The Mountain Stories Podcast

Purpose:

The Institute for Mountain Research provides a hub to coordinate and support interdisciplinary research and learning related to the cultural, economic, scientific and political facets of mountain landscapes and the people who live in them. We encourage deep and abiding interests in the mountains, the people who live in and near them, and the connections between the two. The Institute supports thinking across disciplinary and political boundaries in order to foster conversations about the landscapes that are part of our lives. We strive to serve as a home for exploration, a refuge for reflection and thought, and a forum for community conversation.

Goals of the Institute

The Institute will develop a community that includes campus, regional, national and international learners. In order to further our understanding of mountain issues, the Institute has five primary goals:

• Developing innovative curricula to focus on mountain issues for student learning with opportunities to gain both broad and deep knowledge through fieldwork, internships, coursework, individual research, experiential learning, and community engagement.
• Supporting undergraduate and faculty study of the diverse systems related to mountains and the people who live in them both locally and around the world
• Practicing interdisciplinary and collaborative teaching and learning on Westminster’s campus and further afield
• Promoting and distributing high-quality interdisciplinary research related to mountain landscapes to contribute to more informed and collaborative policy and outreach efforts
• Fostering partnerships with mountain communities, businesses, educational programs, and organizations so that together we might learn to think like a mountain.

It has been more than 65 years since Aldo Leopold first asked people to “think like a mountain.” The global, connected, and complex nature of these challenges demands that we take his suggestion seriously. We look forward to taking up that good work. If you would like to be involved or have ideas for future podcasts or projects, please feel free to be in touch.