Dear AESS Community,

I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a happy end of summer and a smooth start to the new academic year. Like many of you, I’m feeling a mix of emotions—some excitement, some anxiety. Am I ready? Where is my syllabus? And wait… I’m teaching at 8:10 a.m. this year?!?

The past few years have been a wild ride. From navigating the disruptions of COVID to now grappling with the promise and complexity of artificial intelligence, federal administrative changes, higher education has seen its fair share of flux. Through it all, I remain deeply grateful for this work we do. Teaching is a gift, and each year brings new energy, new questions, and new students into our classrooms.

This summer’s AESS 2025 conference in St. Paul, MN, reminded me just how much I value this community. It was not only filled with insightful presentations and workshops—but it was also just fun. The energy, the smiles, the in-person conversations—it was refreshing and inspiring.

One major highlight for me was the strong focus on pedagogy and teaching practice. From sessions on environmental resilience and grassroots organizing to classroom innovations and cross-disciplinary collaborations, the conference was a powerful reminder of our shared commitment to both scholarship and education.

Oh, and the field trips? So good. I got a behind-the-scenes tour of the natural history museum and saw the femur of a massive sauropod. Others went hiking and kayaking—so much joy and connection all around.

Most of all, I appreciated the personal interactions—hearing your stories, your challenges, and your aspirations. As the incoming president, these conversations helped me better understand the needs of the AESS community, and I want to thank all of you who attended and presented. Your contributions made the conference meaningful.

As we ramp up for the new year, I want to extend my best wishes to all of you in the ESS and AESS community. The more I engage with AESS, the more I realize how powerful this network can be. If you’re not yet a member but curious—join us! A single conversation with a colleague can spark new ideas and collaborations.

A few items to keep on your radar:

1.   AESS 2026 will be fully remote and held around the same time as our usual in-person summer conference. Stay tuned for more details.
2.   We’re launching our first-ever Workshop Retreat in 2026! This will be a two-day, product-oriented retreat focused on advancing research in environmental studies and science pedagogy. We’re really excited about this new model and hope you’ll consider participating. See below for details!

Thanks again to all the ESS practitioners out there. Here’s to a restful end of summer and a great start to the school year!

Sincerely,
Dave Murphy
President, AESS