Alumni Magazine 2001-2002 UNIVERSITYOFMICHIGAN - Rackham ...

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S T U D E N T P R O F I L E S 12 Nature’s Negotiator “People walking through the Arboretum see this beautiful, lush, green area, but unfortunately, over the last century, invasive species have been introduced that have completely altered the ecosystem…” very common for Americans to view conflict in “It’s a negative context,” says Nick White, “but sometimes conflict can promote positive change, if it’s handled in an appropriate manner.” Moving conflicts, specifically over natural resources, toward solutions has already been a major part of White’s life’s work, and now he’s working toward a PhD in dispute resolution from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). “When you come into complex conflicts, it’s easy to take a position of I’m good and you’re bad, I’m right and you’re wrong,” he says. “It simplifies things, but natural resource issues aren’t simple. People aren’t simple. You have to get beyond those first positional stances and look at what lies underneath and what the interest of each party is, but far too often people stop at the surface. There are times when people’s needs can be met. It takes a lot of work. But it can be done.” Shortly after earning his B.S. in environmental science from Michigan State University’s Lyman Briggs School, White joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Niger, a West African country that has been devastated by a poor economy and desertification. It was an eye-opening introduction to real-life complexities. “The natural environment in Niger is going through drastic change: deforestation, desertification, drought, extensive loss of animal and plant life, and increased human population.” Moreover, says White, “many cultural and societal norms stayed the same.” When a father dies, his property is divided among his sons. The more sons who survived, the smaller each one’s plot becomes. Eventually, that plot of land can only sustain so much.” “Being in the Peace Corps showed me you could have scientific answers to natural resource problems, but there Photo by Bill Wood are all these political and social issues to be addressed, too,” says White. He decided that a good way to address them would be by bridging the divide between the natural and social sciences. He worked for Ed LaForge, the state representative from his native Kalamazoo, Michigan, first as an environmental/public policy intern in Lansing and then as Interim Director of LaForge’s district office. He received his M.S. in environmental policy/dispute resolution from Michigan State and became a mediator for the Dispute Resolution Centers of both Central Michigan and Washtenaw County. He came to Michigan to continue his education “because Professor Julia Wondolleck and SNRE have a strong history of teaching and creating practitioners of conflict analysis and dispute resolution.” His master’s thesis examined the pros and cons of institutionalizing environmental mediation in Michigan as an alternative to litigation. I came to UM because I wanted to continue that line of work. What I’m doing now is evaluating the different institutionalized models that have emerged for environmental dispute resolution. Some states have formalized the process either in the university or the judicial system, then there are nonprofits out there that provide this, as well as the federal government. I’m fascinated in understanding where these models work best and where they don’t.” Since the fall of 1999, White has been one of four student caretakers at the University of Michigan Arboretum. His work there illustrates his approach. “People walking through the Arboretum see this beautiful, lush, green area,” he says, “but unfortunately, over the last century, invasive species have been introduced that have completely altered the ecosystem in very dramatic fashion. What we try to do there is remove the invasive species to give the native species a chance to regain a foothold. If you just look at it, you see a pretty, natural area. But what’s going on there is an area that’s wholly changed. That’s the complexity. People say we need to set aside green areas and I think that’s great, but the environmentalists’ challenge is helping the public understand that it gets more complex than just setting aside a green area. We need to think about what that green area is.” What excites White is the opportunity to blend his worlds in the service of the one we all inhabit. “It’s very rewarding to know that I can participate both in helping the scientific and political communities come together and in finding solutions to natural resource disputes,” he says. “Each of them standing alone is much less likely to be able to address natural resource problems. Research contributes a tremendous amount to society, but I want to be the person who is helping apply that research to society’s problems.” ■
Remember Michigan. Live Forever. Introducing the New Charitable Gift Annuity Program No matter what your generation, your days at Michigan helped make you who you are today. Now you can give something back to the school that gave you so much — and give yourself a little something too — with the University of Michigan’s new Charitable Gift Annuity Program. A Gift Annuity Provides You With: ✦ An immediate income tax deduction and capital gains tax savings; ✦ A lifetime stream of fixed income; ✦ Annuity rate yields that may be higher than many investment returns; and ✦ The means of making a future significant gift to the Rackham Graduate School. How Does it Work Here’s an example. A gift of $30,000 from a 75-year old donor nets an immediate current-year tax deduction of $12,473, plus a guaranteed lifetime annual income of $2,370. (Minimum age requirement of 50, and minimum gift amount of $10,000.) To Learn More … Contact the Rackham Graduate School’s Development Office at 734-647-4572 or email us at Rackham.alums@umich.edu Photos courtesy of Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
Page 1 and 2: Alumni Magazine 2001-2002 U n i v e
Page 3 and 4: From the Dean Welcome to the third
Page 5 and 6: always been interested in numbers t
Page 7 and 8: linguistics” sounds like some arc
Page 9 and 10: Photo by Sheila Ryan One of Milton
Page 11 and 12: Service with a SmilePhoto “The co
Page 13: Workforce Wizard Photo by Peter Pag

Alumni Magazine 2001-2002 UNIVERSITYOFMICHIGAN - Rackham ...

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