Recent Headlines
- From Research Field to Public Art: ESF-Donated Willow Shapes New Thornden Park Installation
- ESF Professor René Germain Receives National Award for Family Forest Education Through Landmark Watershed Program
- CNY ASM Conference Brings Microbiologists from Central New York and Beyond Together
- ESF Honors Rhea Jezer and Damian Vanetti with 2026 Sol Feinstone Environmental Award
Meet the Faculty - Paul Hirsch
Dr. Paul Hirsch’s story is all about finding where you belong. After growing up surrounded by SUNY professors, he eventually found himself drawn — almost by instinct — to the Environmental Studies department at ESF. What started as curiosity about the campus vibe quickly turned into something more. A chance conversation with a faculty member opened the door to a position, and before long, the same hallway he’d once wandered as a visitor became his academic home.
Now, more than a decade later, Dr. Hirsch teaches courses in Environmental Ethics, Policy, and Public Engagement — helping students explore how people think about, communicate, and act on their environmental values in the real world. He loves that ESF brings together both the social and natural sciences, creating a place where students who care deeply about the planet can connect big ideas with practical action. His students aren’t just here to learn — they’re here to shape what comes next.