The Departments of Geography and Planning (DGP) and Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (DEAS) at the State University of New York at Albany (SUNYA) have traditionally offered environmental courses built on the delivery of a strong theoretical framework but lacking in the instruction of practical methods of environmental analysis. In this project we will establish an Integrated Undergraduate Physical Geography Laboratory (IUPGL) to bridge the gap between practice and theory in environmental education and to provide students with a clear guide through different environmental courses. The IUPGL will be a joint facility for the Department of Geography and Planning (DGP) and Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (DEAS) of SUNYA. Additionally, we will strengthen links between SUNYA and Union College (located in nearby Schenectady, NY) through the joint operation of the Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) analytical facility. This cooperation will bring the expertise of Union College faculties in practical environmental geochemistry to SUNYA and, simultaneously, will improve the access of SUNYA environmental courses to Union College students. Undergraduate students will be trained in chemical and physical analysis of soil and water as well as in methods of hydrological and climatological observations. Global Positioning System units will be used to locate environmental parameters and GIS technology in the existing GIS Laboratory will be used for spatial data processing. Development of practical science skills will provide a base for students taking future courses in GIS/GPS, geographic theory, and public policy and planning. This training also will significantly broaden employment prospects for SUNYA baccalaureate graduates. All data collected in the IUPGL through a variety of student projects will be presented as an annual database available for further use in the different natural science courses at SUNYA and Union College.
