What is the Finger Lakes Institute?

The Finger Lakes Institute (FLI) is dedicated to the promotion of environmental research and education about the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York and the surrounding environments. It will collaborate with regional environmental partners and state and local government offices to foster environment-ally sound development practices throughout the region and will disseminate the accumulated knowledge to the general public. Sen. Michael Nozzolio (R-Fayette) was instrumental in securing a $1 million grant from the state to establish the institute and U.S. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) introduced legislation titled “The Finger Lakes Initiative Act of 2002,” calling for $50 million over five years, including $5 million for the Institute.

Senator Michael Nozzolio says, “President Gearan and I envisioned the Finger Lakes Institute as a world-class facility with the goal of preserving, protecting and promoting the Finger Lakes. It is truly exciting to see the progress that is being made and the involvement of Hobart and William Smith students in the project.”


Fall 2003

Class Acts

Students are partners in the Finger Lakes Institute

by Kathy Marshall

The Finger Lakes Institute was developed to include education, research and educational outreach involving faculty and students working side-by-side in partnership with community organizations to preserve the vast resources of this area. Before the ink was dry on the contract to begin work on the facility, HWS students were already involved—in big ways. More than two dozen students have, through two quite unique projects, been instrumental in developing some of the fundamental elements of the Institute.


The Class

(l-r) Tom Drennen and John Halfman (back row) with students Suzanne Opalka ’06, Gil Carr ’06 and Katherine Feller ’06 in front of 601 S. Main Street.

Environmental Studies 110—Topics in Environmental Studies, taught by Economics Professor Tom Drennen and Geoscience Professor John Halfman.

The Charge

Create, within the existing framework of the house at 601 S. Main St., a green facility to house the Finger Lakes Institute.

This was no small feat. The students, many of them in their first year, had not learned the fundamentals of such things as geothermal heating, R factors, and solar and wind power. But six groups of students, armed with knowledge acquired as they went along, began research, brainstormed, and developed potential energy options. Their results were not only handed in as a class project, but they were also formally reported to the architects for the project.
The Syracuse architectural firm, Macon, Chaintreuil, Jensen & Stark, had agreed to wait two months in the design process for the results these students would report.

The Result

Not only did students learn about energy issues, through more interesting means than just reading books and listening to lectures, but the architects are adopting several of the students’ ideas into the design of the new Finger Lakes Institute facility.

Drennen appreciated the fact that the architects were willing to hold off designs for the renovations until the students had completed their work. “The firm had never really designed a green building before and we were all grateful that the Colleges and the architects were willing to consider that option for design and then wait to hear what the students had learned.”
“And the architects were impressed–and are implementing several of the students recommendations into the building,” said Halfman. “They actually learned things about energy and sustainability in buildings from the students.”

The students did a great deal of research before making their recommendations. They talked to the engineers at the local Ramada Inn, which uses geothermal heating and cooling technology, and visited other area businesses and firms that deal with geothermal technology. They did the necessary calculations and ultimately recommended this method of temperature control for the Institute.

“The architects were skeptical of our numbers when we did the presentation to them,” said Kate Feller ’06. “It was very cool that when they did the calculations themselves they found we were very close. It’s amazing to be able to say ‘I came up with that.’”

Gil Carr, another first-year who was involved in the project, reported that he was very excited when he learned that the classes’ ideas would actually be incorporated into the design. “The architects really listened to us. And they are now going to use not only geothermal technology but will use good, tight windows and lots of insulation.”

“The students work and their presentations were very helpful to the architectural design team,” noted Ann Chaintreuil, one of the architects on the project. “In many cases students reconfirmed methods of construction used by the team, but they also added insight into new directions to explore. The presentations were very impressive, including research, reflection and sound recommendations regarding a variety of issues. Macon, Chaintreuil, Jensen & Stark Architects has found the blending of historic renovation with energy conservation to be the guiding light on all decisions regarding this project.”

And part of the exhibit space that will be featured at the FLI facility will be dedicated to illustrating the actual energy design and use of the building for visitors.

The Class

Environmental Studies 301—Group Senior Integrative Experience, led by Geoscience Professor Brooks McKinney

The Charge

Develop a workable model for the Finger Lakes Institute. The four women in this class selected their own topic after being charged with investigating an interdisciplinary topic of environmental interest focusing on the Colleges and Geneva communities.

 

Laura Hadwin ’03, Tara Van De Mark ’03, Lisa Nowell ’03, and Eryn Apanovitch ’03 regularly used the William Scandling during their study of the environment on Seneca Lake.

The Result

A creative Web site (http://people.hws.edu/courses/fligrants/) that offers a conceptualized “day in the life” of the Institute in each of the areas it will serve: education, research and regional partnerships.

“It was a really challenging task to bring together so many, often contradictory, ideas,” said Tara Van De Mark ’03, a member of the group. “But we feel positive about our contribution to the Institute. We think it will be helpful.”

Using the web allowed the students to address all the various audiences. And they settled on the format, the “day in the life” approach, to avoid what they feared might be a dry presentation.

Laura Hadwig ’03 was excited about their involvement with the Institute at this level. “Ideas were offered by many of the stakeholders—we did a lot of research—but it’s nice to be able to say ‘we are the groundwork.’”

Brooks McKinney, who led the seminar, was impressed. “The group’s charge was to ‘think through’ the ways in which the Finger Lakes Institute might grow and develop—a tall order,” he noted.  “As the group’s work came to a close, I realized that they had actually done much more. Not only did they identify a variety of ways in which students could be involved in and contribute to the FLI, they actually pioneered that effort. The quality of their work proves just how important that contribution can be.”

“It was a daunting task,” said Lisa Nowell ’03. “But it was a great learning experience— a really good opportunity for us to wrap up all of our study and experiences in this area in one place.”
Van De Mark added, “It felt natural, too. We always felt ideas we offered in this program and to the Colleges in general were accepted. The school embraces student involvement.”