Every year on the first day of freshman orientation, I have the privilege of meeting a new group of young people embarking on their professional journey in our College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science (CFRES). From across the Midwest and the country, students choose Michigan Tech and our college because of our reputation and commitment to excellence in education and research. The Upper Peninsula sells itself with miles of mountain bike and Nordic ski trails, our own downhill ski and snowboarding hill, and some of the healthiest air, water, and land in the world.
I am excited and honored to lead this college into the 21st century. We are living in a time when the need for creative and skilled natural resource professionals has never been greater. The biological diversity and ecosystem functions that have sustained life on earth since it began are continuing to face huge challenges from climate change, human land use, invasive species and disease, and other threats. We know that healthy intact functioning ecosystems support both human health and the health and well-being of other species from trees to birds, fish and insects.
Whether you major in Forestry,Wildlife Ecology and Conservation,Applied Ecology and Environmental Science,Natural Resources Management,Sustainable Bioproducts, orEnvironmental Data Science, you will gain the knowledge, skills, and professional connections to get that first summer job and that permanent position after graduation. All CFRES students have the opportunity to participate in research through our Earn and Learn program and most spend a transformative semester at our remote natural resource camp at the Ford Center and Forest.
Our talented faculty bring their energy and research experience into the classroom and in the field every day. They go beyond sharing their knowledge—they create new knowledge.
Discovery and creativity are two greatly underappreciated parts of the scientific process. As students in our college, you will have access to award-winning teachers and world-class researchers who care about your success. In our many classes with field laboratories, you'll get outside in our living lab, guided by passionate teachers and supported by other enthusiastic students. And what a field we have to learn and play in! Tens of thousands of acres of forest, rivers, wetlands, and the largest freshwater lake by surface in the world, all right outside your door.
While walking through the beautiful sunlit atrium of our building, I often stop and talk to students. I frequently ask them how they are doing and how they would describe their experience in our college. More than once, I have heard students say things like: "I really felt at home when I arrived in CFRES,"and "The thing about CFRES is that the professors really care about the students," and my favorite, when I asked a student to briefly summarize the student community: "CFRES students are adventurous…and kind of nerdy." That last one really made me smile. I look forward to meeting all our new students and following their growth and progress as they join the Michigan Tech and CFRES community. Go Huskies!
David Flaspohler
Dean, College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science