History

Dartmouth faculty develop Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Studies and elevate ecosystem science to global relevance (e.g., "acid rain", Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act).

Dartmouth grants first PhD in ecology; 75 PhDs granted as of 2014.

Dartmouth establishes the Environmental Studies Program (ENVS).

Ecology faculty organize as Graduate Program in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB). Environmental Studies Program (ENVS) establishes a major (>60 graduates in 2014). EEB faculty grows to 9, including 3 ENVS faculty, with College support for a new umbrella graduate program "Earth, Ecosystem, and Ecological Sciences (EEES)".

Organized discussions begin about expanding Dartmouth EEB to match the increasing interests of faculty and students in the human dimensions of ecology.

Dartmouth EEB ranks among top 12 programs (of 94 EEB programs) by the National Research Council. Dartmouth EEB is less than half median size of other top programs.

EEB grows to 15 faculty and 25 graduate students, thanks to new faculty in Anthropology (Nate Dominy) and Environmental Studies (Anne Kapuscinski, Nick Reo) and to NSF-sponsored IGERT program for interdisciplinary study of Polar Environmental Change in Greenland and elsewhere (PI Ross Virginia, Institute of Arctic Studies at the Dickey Center for International Understanding).

• With the enthusiastic support of the external review, EEB proposes to the College that the number of graduate student stipends for EEB be increased.  EEB agrees with external review committee that EEB should strive to grow the core strengths of EEB while simultaneously promoting the growth at Dartmouth of interdisciplinary environmental research.
   
• Sustainability Science & Governance Cluster Proposal is selected by Provost for further development by College. Proposal is for Assistant Professors in Agro-Ecology and Sustainable Food Systems (ENVS Program); Global Change Biology (BIOL Dept); and Energy Analysis and Policy (ENVS Program, with links to Thayer and Rockefeller Center).
   
• Institute of Arctic Studies at the Dickey Center for International Understanding (Ross Virginia and Matt Ayres) working with alumni, the State Department, and NSF to extend and expand opportunities in the Arctic for undergraduates, graduate students, postdocs, and  faculty associated with EEES.  New Fullbright program in Arctic Studies announced.

Proposal from consortium of faculty from EEB, ENVS, and several other departments is accepted by the faculty, administration, and trustees. The new Dartmouth Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems & Society (EEES) begins recruiting a new generation of graduate students.