The mission of the Department of Environment, Geology, and Natural Resources (EGNR) is to explore Earth’s environmental systems, including water, food, and climate, through interdisciplinary teaching and research to prepare our students and community to become well-informed stewards of sustainable, functioning modern societies.
We are a student centered department and work to provide our students with the most personalized and hands-on experiences possible. Our students not only learn traditional ideas and techniques in the classroom, but also become involved in our communities where they use what they have learned to help solve real-world issues.
If you are willing and able to give, we welcome you to give directly to our department. Funds donated this year will go to the following focus areas for both the NREM and Geology sides of our program. Here are details about how your donations would be used:
The Food Hub and Student Farm. Drs. Haeft and Gruver lead EGNR's efforts to teach our students about sustainable agriculture and sustainable food systems. Our students have been integral to developing the student farm, which is just five minutes from campus. There, students plan, plant, maintain, and harvest a huge variety of produce, which will soon be able to be donated and sold to community members living in low food access areas of our community. The Food Hub's Mobile Farmers Market, also co-developed and operated by our students, will move the food from the farm to food desert areas in our community. Both of these efforts are incredibly rewarding for our students and helpful to our community. Your donations would help purchase equipment to make these operations more successful. We currently need funds to purchase a generator for the wash and pack operation at the farm.
Explore Geology Research Trip to Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal. Each year, Drs. Nicholson, Neumann, Gruver, and their students travel to Nepal (near Mt. Everest) as part of a long-term study on the impact of climate change on water resources in the region. The team works with Sherpa communities’ in the area to engage them in the research process and to find ways to strengthen their ability to manage these resources. This is a peak field experience for our students. This year, the faculty are taking 7 students on the Nepal trip. This is an expensive trip for our students. Your donation would lower the cost our students would have to pay to go on the trip.
We are so grateful for your continued support!
If you aren’t in a position to give right now, no problem. We completely understand. We appreciate everything you already do for our department and our students.
Thank you for your commitment to Ball State University.
All your donations are used to help create a better learning environment for our students. Just Click the GIVE NOW button at the top and choose the fund you want to support.
