3 credits | Listen to an interview with Tom Langen, Ph.D.
To conserve and manage a river such as the Hudson River, one must understand what a river is, how the ecosystems of the river and surrounding watershed interact, and the history of and current human interactions with the river. In this course, students will learn how rivers function; become familiar with the organisms and natural communities of the Hudson River watershed; and understand how humans impact rivers, and how those impacts can be managed to minimize the negative consequences on the environment and human health and welfare.
Tom Langen, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the departments of biology and psychology at Clarkson University, where he teaches courses on animal behavior, ecology, conservation biology and global environmental change. He also teaches courses on tropical ecology and conservation in Costa Rica and is a co-director of a National Science Foundation-funded undergraduate bio-math program.
Dr. Langen’s research interests include the effectiveness of wetland restoration projects for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services, human-caused environmental degradation and recovery of St. Lawrence River wetlands, and managing the environmental impact of roads. His road ecology research topics include the impacts of winter road management in the Adirondack Park of New York State, predictive modeling of hotspots of road mortality of amphibians and reptiles, design and functioning of wildlife barriers and passageways for turtles, and the impact of highways on habitat connectivity in Costa Rican national parks.
A certified senior ecologist and master bird bander, Dr. Langen has also conducted courses and research projects on bird distributions and abundance on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Dr. Langen earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of California at San Diego, and was named a Fulbright Scholar at the International Institute of Wildlife Conservation & Management of the National Autonomous Institute of Costa Rica. He has received awards from the Ecological Society of America and the Society of American Naturalists.
