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2007
Overview
What's New
Schedule
Keynote Speakers
Participants
Presenters
Exhibitors
Volunteers
Sponsors
Travel/Lodging
Resources
Walk the
Talk
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2007 Conference Keynote Speakers
Dr. Eric Anderson
Professor of Wildlife,
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
 Cougars,
Lumbricoids, and Tardigrades:
Surfing the Web of Life
Dr. Eric Anderson helped us explore the world
of citizen science, talking about how those without
PhD’s and years of schooling are making a huge impact on
what we know and understand about the world in which we
live. From the search for cougars in Wisconsin to
measuring the impact of climate change on birds in our
state, Anderson explained why citizen science is
crucial to monitoring and understanding the world around
us. We found out what role we play in this
scientific revolution and why, in the end, citizen
science may be our greatest hope for saving the planet.
Eric Anderson is
a professor in the Wildlife Program at the University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where he teaches courses in
conservation biology, ecology, biostatistics, and
wildlife field techniques. Teaching and the myriad
interactions with his students from freshmen through
graduate students are his "raison d'etre."
Although teaching is his passion, he maintains an active
interest in research. His work has focused primarily on
carnivores, particularly bobcats, wolves, and
black-footed ferrets, but he has also worked with
songbirds, turtles, bats, and flying squirrels. He has
authored numerous scientific journal articles on North
American carnivores, and particularly on the bobcat. He
has also co-authored several book chapters dealing with
carnivores and wildlife habitat selection. Currently,
Anderson and his students are investigating wolf pup
survival in central Wisconsin and the potential presence
of cougars in the state.
Stan Gruszynski
Director, GEM Rural Leadership &
Community Development Program
 Citizen
Science and Beyond - You Can Make a Difference!
Citizenship
demands we get out of our comfort zones and involve
ourselves in ways that stretch and challenge us. As
citizens it is our job to familiarize ourselves with the
issues that matter, think about the future in broad
terms, and welcome challenges as opportunities. This
conference emphasized the importance of monitoring
environmental resources but scientific monitoring is
only the beginning. This presentation inspired
participants
to take their efforts to the next level. Stan motivated
us to be active, aware, and informed members
of society so that we could contribute to change in our
local communities, state, and nation.
Stan is the director of the
Rural Leadership & Community Development program within
the GEM Education Center. The program coordinates
leadership experiences within the UW-Stevens Point
College of Natural Resources and supports leadership
initiatives sponsored by UW Extension's Wisconsin Rural
Leadership Program and other federal, state and private
leadership training efforts. One of the program’s goals
is to promote conservation and environmental leadership
within rural communities, which includes the development
of an annual statewide environmental leadership
conference. The program also aims to develop local and
international partnerships that will help identify and
create successful models in conservation leadership and
community development.
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