Dyson College of Arts and Sciences

DCISE Annual Report 2016-2017 MOCK ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIVE HEARING The Fifth Annual Mock Legislative Hearing for undergraduates engaged 42 students representing 12 majors. Students were divided into six teams in the role of "expert witnesses" tasked with analyzing and proposing legislation for the protection of pollinators in New York State. The hearing focuses on practical, applied research, drafting, and oral communication skills and emphasizes the importance of multiple perspectives. Presiding over the hearing was a panel of mock assembly persons who were experts in public service, law, policy, and the environment. VISITING FELLOW PROGRAM DCISE annually brings a prominent environmental thinker or leader to the university for a week-long residential program of classes, seminars, workshops, lectures, and informal discussions across all three campuses. Visiting fellows participate in the intellectual life of DCISE and the University. In spring 2017, Pace welcomed Judith Enck, former Administrator for Region 2 of the Environmental Protection Agency. During Ms. Enck's visit across all campuses, she: Guest lectured in nine undergraduate classes and two graduate classes Led two faculty lunch discussions Spoke on a panel at DCISE's Third Summit on Resilience: Water Cooperation and Conflict Among Ms. Enck's lecture topics were career development; government and politics; drinking water protection; plastics in our oceans; climate change; President Trump's influence on the environment; the NYS Bottle Bill; and her personal story. PROJECT PERICLES FACULTY MENTORSHIP DCISE Senior Fellow John Cronin mentored two New York City Environmental Studies students, Christina Thomas '19 and Rowan Lanning '18, who took first prize in the national Project Pericles' Debating for Democracy competition, held on March 30, 2017 at The New School University. This was the first year a Pace University team qualified for the finals. Before a three judge panel of former ranking government officials, the students defended their proposal to Congressman Jerrold Nadler to amend the Coast Guard and Marine Transportation Act to require an Environmental Impact Statement for the Coast Guard proposed plan to create 43 oil-barge anchorages on the Hudson River. The plan currently enjoys a "categorical exclusion" from the National Environmental Policy Act. 9 Winners of the national Project Pericles' Debating for Democracy competition. Winners of the Fifth Annual Mock Legislative Hearing.

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