UVM Rubenstein School

Each summer, New England forests see an increase in recreational activity from hikers, bikers, and more. They also see a spike in research activity.

The Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative (FEMC) collects and shares forest health information to help land managers and researchers understand how forests are changing.

FEMC is operated by the Rubenstein School in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and Northeastern State Agencies. Learn more about FEMC's work and student involvement:

Monitoring the Health of New England’s Forests | The University of Vermont

Congratulations to all the winners and runners-up of the Rubenstein School Earth Month Photo Contest. There were so many excellent submissions; thank you to all who submitted to the contest and shared their art and experiences.

🏆 The Best Overall Photo goes to Alec Sugars '27. His photo is of an Osa anole flushing his colorful dewlap to communicate with rivals in the area (Costa Rica).
🥈 Cali Wisnosky '27 took the runner-up Best Overall Photo. Their photo is of a bucket of endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles being released on Playa Preciosa beach in front of Tortugas Preciosas de Osa sanctuary on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica.
🏆 The Best Fauna Photo goes to Henry Zwartverwer '26. His photo is of a sleeping mule deer in Chatfield State Park, Colorado.
🥈 Kate Hogan '28 took the runner-up Best Fauna Photo. Her photo is of a moose in a field of wildflowers in the Northeast Kingdom.
🏆 The Best Flora Photo goes to Nico Hochanadel '27. His photo is of a Porcelain orchid (Chloraea magellanica) in Jeinimieni Sector of the Patagonia National Park, Chile.
🥈 Chloe Molinari '26 took the runner-up Best Flora Photo. Her photo This is a photo of a Ceiba tree in Costa Rica.
🏆 The Best Learning in Nature Photo goes to graduate student Onome Ofoman. She took the photo while visiting and learning about glacial lakes just after sunrise near the summit of Mount Kenya.
🥈 Sarah Faustino '27 took the runner-up Best Learning in Nature Photo. She took the photo at Shelburne Farms during a lab!

Check out what our faculty wore to Commencement!

Commencement 2026: Faculty Fit Check thanks to our faculty members for being willing to ✨strike a pose and give some background on their regalia! Rubenstein School professors bring a deep and di...

Rubenstein School Professor Paul Bierman received the University Distinguished Professor Award at the 2026 Commencement ceremony. The University Distinguished Professor Award is the highest academic honor that UVM can bestow upon a member of the faculty. Holders of this title are recognized as not only having achieved international eminence within their respective fields of study, but for the truly transformative nature of their contributions to the advancement of knowledge. These faculty members are considered top scholars who have excelled in their disciplines.

Congratulations to Paul for this incredibly well-deserved honor!

Photos 1-4 & 6-8 by Andy Duback

Go Graham!

'Social media can be an amazing tool:' How these Vermonters built communities online Mirna Valerio, Christine Tyler Hill, and Graham Montague discuss how they share their real-world passions with an online audience.

“You may think influence belongs to people who are older, richer, more connected, more established. It does not. Some of the most powerful changes in history began with people your age deciding they were tired of waiting. You have something precious: urgency without cynicism. Protect that. The world will try to convince you that idealism is naïve. Do not believe it. Idealism with skill becomes leadership.” – Heather Furman, Director of The Nature Conservancy's Appalachians Program and Rubenstein School M.S. alumna

Read more about the 2026 Rubenstein School Commencement Ceremony here:

“Urgency Without Cynicism”: Rubenstein School Celebrates Class of 2026 | Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources | The University of Vermont “Urgency Without Cynicism”: Rubenstein School Celebrates Class of 2026 Student Success Share May 20, 2026 By Alayna Howard On Saturday, May 16, 2026, the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources celebrated the nearly 300 undergraduate students at the Robert E. Miller Expo Centre in...