Five College Sustainability : Beth Hooker

Beth Hooker

Beth Hooker, Ph.D.
Sustainability Programs Coordinator -- Five Colleges, Incorporated
Research Associate -- Mount Holyoke College

Research interests: Ecological agriculture, ecosystems management, climate change.

Beth Hooker has been a Visiting Assistant Professor at Mount Holyoke College since 2005, when she completed her Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of Connecticut. Beth draws upon her experience in research and professional settings to create courses that are interdisciplinary in nature, challenging students to think beyond the conventional boundaries of scientific inquiry. She has provided a suite of courses that include Introduction to Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Ecology, Biogeochemistry of Northern Ecosystems, Sustainable Agriculture, and the Environmental Studies Senior Capstone Seminar. These courses have addressed the social and political dimensions of current environmental topics, such as devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Oil spill, so that discourse with students can explore both the problems of the “real world” and the potential for action and applied solutions.

Beth’s dissertation research literally broke new ground as she investigated agricultural practices in the context of global climate change. To accomplish this, she explored soil organic carbon dynamics using stable isotope analysis at long-term agricultural plots. Her research has suggested practical methods through which American farmers can offset atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide through carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, addressing a research priority of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. Recently, Beth has received funding from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program for a current study that explores soil nutrient management on organic farms in southern New England. This project uses an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to integrate research science and educational opportunities. The objective is to offer farmers a variety of practices that can be simultaneously effective and beneficial to the environment of the region.

Beth is pleased to bring her interdisciplinary approach and background in scientific research to the coordination of sustainability programs for Five Colleges, Incorporated.

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Photo credit: Bill Binzen	Beth Hooker Beth Hooker, Ph.D. Sustainability Programs Coordinator -- Five Colleges, Incorporated Research Associate -- Mount Holyoke College Research interests: Ecological agriculture, ecosystems management, climate change. Beth Hooker has been a Visiting Assistant Professor at Mount Holyoke College since 2005, when she completed her Ph.D. in Ecology at the University of Connecticut. Beth draws upon her experience in research and professional settings to create courses that are interdisciplinary in nature, challenging students to think beyond the conventional boundaries of scientific inquiry. She has provided a suite of courses that include Introduction to Environmental Studies, Environmental Science, Ecology, Biogeochemistry of Northern Ecosystems, Sustainable Agriculture, and the Environmental Studies Senior Capstone Seminar. These courses have addressed the social and political dimensions of current environmental topics, such as devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf Oil spill, so that discourse with students can explore both the problems of the “real world” and the potential for action and applied solutions. Beth’s dissertation research literally broke new ground as she investigated agricultural practices in the context of global climate change. To accomplish this, she explored soil organic carbon dynamics using stable isotope analysis at long-term agricultural plots. Her research has suggested practical methods through which American farmers can offset atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide through carbon sequestration in agricultural soils, addressing a research priority of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture. Recently, Beth has received funding from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program for a current study that explores soil nutrient management on organic farms in southern New England. This project uses an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to integrate research science and educational opportunities. The objective is to offer farmers a variety of practices that can be simultaneously effective and beneficial to the environment of the region. Beth is pleased to bring her interdisciplinary approach and background in scientific research to the coordination of sustainability programs for Five Colleges, Incorporated.