Alan R. Berkowitz
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

The SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology, Education, Development, and Sustainability) program was initiated when Dan Durret from the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Dr. Berkowitz (representing both the Ecological Society of America - ESA - and IES) joined forces in 1996 to increase the number of minority undergraduates interested in ecology. This was one of the first collaborative efforts between a scientific professional society and a consortium of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The program was tremendously successful in establishing ecology programs at HBCU's, recruiting a new group of minority students into ecology graduate programs and careers, developing faculty interest, and giving purpose and direction to the work of the ESA in education and diversity issues. Having nurtured the program through its first 6 years, Dr. Berkowitz handed off its operation to the ESA, with continued funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. In 2007, ESA received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mentoring in Science and Engineering for the SEEDS program.

Melissa Jurgensen-Armstrong and Dr. Berkowitz collaborated on a study of the role of SEEDS and other factors in influencing the interest of participating students in ecology and academic career paths, resulting in a recent publication (Jurgensen-Armstrong et al. 2007) and improvements to SEEDS and other programs aimed at retaining student interest in science.

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