Michael Mortimer, founder director of The Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability, has been appointed associate dean for programs in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area. College of Natural Resources and Environment (CNRE).
Dean Paul M. Winistorfer said that the college is uniquely placed to grow because of its history and proven success in Washington, D.C., over several decades, and its proximity to the area with its federal agency groups and nonprofit organizations.
This organizational change celebrates both the colleges ongoing presence in the region and heralds efforts to accelerate the development of relationships that will enhance future degree programs, experiential-learning opportunities, and research ventures.
Winistorfer stated that a greater presence in the D.C. will increase the regional opportunities for Blacksburg faculty and departments. We will continue to explore creative ways to provide experiential learning opportunities for all college students. A larger presence in the region will allow us to create opportunities for our students through our existing and future networks.
These opportunities will build upon the graduate programs offered by Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability (CLiGS), a center that has provided professional development opportunities for aspiring environmental leaders for more than 20 years.
The center currently has 175 students who are pursuing an Online Master of Natural Resources. Online enrollment has increased by 600 percent since 2011, when Mortimer was at the helm.
The Executive Master of Natural Resources program has 35 students. It is a hybrid program that enables students to complete a graduate degree in three semesters.
Over 400 masters students have been sent abroad by the two programs in the past eight years to more than a dozen different countries.
Winistorfer believes now is the best time to take advantage of colleges’ success in providing financially self-supporting graduate programs to create new offerings. These new programs will focus on market opportunities and shifting workforce skills and competencies. They also provide educational experiences in formats that are preferred by working professionals.
Winistorfer also sees an increase in research activities as the college strengthens its existing partnerships and enters new collaborations. These opportunities will be available to faculty on the Blacksburg campus as well as those based at Virginia Tech Research Center Arlington.
Mortimer has the unique opportunity to lead and capitalize on new opportunities for the college. He holds a doctoral in forest resource policy from University of Montana as well as a J.D. From the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law.
After serving as the special attorney general of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Mortimer came to Virginia Tech in 2001. In 2008, he was appointed director of natural resource programs in Washington, D.C., and in 2014, he became director of the newly established CLiGS.
Since the 1990s, CNRE has been present in Washington D.C. Mortimer stated that the college has matriculated over 700 masters students since then. However, this is only a small part of what the college can do in the region. As we witness increased concerns about climate change and water, food, and energy security, and as our global societies face more threats than ever due to changing environmental conditions, we need new partnerships and collaborations in research, teaching, outreach, and teaching.
Our goal is to help decision-makers view the world through the lense of natural resources. We also want to help them see national security through both the environment and natural resource lenses. Winistorfer stated that having a representative in Washington, D.C. will help us build our network and provide opportunities for our faculty as well as Virginia Tech.