Tania
Schusler
2002 - 2003
CEIRP Fellow
Research Interest:
Natural
resources policy and management
I
am a Ph.D. student in natural resource policy and management.
My dissertation interests revolve around youth engagement
in action to improve the environment in their communities.
I am especially interested in how adults can enable young
people to ask and seek answers to their own questions about
the world around them. In my mind, this is the essence of
the scientific process.
My
M.S. research, also conducted at Cornell University, (a)
examined social learning that occurred among stakeholders
in a participatory planning process for the Lake Ontario
Islands Wildlife Management Area, and (b) investigated the
potential for collaborative natural resource management between
state fish and wildlife agencies and local communities. This
research grew from my interest in better understanding innovative
mechanisms for engaging citizens as well as experts in natural
resources decision-making.
Prior
to attending Cornell, I managed the volunteer program for
the Wisconsin Chapter of The Nature Conservancy for four
years and, thus, am familiar with both theory and practice
in conservation biology. I also possess a B.S. in environmental
science from the University of Illinois, where my course
work included ecology, plant biology, and chemistry, in addition
to economics, political science and regional planning.
