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Newton, Peter

Associate Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • Dr. Newton is an interdisciplinary environmental scientist, working at the intersection of natural and social sciences. His research aims to understand how governance interventions affect synergies and trade-offs between different outcomes in socio-environmental systems. He works principally in agricultural and forest landscapes, studying the potential and actual impact of policies, programs, and technologies that aim to conserve forests, enhance food system sustainability, and improve rural livelihoods. He works largely in Brazil and the US, but his research has also taken him to Indonesia, Mozambique, Uganda, and Vietnam.

keywords

  • environmental governance, tropical forests, sustainable agriculture, sustainable development, deforestation, rural livelihoods, community based natural resource management, climate change mitigation, land use change, environmental studies, food systems

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • ENVM 6100 - Special Topics for Master of the Environment Program
    Primary Instructor - Summer 2022 / Spring 2024
    A variety of topics not currently offered in curriculum; offered depending on instructor availability and student demand.
  • ENVS 1001 - Introduction to Developing Environmental Solutions
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2022
    Builds on ENVS 1000 to give students greater understanding of how to approach environmental issues and work toward solutions. Integrates all focal areas of ENVS - sciences, policy, values - with greatest emphasis on learning science, data analysis and critical thinking fundamentals. Uses case studies of local issues to provide context for skill building and synthesis.
  • ENVS 3525 - Intermediate Environmental Problem Analysis: Topical Cornerstones
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Fall 2020 / Fall 2022
    Engages students in in-depth study of a topic such as climate change, energy, natural resources or sustainability. Through lectures, discussions, readings and activities, students will become conversant with how science, policy and values are integrated in environmental problem solving, and develop their own sense of how to critically engage with proposed solutions. Fulfills cornerstone requirement for Environmental Studies Major. Recommended prerequisite: ENVS 1000. Recommended corequisite: ENVS 3020. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours, provided the topics vary.
  • ENVS 4100 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019
    Various topics not normally covered in the curriculum: offered depending on student demand and specialties of faculty. Applied to specialization requirement for Environmental Studies major. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours, provided the topics vary.
  • ENVS 4800 - Capstone: Critical Thinking in Environmental Studies
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019 / Spring 2024
    Examines a specific environmental topic in depth, synthesizing information from complex and controversial issues. Different course sections present different topics. Fulfills capstone requirement for Environmental Studies major. Recommended prerequisites: ENVS 1000 and ENVS 3020.
  • ENVS 4850 - ENVS Honors Thesis Research
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 / Fall 2023
    To be taken in final academic year prior to graduation. Consists of honors research and thesis preparation under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Department enforced restriction: Requires a minimum 3.3 GPA and a declared ENVS major and approval by departmental honors committee.
  • ENVS 4950 - Seminar: ENVS Honors Thesis
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2021
    Offers an opportunity for students who are either in the process of writing an Honors thesis, or are in the early process of conducting Honors research, to receive guidance on the process of thesis writing, evaluation and presentation of research results, and defending a thesis. Thesis requirements and the role of the A&S Honors Council will be discussed. Also offers the opportunity to hear practice defense talks from the graduating Honors candidates. Department enforced prerequisite: Requires a minimum 3.3 GPA and a declared ENVS major and approval by departmental honors committee.
  • ENVS 5000 - Policy, Science, and the Environment
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2023
    Introduction to methodologies of the policy sciences with emphasis on applications to environmental issues; role of science in decision making; professional roles and responsibilities as a policy analyst.
  • ENVS 5100 - Special Topics in Environmental Studies
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2019
    A variety of topics not currently offered in curriculum; offered depending on instructor availability and student demand. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours, provided the topics vary.
  • ENVS 6305 - Food System Solutions? Evaluation of Food System Debates
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019 / Spring 2021
    Explores the evidence and ideas underlying some of the most important contemporary food system debates. We will ask: in enhancing the environmental sustainability of food systems, what do the data tell us about the roles that can be played by genetically engineered food, organic agriculture, local food systems, changes to animal agriculture, and reductions in food waste? Students will draw on peer-reviewed research to address the science, policy, and ethical dimensions of these topics.
  • ENVS 6950 - Master's Thesis
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2024
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