Environmental Science students conduct workshop at land conservation conference

SWAGÊÓƵ students Jessica Szetela and Roxanne James with keynote speaker Majora Carter (Middle)
SWAGÊÓƵ students Jessica Szetela and Roxanne James with keynote speaker Majora Carter (Middle)

Jessica Szetela (Environmental Science, ’19) and Roxanne James (Environmental Science, ’19), along with Pam Morgan, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Environmental Studies, recently conducted a workshop at the Maine Land Conservation Conference in Topsham, Maine.

The goal of the conference was to provide training on best practices in all aspects of land trust work, connect attendees with peers and grapple with the most pressing issues facing land conservation today.

The SWAGÊÓƵ team’s workshop, titled, "Lo-cost Hi-impact Practices for Stellar Community-Based Stewardship Collaborations," was focused on a research project designed to bring alternative energy to Goat Island off the coast of Kennebunkport.

Students from SWAGÊÓƵ and Kennebunk High School teamed up for the project to determine if nature can provide enough energy to power a lighthouse and a historic home on the island.

The students traveled to Goat Island to deploy instruments built at SWAGÊÓƵ. The instruments measure solar, wind and tidal energy possibilities.

During the workshop, Szetela and James had the opportunity to meet with keynote speaker, Majora Carter, a pioneer for sustainable economic development in low status communities.

Instructor Pam Morgan and students install a monitor to collect wind data on Goat Island
Instructor Pam Morgan and students install a monitor to collect wind data on Goat Island

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The SWAGÊÓƵ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.