Introduction

Human population growth is considered by many to be the most important factor affecting resource utilization and environmental conditions across multiple scales of analysis. Yet it is a topic that has been largely absent at the programmatic level in the curricula of schools of natural resources and the environment. The challenge is to build the research and intellectual capacity of these schools to address more effectively the impacts of human population on resources, which in turn should help realize more effective and responsible population policies. The recent grant of $240,000 from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation seeks to do just that for the College of Natural Resources. 

Specific

The grant has three basic program elements. 

• First, a "stellar course" for upper division undergraduates and lower division graduate students is to be developed in the area of population, resources and the environment. To that end, CSRD instituted a special lecture series/courses, which took place in the Fall 1997 and Spring 1998 semesters, brought in experts, both from the campus and outside, to discuss key topics that address the multiple links among population, resources and the environment. Topics covered can be found listed below under Hewlett Seminars on Population, Resources and the Environment. 
• The second element of the Program is to provide funds for dissertation research and advanced research at the nexus of population, resources and the environment. This support would enable graduate student research agendas to focus on nexus issues that are currently discouraged by disciplinary considerations, lack of funding, and other factors. One student was funded during the year, with the expectation of more in the future. 
• The final element of the Program is to identify a well-regarded visiting scholar to undertake the development and teaching of the course as well as provide intellectual leadership, research and outreach to the rest of the Berkeley campus on population-related resource issues. In addition to offering the stellar course, the visiting professor would work with graduate students exploring the salient nexus issues.