these to the graduate office. First, if you have not already filed a Form 5B or 6B this semester, do not plan on scheduling your exam or defense this semester or graduating this May; we are now well beyond the deadline for assigning defense or exam chairs or scheduling exams/defenses (Feb. 12, 2010).

Assuming you have requested and been assigned an exam or defense chair, the first step is to hold a “planning meeting” to schedule the exam or defense and all the activities associated with each. DO NOT hold a planning meeting or schedule a defense or candidacy exam without the examination or defense chair PRESENT. Please do not set any dates, times, or locations prior to the planning meeting. The examination chair is “in charge” of this process, and neither students nor major professors should preemptively attempt to get ahead of things, as it often causes great difficulty in coordinating schedules with the examination chair.

In the planning meeting, you may find that not all members of the graduate committee can be present at the time of the defense or exam. While we prefer all members of the graduate committee to be present, they MAY participate via conference call or Skype if they cannot be here on campus. When the dates and times of an exam or defense have been set, these should be reported to the graduate office, preferably by e-mail or other written form.
Thank you for your help-

Scott Shannon, Dean of Instruction & Graduate Studies
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
227 Bray Hall - 1 Forestry Drive
Syracuse, NY 13210

Outdoors: Winter fun

2010-03-10T14:37:00.000-05:00

For those that enjoy outdoor activities during the winter months, options abound. Highland Forest, Beaver Lake, Oneida Shores, and Onondaga Lake Park are popular for cross-country skiing. You can view trail conditions and maps here.

Sledding at Thornden Park or at one of the snow bowls on South Campus is always fun (and free).

Downhill skiing locations include Labrador Mountain (my favorite), Toggenburg, Song Mountain. Special discounts for college students include $15 lift tickets, special "college night" events, and various other promotions at all three locations. Toggenburg also offers snow tubing.

Further North, Whiteface in Lake Placid, home to the 1936 and 1980 Winter Olympics, offers the largest vertical drop east of the Rockies. Gore Mountain in the Adirondacks, and, closer to home, Greek Peak round out the skiing possibilities.

Chili Cook-Off

2010-03-04T11:03:00.000-05:00

Graduate Student Association presents the

Annual Chili Cook-Off TG!

TOMORROW
Friday, March 5th at 6:30PM
in Nifkin Lounge

Bring your chili, vegetarian chili, and
cornbread to compete for PRIZES!

To enter: e-mail Katie at
cghaase@syr.edu (walk-in's welcome).

Please bring your own ways of keeping chili warm,
serving utensils, etc. Don't forget your ESF mugs, bowls and spoons!

Must be 21 to participate, please bring a valid photo ID.

Spring graduation deadlines

2010-02-24T15:50:00.000-05:00

All graduate students planning to graduate this semester (Spring 2010), please be advised of the following important deadlines:

Important Deadlines for Spring 2010

Last day to request appointment for defense of thesis/dissertation examination committee (Form 5B)
2/12/2010

Last day to drop a class
3/23/2010

Fall 2010 Registration Period
4/5-4/9/2010

All MPS, MF, and MLA students planning to graduate must notify OI&GS of their intent to complete the degree to have name included in convocation program
4/28/2010

Last day to defend to qualify for degree
4/30/2010

Last day to submit a final, revised, and signed version of thesis or dissertation and associated paperwork to OI&GS
5/4/2010

Last day of classes
5/4/2010

ESF convocation
5/15/2010

Commencement
5/16/2010

*Individual departments may also have other internal deadlines. Consult with your major professor or curriculum coordinator with questions.

Other important information:

If you have not turned in your Program of Study (3B) form to the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies (OIGS), we ask that you do so as soon as possible.

If you are scheduling your candidacy exam or thesis/dissertation defense, please give OIGS two week’s notice.

For information regarding formatting of theses/dissertations, visit: http://www.esf.edu/graduate/graddegreq.htm

Graduate TG

2010-01-14T13:57:00.001-05:00

The Graduate Student Association will be having its first Graduate TG of the semester on Friday, January 22nd at 5:30 in Nifkin Lounge.

This month's TG is a Snowman Building Contest!! Build a snow man (or woman) in the ESF quad anytime before the TG and possibly win a prize!! Judges include GSA's advisor, the Assistant Dean Vandeburg, and other faculty or staff members.

Join your fellow grads in a fun night outside, good food and drink inside, and start the semester right!

A valid photo ID is required on entry - non one under 21 permitted.

Gearing up for Spring Semester

2010-01-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year and welcome to 2010! Things are quiet on the ESF campus this week, as most students have yet to return to campus. Spring classes begin on January 19th this semester, so only those with research to do or other obligations have returned so far.

Things aren't entirely quiet. Construction continues on the pass-through road behind Bray Hall, which will turn on-campus road access from a dead-end into a loop.

Upcoming events on campus include a graduate student TGIF party and snowman-building contest on Friday, January 22nd. Hopefully the snow will stick around!

Here's wishing everyone a happy and productive Spring semester.

Don't Walk Across the Quad

2009-10-16T12:27:00.000-04:00

In the warmer months, ESF students can be seen lounging, playing frisbee, and otherwise enjoying the grassy common space in the middle of campus. One thing that students do not do, out of habit and from pressure from fellow students, is walk across the quad to reach their destination.

This is one of many traditions at ESF and among the most visible. The rule is what one might call "socially enforced". Many a grad student on his or her way to the far edge of campus or on the way home has begun to walk across the grass, only to be verbally assailed by vigilant students warning them not to use the grass as a walking path. People learn quickly.

The stone monument on the corner of the quad at the entrance to campus reminds students to treat the grass with care and not walk across it. There has even been a Facebook group started in honor of this tradition.

Next time you are on campus, remember to walk the length and width, don't walk the hypotenuse. Taking the quickest route from A to B is not allowed. Use that time to stop and enjoy the grass.

Spotlight on Gradshare.com

2009-10-08T12:07:00.000-04:00

Have questions about grants? Having issues with your major professor? Need publishing advice? Defending your thesis?

GradShare is an online community of graduate students from all over the country contributing from various subjects on hundreds of different topics. It's a place where you can get answers to any question related to graduate school, 24/7. Forums include:

Thesis/Dissertation: from selecting your topic to writing proposals, publishing papers to advisor relationships. It's all about the thesis!

Job Searching/Career Planning: writing your CV has never been easier; includes tips on interviewing and networking

Teaching: techniques on lecturing, grading, and even dealing with student complaints!

Grants and Funding: writing grant proposals and finding funding from both your university and outside sources

Publishing: from publishing your work in peer-reviewed journals to presenting at conferences - tips on how to get your research out there

Work-life Balance: tips on how to deal with stress, family issues, and scheduling your oh-so-precious time

This graduate school network can be accessed at http://www.gradshare.com/, and requires a school e-mail address and password. Post a question regarding various topics, or help out a fellow grad by shedding some light on experiences you have survived throughout your years at ESF.

Surviving Grad School 101: International Student Rights Panel

2009-10-06T12:38:00.000-04:00

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT RIGHTS

Wednesday, October 14th at 5:00PM

Nifkin Lounge

This panel will focus on common issues international students face when becoming a graduate student, such as:

OPT
H1
Immigration issues
Student Visas
Other common issues

With panelists such as:

Carolyn Salter, International Students Coordinator
Raydora Drummer, Multi-cultural affairs
Scott Shannon, Dean, Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies
Jennifer Gavilondo, Slutzer Center, Syracuse University
International graduate students

Free Indian food will be served.

Co-sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Graduate Student Association, part of the "Surviving Graduate School 101" Panel Series.

Questions? E-mail the GSA International Committee Chair, Nidhi Pasi, at npasi@syr.edu.

Outdoors: Oakwood Cemetery

2009-10-01T15:23:00.000-04:00

View Larger Map

Directly to the south and adjacent to the ESF campus lies Oakwood Cemetery. Besides being home to hundreds of tombstones and burial monuments, most of which date back to the 19th century, it is another small piece of nature that happens to be easily accessible to ESF students. Squirrels, crows, and occasionally deer or other animals bound across the hilly terrain.

Local residents walking dogs, runners and hikers, and students cutting across the cemetery to get to class (not recommended after dark) are common. Since Oakwood has been adjacent to a residential neighborhood for well over a century, vandals have tipped some monuments. All in all, the cemetery is well-preserved and has given over to nature in many places, especially further from the main road.

Take a look, Oakwood begins right behind the greenhouses on the hill behind Bray Hall.

Outdoors: Barry Park

2009-10-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

View Larger Map

Barry Park, only one mile from campus, offers natural beauty, open space, and outdoor recreation for students and neighborhood residents alike. Amenities include a playground, 2 tennis courts, a handful of basketball courts, and a field for soccer, frisbee, and other sports. In the evenings when the weather is nice, it is common to find people from all countries and backgrounds playing pick-up soccer.

Across the street from the fields sits a pond and drainage basin, home to ducks, geese, and the occasional muskrat or other wild animal. Deer and rabbits have been known to frequent the area as well. Think of it as an oasis from the surrounding residential neighborhood. A trail around the pond measures 1.1 miles in circumference, making it a perfect destination for joggers (or mountain bikers) looking to stay off the hard pavement but still count the miles. In winter the site is used for cross-country skiing, walking pets, and, for the daring, ice skating on the frozen pond (try at your own risk!).

It was founded in the 1950s on the site of a former dump, though no signs of its past use are visible today. However, if one looks around an upturned tree or fresh earth, it is not uncommon to find broken milk bottles and other detritus of yesteryear.

Stay tuned for more installments in the Outdoors series.

TGIF Party

2009-09-25T13:28:00.000-04:00

Today is one of those special Fridays when us graduate students come out from our hiding places and congregate to celebrate the end of another exciting week. Approximately once per month, the Graduate Student Association sponsors a party that most students call a "TG", short for TGIF.

These events generally take place on campus in Nifkin (Alumni) Lounge, on the basement floor of Marshall Hall. However, this week's event will be at the Inn Complete, the graduate student pub and restaurant on South Campus. This week is game night, and all events include free food and drink.

Outsiders are invited as well, just bring a valid ID. This is a good way to get to know other students, whether you are considering joining a program at ESF, or are already enrolled here.

Have a good weekend!

Unravelling the confuddlement of the 2A,3B, 5B, 6B, etc. Forms

2009-09-24T11:56:00.000-04:00

If you are like most graduate students, when you first came to ESF you were a little intimidated about all the various forms you needed to fill out. And more importantly, when you need to fill them out and who needs to sign what. Well as the GAs for the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies (OI&GS), we are going to try and unravel the mysteries of the 2-6 lettered forms to make your life as a graduate student easier (because we all know we could use all the help we can get!).

2A: Appointment of Major Professor/Steering Committee - this form appoints your major professor (MP) and your steering committee (# of committee members depends on your degree). This needs to be signed by your Department Chair and needs to be submitted before your 3B form. The 2A is usually recommended to be completed by the end of your first semester.

3B: Graduate Program of Study - this form basically lists the classes that you will be taking as a graduate student and other necessary degree requirements. If you are transferring credits, they need to be listed too. This needs to be signed by your MP, your steering committee, and the Department Chair and/or Graduate Coordinator. The 3B form is different for MS, MPS, PhD, MF, and MLA degrees, so make sure you fill out the correct one. Form 3A contains information regarding completing your 3B form, and can usually be picked up from the OI&GS.

5B: Request to Appoint Defense of Thesis/Dissertation Examination Committee - this form appoints the committee for your defense of your thesis or dissertation. It is signed by your Department Chair and lists your MP, steering committee, and examiners (outside your committee). This needs to be in before you schedule a defense. If you are PhD candidate, you must fill out a 6B and successfully complete your candidacy exam before you can defend your dissertation. Form 5A contains information about your defense and is usually attached to the 5B form.

6B: Request to Appoint Doctoral Candidacy Examination Committee and Committee Chair - this form appoints a candidacy examination committee and committee chair, and should be signed by your Department Chair. It contains your MP and steering committee, as well as examiners. Form 6A is usually attached to the 6B form and holds information regarding your candidacy exam.

The rest of the forms out there are forms that you will receive throughout your graduate school process, usually confirming appointments, defense/candidacy dates, and the successful completion of these defense/candidacy exams.

For more information, reference your department's website or the OI&GS website on Degree Requirements and Forms: (http://www.esf.edu/graduate/graddegreq.htm)

Other important dates...

2009-09-24T11:44:00.001-04:00

As graduate students we all know how fast the days fly by, so here is a little reminder of important upcoming dates you should mark your calenders for:

Monday, September 28th: Yom Kippur (no classes - which means we graduate students will still be seen around campus because now we have the time to do our own work since we don't have hassle of teaching/attending classes. Yippee!)
Wednesday, October 28th: Last day to drop a class
November 11-November 29: Registration for Spring Semester 2010
November 25-29: Thanksgiving break (time to seriously take a break grads. Go home, eat food!)
December 14th: Last day of classes

This can all be found on the Academic Calendar at: www.esf.edu/catalog/calendar.htm

Upcoming Academic Deadlines

2009-09-22T13:30:00.000-04:00

If you wish to graduate in...

December 2009:

Appointment for Defense of Thesis/Dissertation Examination Committee (Form 5B) is due by Friday, October 2, 2009
Last day to defend to qualify for degree: Monday, December 7, 2009
MPS, MF, and MLA students must notify the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies (OI&GS) of their intent to complete the degree to be included in the convocation program by Friday, November 20, 2009
Submit a final, revised, and signed version of required documents and associated paperwork to OI&GS by Monday, December 14, 2009

May 2010:

Appointment for Defense of Thesis/Dissertation Examination Committee (Form 5B) is due by Friday, February 12, 2010
Last day to defend to qualify for degree: Friday, April 30, 2010
MPS, MF, and MLA students must notify the Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies (OI&GS) of their intent to complete the degree to be included in the convocation program by Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Submit a final, revised, and signed version of required documents and associated paperwork to OI&GS by Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Consult the Instructions for Completing a Thesis or Dissertation before submitting a final draft to your defense committee members. All committee members must had a final draft at least two weeks prior to the defense. Students should contact OI&GS via e-mail of the date, time, and location of the defense at least 2 weeks in advance of the defense.

See http://www.esf.edu/graduate/graddegreq.htm for more information.

Hi this is Katie!

2009-09-22T12:58:00.001-04:00

Hello! I am also a Graduate Assistant (dubbed GA) for the ESF Office of Instruction and Graduate Studies. I am a veteran at ESF, starting my third year in the Department of Environmental and Forest Biology (EFB), getting my M.S. in Conservation Biology.

My research focuses on creating a habitat model for moose (Alces alces) in the Adirondack State Park of NY, which required me to spend some time at one of ESF's off-campus facilities - the Adirondack Ecological Center (AEC) in Huntington Wildlife Forest (HWF). HWF was my home away from home for about seven months from this past January to the beginning of August, as well as the summer of 2008. On HWF I spent my spring semester as the AEC's graduate research assistant, getting to trap small mammals, radio-telemetry for white-tailed deer, perform winter track counts, and help out with various outreach programs, including ESF's own Winter Mammalian Ecology (a class I reccommend taking!). In the summer I was continuing my field work as an Edna B. Sussman intern, classifying the thermal properties of various canopy types across the Park. It was a very fun (and cold) semester, and I loved living in a little cabin in the woods, but I am glad to be back in Syracuse to finish up my degree!

Before attending ESF, I hailed from a small, liberal arts school in central Maine called Unity College, dubbed "America's Environmental College," where I got my B.S. in Wildlife. As a Unity student I travelled to Yellowstone National Park to study wolves, grizzlies, and bison, to the Florida Keys for an internship at the Dolphin Research Center studying my favorite cetaceans, and finally all over the deserts of Arizona for a course in desert ecology. However I feel honored to continue my education at ESF, for it is one of the country's top schools, specifically in the field of environmental stewardship.

As past president of the Graduate Student Association, I feel I am well-versed in life at ESF, both on-and off-campus. If you have questions dealing with academic policies, administration issues, or social events, I am one of the many GSA officers to contact. I now currently hold the Social Events Coordinator position on the GSA Senate, so watch for e-mails from me concerning the fun "Thank Goodness It's Friday" (TG) graduate student events (with free food and drinks)!

We hope that this website is very helpful to you, whether you are an undergraduate looking to continue your education with a graduate degree, a professional seeking further educational experience, or a current student looking for information regarding graduate policies, deadlines, and general information. Please feel free to explore and contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns!

See you around,

Katie

Hi, my name is Kyle

2009-09-17T14:10:00.000-04:00

My name is Kyle Bell and I am a second year Master's student in the Environmental Studies program. I graduated from undergrad with a degree in International Relations and Spanish in 2007, though environmental issues were present throughout my studies. Luckily, ESF offers a multidisciplinary program where I am now free to develop my own thesis, combining my interests and past experience with new insights gained from my time here.

After one year of courses dealing with everything from the social aspects of American lawn culture, to electricity market regulation, footprints and sustainability, and the interrelated issues of corruption and oil production, I settled on my thesis topic: air pollution and transportation in Mexico City, with a special focus on the Metrobús program. I have an interest in international development and environmental issues, and I spent time working in Mexico City, so this topic is a perfect fit for me.

Syracuse, New York is my hometown, so returning to SUNY ESF was a homecoming of sorts. The university and its students and professors are smart, friendly, and civic-minded. Its programs are well-regarded, and its facilities are more than adequate. In short, it was an easy choice to return from my globetrotting and settle here.

Environmental Studies is just one of many graduate programs at our great school, in fields from Biology, Engineering, and Forestry, to Policy, Landscaping, and Environmental Interpretation. We can get into the whole long list at some other point.

This is a blog, after all, so I'll keep it short. Take a look around and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Welcome to Life at SUNY ESF!

2009-09-17T13:44:00.000-04:00

Hello and welcome to our new blog. Throughout the year we will be blogging about life at SUNY ESF - the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry. We will include discussion of academic programs, events, local attractions, what we do for fun, and other points of interest, all written by graduate students.

Sit back and take a read, we promise it will be worth your time.