ROBERT A. EVANGELISTA
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Detailed Information
Program revision and expansion
Environmental Business Resource Assistance Center
Publication and video collections development
I am active and engaged in environmental education in several capacities. As Assistant Professor at Southwestern College in Chula Vista, CA, I developed Environmental Technology (ET) from a small, isolated academic program into a major study with rich course offerings, multiple academic emphases, an international scope, regional business and statewide academic integration, and a focus on the future. This education development included: twelve new courses, four updated courses, increased print and audio/visual holdings, a new academic emphasis in occupational health and safety, strategic marketing and a collaboration with the Navy. To keep the ET program relevant to employers, I connected with business leaders through community outreach, and the establishment of a business assistance center, student internships, and an advisory board. Constructed agreements (articulations) with university partners facilitated student transfers for achieving additional degrees. ET was internationalized with the co-development of the Baja Studies Program with the first course taught in Cusco and Machu Picchu, Peru. By co-organizing a conference, through professional organizations and seminars, and from personal research, I kept an eye on the future of ET, including green technologies and sustainable development.
Commitment to student achievement was not exclusively in higher education. I taught science and environmental secondary school courses in both New York and New Jersey, and hold three teaching certifications in chemistry, biology, and technology.
Training professionals was an important area of environmental education for me . I have taught chemical operators, geologists, hazardous material managers, and civilian and enlisted military personnel, each in a different venue.
I provided a menu of education products for the Environmental Management (EM) program of the University of California, Davis, University Extension that included specialized courses and internships developed for EM students and for displaced naval employees affected by the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). Lastly through University Extension, I routinely instructed Air Force personnel in a refresher course on hazardous waste management.