ESPM Mission Statement:

The Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (ESPM) is a community of natural and social scientists working together to improve the quality of our environment. The mission of ESPM is to advance our knowledge and understanding of natural resource systems in order to develop innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.

Approaching this goal through multidisciplinary research, teaching, and extension, the department focuses on ecosystem stewardship, environmental governance, global change, organisms and biodiversity, and science, technology and environment. Our faculty is organized into three divisions representing research that builds from individuals and populations of organisms (Organisms & Environment), to biological communities and their interaction with the physical environment (Ecosystem Sciences), and human communities and societies in the context of environment (Society & Environment). ESPM is at the forefront of environmental research; our faculty and alumni provide leadership at local, national and international levels.

The largest of the four departments in the College of Natural Resources, ESPM currently has 62 faculty, 39 emeriti faculty, 49 visiting scholars, specialists, and post-doctoral researchers, 72 lab assistants and staff research associates, 51 GSIs, 177 GSRs, and 62 undergraduate student assistants and workstudy students. ESPM's teaching programs include apporximately 600 undergraduate students, 220 students at the graduate level, and 4 administrative support staff.