15 Free Seminars that Address Today’s Biggest Environmental Issues

Wednesdays, January 30 – May 15, 6:00-:30 p.m.

Join us for fifteen free seminars on some of the biggest environmental issues challenging us today. Topics range from genetically engineer crops to the rise of plastics in the oceans and more and are taught by a range of experts in their fields. Seminars are held in room C101 at Three Rivers Community College on Wednesdays, from 6:00-8:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to arrive promptly by 6:00 p.m.

(Note: Environmental Issues Seminar (K295) can also be taken as a 3-credit course. Call 860-215-9016 for more information.)

A full list of seminars and lecturers is included below:

January 30 – Why Do We Save Land? The History and Role of Land Conservation as a Community Asset – Anthony Irving, Eightmile River Wild & Scenic Coordinating Committee

February 6 – What We Can Learn from the Water Systems of Ancient Rome? How Does Climate Change Factor In? – Dr. Gary Robbins, Professor Geology & Hydrology, UCONN

February 13 – Water Resources in the Developing World: Volunteering to Help Supply Water for Those Without – Dr. John Lane, United States Geological Survey (USGS)

February 20 – Food Justice, Reclaiming Land for Agriculture – Alicia MacAvay, Director of Fresh New London

February 27 – Approaches to Eating in the United States: Consequences for our Health and Environment – Dr. Hedley Freake, Professor Nutritional Sciences, UCONN

March 6 – Algal Diversity and Environmental Health – Dr. Louise Lewis, Professor Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, UCONN

March 20 – The History of the Green Lawn Dilemma: Coastal Water Quality Challenges in Connecticut – Judy Preston, UCONN Sea Grant

March 27 – Addressing Climate Change and the Participation Principle: Public Engagement, Climate Justice, and Sustainable Lifestyles – Dr. Stephen Axon, Professor of Geography & Sustainability, SCSU

April 3 – Invasive Non-Native Aquatic Plants Found in Connecticut Lakes – Greg Bugbee and Abigail Wiegand, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

April 10 – Public Perception, Human Health Risks, and Environmental Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops – Dr. Gerald Berkowitz, Professor Agriculture Biotechnology, UCONN

April 17 – Plastic are Invading Our Oceans Worldwide. What are the Impacts Internationally and in Connecticut? – Dr. Vincent Breslin, Professor Marine Sciences, SCSU

April 24 – Bird Conservation across Connecticut and Specifically in the Lyme Forest Block – Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, Audubon Society

May 1 – International and National Concerns of Stormwater Pollution: Stormwater and Low Impact Design – Dr. Michael Dietz, Professor, UCONN Extension Office Program Director of NEMO

May 8 – Global Climate Change Abroad and In Connecticut. What are the Solutions? – Dr. James O’Donnell, Professor of Marine Sciences, UCONN Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation

May 15 – Hazardous Waste Management Regulations – David Stokes, CT Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection Bureau of Waste Management and Enforcement

The seminars are coordinated by Diba Khan-Bureau, Professor of Environmental Engineering Technology, and are free and open to the public. For more info, contact Professor Diba Khan-Bureau at 860-215-9443 or dkhan-bureau@threerivers.edu.

In the News | Norwich resource fair resonates with vets of all ages

Norwich, CT (Norwich Bulletin, March 22, 2018) —  Andrew Broggins is a 29-year-old Navy veteran looking for a job.

The submariner from Norwich, who is a Pennsylvania native, graduated from Three Rivers Community College in 2012 after studying electric engineering and technology. He is expected to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in May. But he returned to his old stomping ground on Thursday to attend the fifth annual Veterans Resource Fair, and brought along with him a few copies of his resume.

More than 40 organizations ranging from state agencies, employers and health care groups, as well as 13 yellow ribbon colleges were in attendance for the event, offering a variety of resources for veterans of all ages.

“It can be very challenging for veterans to get a job,” Broggins said. “You come out of the service with a lot of skills and experience, and when you go for the interview, people always say thank you for your service. The energy is there, but it’s difficult to get over that hump.”

For fellow retired Navy submariner Jon Pierce, 61, of Oakdale, Broggins story sounds very familiar.

“For older veterans, there is a lot of difficulty when it comes to technology. They aren’t familiar with email, or job search sites. Some of them don’t know how to use a computer, and some don’t want to know,” he said.

At Thursday’s fair, Pierce was making the rounds to collect business cards and pamphlets from local resources, in hopes of passing on the information to other veterans.

“This area has a very heavy population of veterans,” Sharon Lincoln, who works as a student support specialist at the community college and organizes the annual fair, said. “And there is even a high ratio of veterans at this school, too… We don’t just want this to be a fair for our students; we want this to be for the entire community.”

World War II veteran William Robinson, 92, of Preston, attends as many veteran fairs and events as he can. The Marine vet said he was keeping an eye out for a fellow World War II vet, though he always hopes to meet new faces, as well.

“There aren’t many of us left,” he said. “Things like this are so important. If we don’t keep this community active, then we risk being forgotten.”

 — By Stephanie Menders

The original article, as well as additional photos and videos, can be found here: ‘Norwich resource fair resonates with vets of all ages’

The Full Plate Food Pantry gets a new home at Three Rivers Community College

Three Rivers Community College is excited to announce that The Full Plate Food Pantry has a new permanent location. Since its founding in 2012, The Full Plate has been a resource for food-insecure members of the Three Rivers community. The new location, which officially opened on December 7, will improve accessibility, visibility, and offer room for growth to help those in need.

From its first year, the food pantry has held Thanksgiving food drives. Beginning in 2012 and continuing through 2017, the Full Plate has provided over 30 complete Thanksgiving dinners to anyone in the Three Rivers community who was in need. In addition to the Thanksgiving dinners, The Full Plate is open during the fall and spring semester, providing food to those who need it. Monetary and food donations by faculty, staff, students and student organizations keep the pantry’s shelves stocked.

During the past four years, The Full Plate Food Pantry has operated out of a very small shared conference room. The new location, D111-A, is dedicated solely to the Pantry’s use and is expected to help the food pantry grow. The new location should expand awareness for both individuals who could use it as well as for those who would like to volunteer and donate.

President Mary Ellen Jukoski says, “The food pantry at TRCC is very important to the welfare of our students. Many of our students come to the college hungry and need the assistance of the food pantry to help them and their families. My hope is that this new space will provide a comfortable place to help more students.”

Long-time Chair of the Food Pantry Task Force, Professor Janet Hagen explains why the pantry was so necessary. “We are able to provide food options for students and their families. Recent statistics show that two-thirds of community college students suffer from food insecurity and about 15% are homeless.

Our motto is ‘no student should go hungry,’ especially not in class. If a student is hungry or doesn’t know where their next meal will come from or how they will feed their family, we can, at least temporarily, help. By doing so, students will be able to focus more on their academics, which, in turn, leads to higher success rates. We also put out snacks and water in our pantry so a student who is on the run can pop in and grab a nutritional snack, like crackers and peanut butter, before class.”

Hagen oversees The Full Plate along with the Food Pantry Task Force, which is made up of three faculty members and two staff members. For more information on the food pantry, please contact Janet Hagen at 860-215-9433.