Krasny, Marianne Elizabeth

Professor
Marianne Krasny is Professor and Chair in the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University, specializing in environmental science and sustainability education in urban and other settings in the US and internationally. Through her leadership of the Initiative for Civic Ecology, she is exploring the role of volunteer practices focused on community and environment, such as community gardening, urban restoration, and community forestry, and of educational programs integrated into such practices, in socio-ecosystem resilience. Dr Krasny provides leadership for a diverse group of graduate and undergraduate students, all of whom integrate research and practice to address the following question: How can we create experiences for youth and adults that lead to science learning, environmental and cultural understanding, and more vital democratic communities? Professor Krasny holds bachelors degrees in Human Development and Botany, and MS and PhD degrees in Forest Ecology.

research

research and scholarship focus

My research focuses on human, social, and natural capital outcomes of Civic Ecology Education programs. Civic Ecology Education refers to educational initiatives that are integrated into ongoing Civic Ecology practices, such as community forestry and watershed restoration. It represents an asset-based approach to urban environmental education, through providing opportunities for youth to engage alongside adults in ongoing positive community environmental initiatives in cities. The research program draws heavily from the literature on ecological theories of learning, and on resilience theory as applied to urban socio-ecosystems.

research areas

international geographic focus

domestic geographic focus

submitted impact statement

affiliations

head of

faculty appointment in

administrative appointment

member of graduate field

teaching

teaching focus

As Chair in the Department of Natural Resources, I support efforts to: (1) incorporate knowledge and issues related to urban socio-ecosystems in our undergraduate curriculum; (2) meet the needs of an increasingly diverse undergraduate student population; (3) incorporate sustainable practices into our ongoing work with students; and (4) develop our graduate curriculum.

service

outreach focus

In collaboration with Extension Associate Keith Tidball, I am developing a new Initiative for Civic Ecology. This initiative builds on our work in urban community greening and youth education in the US and internationally.||Civic Ecology seeks to help people organize, learn, and act in ways that increase their capacity to withstand, and where appropriate to grow from, change and uncertainty, through nurturing cultural and ecological diversity, through creating opportunities for civic participation, and through fostering learning from different types of knowledge.||In a more practical sense, Civic Ecology is a set of asset-based tools that can be used in international and community development, natural resources management, and education. Urban community greening, community-based biodiversity monitoring, and participatory watershed restoration provide examples of Civic Ecology practices.

background

educational background

  • Ph.D, University of Washington, 1986
  • M.Sc., University of Washington, 1982
  • B.Sc., University of Washington, 1978
  • B.A., Cornell University, 1974

professional background

  • Faculty, Cornell University, 1986-present

publications

selected publications (listing in progress)

  • Krasny, ME and R Bonney. 2005. Environmental education through Citizen Science and Participatory Action Research: the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology and Garden Mosaics examples. In: Mappin, M and EA Johnson, eds. Environmental Education or Advocacy: Perspectives of Ecology and Education in Environmental Education. Cambridge University Press. pp 292-319.

     

  • Krasny, ME, R Doyle, K Tidball, and the Garden Mosaics Leadership Team. 2005. Garden Mosaics Program Manual. Cornell University Department of Natural Resources. 256 pp.

     

  • Krasny, ME. 2005. University K-12 science outreach programs: How can we reach a broad audience? BioScience 55(4):350-359.

     

  • Bartel, AS, Krasny, ME, and EZ Harrison. 2003. Beyond the binary: Approaches to integrating university outreach with research and teaching. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement 8(2):89-104.

     

  • Doyle, R and ME Krasny. 2003. Participatory Rural Appraisal as an approach to environmental education in urban community gardens. Environmental Education Research 9(1):91-115.

     

speaker at Cornell event

Keywords: community action, community education, environmental education, garden mosaics, intergenerational programs, international education, multi-cultural education, sustainability education, urban, urban environment, youth