Carol Budd '77 finds the North Country offers "a
wealth of resources."
Budd, a general biology specialist and director
of the University's Collegiate Science and Technology Program (CSTEP),
earned her master’s degree at SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry, with a zoology thesis on regional coyote
populations. (She also has an M.Ed.from St. Lawrence.) Since
1984 she has been coordinator of first-year biology laboratories
at her alma mater.
The North Country offers science teachers
a wealth of resources, Budd says, citing “Proximity to everything
a biologist or geologist could want: alpine zones, hardwood forests,
bogs, wetlands, rivers with tributaries, lakes—all of this
ecologically intact, mostly not damaged by bulldozers. We have
what most folks seek when attempting to connect with the natural
world.” Given this perspective,
it’s no surprise that Budd was instrumental in launching the Integrated
Science Education Initiative (ISEI),
which uses an undeveloped section of campus for long-term interdisciplinary
research and study.
Budd also
enjoys the recreational opportunities of the North Country and nearby
Adirondacks. When asked what appeals to her about the region, she
singles out “The
change of seasons, each with its particular feel; ease of mobility thanks to
low traffic congestion and relatively few people; and freedom from the distractions
of consumerism if we choose.” It’s clear that having once
been a student in the North Country, she has found a home and career in the
region as well.
