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Elmira College Receives Grant From Corning Incorporated Foundation To Enhance Environmental Science Program

Elmira, NY (11/08/2021) — The Corning Incorporated Foundation granted Elmira College $25,000 to enhance the College's new Environmental Science program where students learn about each of Earth's four spheres, how they balance each other, and how humans are currently altering that balance.

"We are grateful to the Corning Incorporated Foundation for their support and belief in the importance of our program in environmental sciences," said Charles Lindsay, president of Elmira College. "Our missions are strongly aligned and we are excited about this partnership."

"Today's world needs scientists to help address the growing complexity of environmental issues," said Andrea Lynch, president of the Corning Incorporated Foundation. "We are proud to partner with Elmira College as it prepares students for this vital and meaningful career."

"This money will enhance our ability to provide an excellent education to our students, which in turn, will help build future leaders in the field of environmental sustainability," said Patricia Ireland, provost for Elmira College. "The challenges and complexity of climate change demand innovation and we want to give our students every advantage to be their best and lead in the professional world."

The grant money will be used to purchase equipment for classes and student research. All of the equipment will provide hands-on experiential learning for students, teaching them about the natural world. For example, some of the money will go toward improving an augmented reality (AR) sand table that helps visualize processes such as erosion and landslides. It uses a depth camera to project a topographic color-coded image onto the sand. As users create mountains and valleys in the sand, they can see how the relief image changes and watch how water flows over the landscape.

Another demonstration tool the grant will help fund is a stream table, which demonstrates the effect of water on landscapes so that students can understand river dynamics, flood management, dams, and how water can lead to the gradual sinking of land over time.

The College also plans to put the funds toward the purchase of boats, either canoes and kayaks or one larger boat, to take on field trips and conduct research. This aligns with the College's philosophy of active learning, where students are encouraged to directly engage in the local region and learn through direct observations and experiences.

"In a world of increasing environmental issues, we need more professionals that can solve problems as well as advisors and citizens that can understand and interpret them," said Trevor Browning, assistant professor of Environmental Science. "These funds will give us the tools to connect the theory taught in class with practical application in the laboratory and field to better establish these skills with our graduates. We are very excited to begin using these tools to engage our students in and out of the classroom."

About Elmira College

Founded in 1855, Elmira College is a private, residential, liberal arts college offering 25-plus majors, an honors program, 17 academic societies, and 18 Division III varsity teams. Located in the Southern Finger Lakes Region of New York, Elmira's undergraduate and graduate student population hails from more than 20 states and nine countries. Elmira is a Phi Beta Kappa College and has been ranked a top college, nationally, for student internships. The College is also home to the Center for Mark Twain Studies, one of four historically significant Twain heritage sites in the U.S., which attracts Twain scholars and educators from around the world for research on the famous literary icon. Proud of its history and tradition, the College is committed to the ideals of community service, and intellectual and individual growth.

About The Corning Incorporated Foundation

The Corning Incorporated Foundation is a charitable contributions organization established by Corning Incorporated in 1952. Through leadership and collaboration, the Foundation strives to foster vibrant, enriching, and supportive Corning communities. The Foundation focuses on education, human services, culture, and volunteerism in Corning business locations

Media Attachments

Nathan Devens '25, a member of the EC Environmental Club, uses the augmented reality sandbox the club members made. Some of the grant funds will go to improving the sandbox.

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