Study Abroad in Coastal Mexico This Winter

 

Study Abroad in Coastal Mexico This Winter

Explore the connections among water, culture, community resilience, sustainability and environmental justice during NIU’s faculty-led study abroad program in Puerto Morelos, Mexico.

Water, Community, and Environmental Justice in Coastal Mexico will take place Dec. 28, 2026, through Jan. 6, 2027. Students from all majors are welcome.

Through field visits, applied activities and collaboration with local partners, participants will:

• Explore cenotes, karst groundwater and coastal environments

• Examine water access, sanitation and tourism pressures

• Learn with Centinelas del Agua and local communities

• Investigate mangroves, sargassum and sustainable practices

• Consider how environmental challenges affect communities across the Riviera Maya

Attend an Information Session

Meet the program leaders, learn about planned activities, review costs and course-credit options, and ask questions.

In person
Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 5 p.m.
Montgomery Hall 353

Online via Zoom
Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m.
https://niu-edu.zoom.us/j/85362605398?pwd=dCSf0XejSbBfOaSbZEO4w10iuMghAO.1

Course Credit

Students may select from ENVS 496, NNGO 328, POLS 496, PSPA 496, SOCI 395 or INTL 301 for three credits, or EAE 494 for one credit. Qualified students may request Honors credit with approval. Undergraduate and graduate credit options are available.

Cost and Application

The program cost is $2,635. Airfare, most meals and the NIU Academic Program Enhancement Fee are additional.

Application deadline: Sept. 29

View program details and apply through the NIU Study Abroad Portal.

Questions? Contact Melissa Burlingame Greenhagen at mburlingame@niu.edu.

Build Career Skills While Tackling a Food Sustainability Challenge

 

Build Career Skills While Tackling a Food Sustainability Challenge

Environmental Studies students looking for a career-focused elective this fall may be interested in UNIV 301, a three-credit course offered through NIU’s partnership with Braven.

In this fully online, synchronous course, sophomores, juniors and seniors develop practical career skills, including résumé writing, interviewing, networking and professional communication. Students also collaborate with peers from across NIU on a real-world capstone project.

This fall, students will work with Builders Vision, a capital and philanthropic firm focused on food and agriculture, energy, and oceans. The project centers on Forty Acres Fresh Market, which provides affordable, healthy and culturally relevant food in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

Student teams will develop creative, low-cost strategies to help Forty Acres engage the community, increase revenue and build customer loyalty while keeping food affordable. They will present their recommendations live to the employer partner and other stakeholders.

Course details:

• Three-credit elective

• Open to sophomores, juniors and seniors

• Fully online with synchronous Tuesday or Wednesday class options

• Includes career preparation and a real-world team project

Learn more about the course and Braven at niu.edu/braven.

Field Research Technician Position Jones lab

 

Are you interested in a paid research opportunity? The Jones Evidence-Based Restoration Lab has an undergraduate research assistant position available! This position will be a blend of field and greenhouse work with flexible hours and scheduling. You will have the opportunity to participate in field-based soil core collection at Nachusa grasslands, as well as learn in-demand plant identification and greenhouse techniques by helping record the seedlings emerging from the planted soil cores and maintaining the ideal conditions for the seedlings. No experience necessary - we are here for you to learn, and you will have guidance at every step of the way! The position will have a stipend of $2,000. 

Requirements for the position: Undergraduate student at NIU, available September through the end of November.

This position must be filled, so please reach out to Kamal Ehrlich (z2037175@students.niu.edu) with a cover letter stating your interest, experience for the position, and general career goals by August 31st. 

Join us for the Interdisciplinary Centers Open House!

 

Join us for the Interdisciplinary Centers Open House!

Stop by the Environmental Studies table to meet our faculty, staff and students and learn how you can turn your interest in the environment, sustainability and energy into a major or minor at NIU. You can also explore other interdisciplinary programs, connect with campus resources and enjoy free food, music and performances.

📅 Thursday, Aug. 27
🕛 Noon to 2 p.m.
📍 Outside the Latino Resource Center and Center for Southeast Asian Studies

We hope to see you there!

#NIU #NIUENVS #EnvironmentalStudies #HuskiePride

Saving Asia’s Threatened Trees: From Assessment to Action

Learn how international partnerships are helping protect some of Asia’s most threatened tree species during a special presentation by conservation professionals from The Morton Arboretum.

Kate Good, research manager, and Amy Byrne, strategic partnerships manager, will share insights from the Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program. Their presentation will explore how researchers assess threats to tree species and translate their findings into collaborative conservation action.

Students interested in biodiversity, conservation, environmental research, nonprofit organizations or international environmental work are encouraged to attend.

Date: Friday, Oct. 16, 2026
Time: Noon
Location: Peters Campus Life Building, Room 100
Attendance option: In person or online

This event is cosponsored by the NIU Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the Institute for the Study of the Environment, Sustainability and Energy.