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Proposal
Consortium for Environmental Science,
Education and Research (CESER)
(Feb. 26, 2004)
Mission
Conflicts between the need to provide for an expanding human population while also
protecting the natural environment from anthropogenic impacts are accelerating rapidly.
Such environmental problems are inherently multidimensional and therefore resolved
only by interdisciplinary approaches. CESER integrates and unites the outstanding
expertise in environmental sciences that exists among many of Stony Brook University’s
leading departments and institutes with that of neighboring world-class laboratories and
industries in the natural, social, engineering, and health sciences. By combining strengths
across disciplines, CESER positions SBU to become a leading institution in
environmental research and education at regional, national and international levels, and to
seize emerging opportunities and challenges that stem from the complex interactions
between humans and the natural world.
Objectives
Unite the outstanding collective research and teaching expertise of Stony Brook
University’s natural, social, engineering, and health science programs with that of
nearby private and federal laboratories and industry to develop coordinated team-
based research on environmental science.
Focus on complex environmental problems that have multiple causes and effects
and that therefore require multi- and interdisciplinary efforts.
Promote an approach to graduate training that emphasizes in-depth knowledge of
a particular discipline combined with a commitment to apply that expertise to
broad, inherently multidisciplinary environmental problems that are often tackled
by teams of scientists working collaboratively.
Educate managers, public officials and the public about environmental issues and
suggest appropriate policies that can be employed to provide solutions, including
cost/benefit analyses of various alternatives.
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Justification
There is a wide spectrum of ex