Mindi Schneider, a development and environmental sociologist and Lecturer at the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) since 2022, has been appointed as Director of Undergraduate Studies in IBES. 

In her DUS role, Schneider will oversee all undergraduate programming at IBES, home to the Environmental Sciences and Studies (ENVS) concentration. The ENVS degree has grown significantly in recent years, currently serving over 140 students as concentrators with more than 1,000 students taking ENVS classes every year through Brown’s Open Curriculum. Schneider will support current and prospective ENVS concentrators with information about ENVS classes, curriculum, and co-curricular opportunities and work to ensure that all Brown students can engage in IBES’ many undergraduate offerings, including a growing slate of paid summer internships, a new career fair taking place in February, and ongoing event offerings. She will work closely with IBES’ Academic Program Manager Jeanne Loewenstein and Academic Coordinator Nelsy Reyes to champion student success and foster a nurturing environment for all undergraduates. The IBES DUS also serves on the IBES Leadership Team. 

“Mindi brings a wealth of experience and a demonstrated passion for student learning to this key leadership role,” said IBES Director Kim Cobb. “I’m thrilled to work with her to meet the growing student demand for interdisciplinary training that will equip them to tackle the climate, sustainability, and environmental challenges of our time.”

Dr. Schneider assumes her new position as Dawn King, Senior Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in IBES for the past 10 years, begins a new chapter as Deputy Dean of the College for Curriculum. King said that while she will miss her role in IBES leadership, she is thrilled that Schneider is taking her place.

“Mindi’s knowledge of the Brown curriculum, paired with her student-facing approaches to teaching and advising, will make her a true champion for our undergraduate concentrators as well as IBES’ mission to advance solutions to critical challenges at the intersection of environment and society,” King said.

Dr. Schneider is excited to begin her new appointment, and has already started to transition into the role with the full support of the IBES academic team. 

“I came to Brown and IBES in 2022 to recenter my work around teaching and student learning,” she noted. “Between the open curriculum, the supportive educational environment, and above all, the passionate, curious, and engaged students within and outside of ENVS, I feel I have found a home. I’m excited to work with and learn from our vibrant student community, and to cultivate a welcoming, supportive, rigorous, and dialogue-filled program in environment and society.”

Dr. Schneider can be reached at mindi_schneider@brown.edu.