Professor, Pratt Institute
Ecology, Environ., & the Anthropocene student work
My Ecology, Environment, & the Anthropocene course requires students to complete a Term Project through a semester-long process of scientific research, concept proposal, and creative execution.
Term Project Proposal
One of the main goals of the Term Project in this course is to translate scientific research into a creative work. Students start by researching a topic (of their own choosing) related to the course, and then develop a project proposal through a process of feedback and revision that includes both an in-class presentation and the development of a written proposal. Although different students will contextualize this assignment within their career trajectories in different ways, I see this proposal as good practice for convincing clients to “buy” a design idea, for applying for residencies, or for seeking project funding. The guidelines for this assignment can be found here. Below are some of the best student Term Project Proposals that I have received, downloadable as PDF’s:
Short Term Profit Maximization and Ecological Impact © Shannon Lee (Spring 2019)
Acid Precipitation Effects on Culturally-Important Marble Structures © Aditi “Jo” Savabala (Spring 2019)
The Urban Heat Island Effect in New York City © Gianna Cullen (Spring 2019)
The Effects of Overfishing © Xinyao “Krystal” Ye (Spring 2019)
Successional Dynamics Between Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems © Robin Brown (Fall 2018)
The Effects of Anthropogenic Plastic in the Ocean © Abigael Kurtz (Fall 2018)
White-Tailed Deer Overpopulation © Peggie Liew (Fall 2017)
The Role of Wetlands and the Importance of Peatland Restoration © Jaime Knoth (Spring 2017)
Biodiversity and Human Impacts © Sydney Mitchell (Spring 2017)
The Double-Edged Sword of Invasive Species © Yixuan Wang (Spring 2017)
The Ecological Effects of Cane Toads on Australian Snakes © Nicole Stahl (Spring 2017)
Natural vs. Sustainable (in fashion) © Emily Ridings (Fall 2016)
Bee Forage in NYC © Audrey Krumenacker (Fall 2016)
Ecological Impacts of Fast Fashion © Sophia Roces (Fall 2016)
Term Project & Summary
Based on their project proposal, students develop a creative work in the medium of their choosing. While the nature and scope of the creative projects vary widely, they all must incorporate ideas and concepts that emerged from research into the scientific literature. Most students stick with media that is native to their majors, but I encourage students to explore whatever medium best serves their project idea, and I get a great variety of work. The guidelines for this assignment can be found here. Below are some of the best student Term Projects & Summaries I have received, downloadable as PDF’s:
Marble Rings Showing the Effects of Acid Precipitation © Aditi “Jo” Savabala (Spring 2019) 
MY-GROW © Jason Chen (Spring 2019)
Urbanization and Artificial Structure’s Effect on Wild Lives and Their Adaption © Ziyin Zhang (Fall 2018)
Where Did My Blueberries Go? © Peggie Liew (Fall 2017)
Complex Integrated Farming System © Jae-Hyun An (Spring 2017) 
The Ecological Effects of Cane Toads © Nicole Stahl (Spring 2017)
Overfishing, Bottom Trawling, & Bycatch © Celeste Jung (Spring 2017)
Wild Wonders © Alexa Simos (Spring 2017)
The Meat Industry’s Impact on Climate Change © Kearin Cook (Spring 2017)
Nitrogen & Sulfur Pollution on Earth © Qijia Qin (Spring 2017)
The Pine Bark Beetle and How Capitalism Breeds Parasitism © Elsa Flike Jacobson (Fall 2016)
Hexapod Bee Forage Planter © Audrey Krumenacker (Fall 2016)
Labels for Sustainable Garment Care © Sophia Roces (Fall 2016)
Below is a gallery of the creative work students have completed for this assignment:
You can click on each of the images above to see the work in more detail. The description for each image also includes a link to the Project Summary that accompanies the work. All of this work is used with permission of the students who produced it. Please respect the intellectual property rights of these students by not using their work without their permission. If you would like to contact any of the students who produced this work, contact me.