In the Tropical Conservation and Development Program at the University of Florida, students, alumni, and faculty work together to create a dynamic and collaborative learning environment. The TCD program is designed to enable students to learn outside their immediate disciplines and develop a more holistic understanding of social-ecological systems, work in teams, communicate in nonacademic formats, and reflect critically on their own perspectives and actions. A key component of TCD’s program is interaction with professionals working in conservation and development. Our alumni network provides invaluable opportunities for TCD students and faculty to engage in critical discussion, collaboration, and sharing of practical experience with professionals working around the globe. By following these collaborative learning and inter-disciplinary approaches, we can ultimately contribute to advance conservation of natural resources and improve the livelihoods of people that rely on those critical resources.
TCD Alumni Workshop at the 2015 Center for LAS Annual Conference-Gainesville, FL
For more than 30 years, the TCD program has contributed to empowering the next generation of conservation and development professionals, researchers, educators, and policy leaders to significantly impact the sustainable use of natural resources and the well-being of people throughout the world’s tropics. We embrace active learning and participatory approaches, and developing the professional skill sets needed to address environmental issues in the current global workforce. To date, more than 400 students have participated in some way in TCD and other closely related programs, such as: Amazon Research and Training Program (ARTP), Program of Studies in Tropical Conservation (PSTC), Working Forests in the Tropics (WFT), and Amazon Conservation Leadership Initiative (ACLI).
The UF Tropical Conservation and Development Program is an exciting and dynamic program where scientists, students, and practitioners, many of whom are alumni, work together to advance a shared goal of improving livelihoods while sustaining natural resources. We invite you to learn more about our alumni working around the globe. Over the next months we will begin to post alumni profiles and update our alumni map.
TCD Alumni Update Form
If you are a TCD alum or alumna, please fill out the update form so we can have your most updated info!
TCD Alumni Survey
We have conducted two TCD alumni surveys: one back in 2008 (2008 alumni survey) and another one in 2014 (2014 alumni survey). Click on the links to access these surveys’ final reports.
TCD Alumni Distribution Map
We are working on building an interactive map of the worldwide TCD community. It illustrates the geographic and thematic diversity of the Program’s faculty, students and alumni. We hope it will facilitate networking among our TCD community.