The Projects
Outreach and research are key components of the Urban Environmental Studies program. Many initiatives in Birmingham are underway to improve the livability of our city and reduce our environmental impact. These include the construction of LEED-certified buildings, numerous urban redevelopment projects, a growing urban farm initiative, and the establishment of one of the largest networks of urban parks in the United States.
Recent Projects
Birmingham-Southern students participate in a number of environmental projects around the Birmingham area and abroad. The variety of topics covered in the Urban Environmental Studies major allows for a wide array of projects in which students participate. Some of these projects have included:
- Using camera traps to document wildlife in a local urban nature preserve
- Studying endemic endangered fish whose range is confined to only five Birmingham-area springs
- Documenting the ecology of a rare endemic herb in the mountains of Northeast Alabama
- Studying amphibian and herbivore ecology with BSC faculty in Costa Rica
- Comparing water quality and macroinvertebrate abundance between developed and undeveloped creeks
- Studying seed germination of rare plants
- Studying the environmental impacts of proposed interstate expansions
- Creating an inventory of threatened natural areas near Birmingham with a local land trust
- Encouraging retro-fitting of campus buildings for energy conservation
Recent January Interim Term Courses
Every January, BSC students have the opportunity to expand their studies outside the classroom during Interim Term. The subject matter in the UES major allows for a number of innovative and thought provoking courses during the Interim Term. Some of the most recent course include:
- Experiencing the City: An Exploration of Urban Land-Use Policies
- Amazon to Andes: Experience the Peruvian Rainforest
- Science, Public Policy, and the Environment: A Service-Learning Trip to the Everglades
- Environmental Mathematics
- Service-Learning Interim in Ecuador with the Foundation for Sustainable Development
- Coral Reef Ecology and Dolphin Behavior
- Costa Rica: Sustainability, Spirituality, and Service
- Exploring the Galapagos Islands: Wildlife, Ecology, and Conservation
- Disasters and Mass Emergencies: The Politics of Vulnerability Response, Relief, and Reconstruction
- Discovering the Pacific Northwest: A City/Nature Exploration
Summer Internships
BSC students have spent their summers interning with environmental organizations, including:
There are other internship opportunities students can explore with:
- Cahaba River Society
- The Nature Conservancy
- Operation New Birmingham
- City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office
A greater variety of internships will be available as the program grows.