Jill M. Belsky - Keynote Speaker at International Conference of the Society for Human Ecology

Jill M. Belsky, Professor of Rural and Environmental Social Science and Director, Bolle Center for People and Forests, will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming XVI International Conference of the Society for Human Ecology at Western Washington University (Sept. 10-13, 2008). The theme for the meeting is “Integrative Thinking for Complex Futures: Creating Resilience in Human-Nature Systems.”

The title of her talk is, “Reflections on Integrative Conservation Education in Bhutan and Beyond.” It will highlight her experiences over the last two years assisting with the development of the new Ugyen Wangchuck Environment and Forestry Institute in Bhutan. Belsky recently was awarded a MacArthur Foundation grant (with Professor Stephen Siebert/Dept of Forest Management) to support graduate education and collaborative research involving two of the institute's instructors and park/protected area managers and residents in Bhutan.