CEMML
In this Higher Ed Careers interview, the leader of an environmental management center with a focus on military lands at Colorado State University talks about the work they do around the world for organizations including the U.S. Department of Defense, what he enjoys most about working on a college campus, and a priority to diversify the workforce.
Mary Guiden, HigherEdJobs: When people think about careers in higher education, they may not know that there are centers like yours that focus on environmental management and historic preservation. And you’re celebrating a 40-year anniversary this year. Could you talk about the center’s mission and some of the projects your team is focusing on in 2024?
Barker Fariss, Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands: Our mission is to help our clients, primarily the Department of Defense, achieve their mission while contributing to the betterment of society through the various services we provide, which include climate change adaptation, natural and cultural resources management, environmental planning and compliance, and geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis. Our role in helping the DoD achieve mission readiness is helping them stay in compliance and fulfill their regulatory and environmental obligations, adhering to legislation such as the National Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act, and National Historic Preservation Act, among many others.
We’re helping them do that in a lot of different ways. For example, many of our agreements with the DoD involve natural resource management efforts including threatened or endangered species, human and wildlife co-existence, and invasive species and biosecurity — managing the invasive brown tree snake in Guam. Other projects include vegetation mapping and habitat management, which can involve conducting prescribed burns through our wildland fire efforts.
In 2024, we formalized our Cultural Resources Management program to provide our partners with key expertise in archaeology, historic preservation, and tribal relations.
Guiden: You were appointed executive director of the center in late 2023 – congratulations! How was the transition from the private sector to this role on a college campus? What do you appreciate most about the atmosphere at the university and working at the center?
Fariss: To start with, as anyone who has spent time in Colorado knows, this is a unique place to call home. I feel fortunate to live and work in such a beautiful and progressive place. Colorado State University also provides an opportunity for teaching and research, while contributing to CEMML‘s 40-year history of providing environmental services to the federal government. It’s truly the best of both worlds. CSU and CEMML allow me to work on a wide variety of projects alongside like-minded, service-oriented colleagues, as part of an academic institution that believes in access to education for all as part of its land-grant mission. Prior to working in the private sector, I was part of another land-grant institution, so it was good to return to this realm.
Guiden: How did your background in higher education help prepare you for this role?
Fariss: Having a Ph.D. was important to prepare for this role and within the broader CSU academic environment. Having previously been a faculty member at both a large research institution and a small liberal arts college, my background provides a lived experience in academia. This has also helped me to provide perspective with the variety of disciplines CEMML works in, and I can pull from my knowledge with colleagues involved in research and teaching.
Guiden: In this new position, you’re overseeing more than 700 employees around the world and managing over $100 million in sponsored programs annually. What experience and background, in general, are you seeking for open positions at CEMML?
Fariss: As an organization that primarily supports the DoD, having military experience can be an asset in our work, but it’s not a requirement. The experience level that CEMML is seeking runs the gamut. We employ seasoned professionals who work alongside counterparts at the highest levels of the federal government as well as students and recent graduates looking to kickstart their career (More on our Early-career Development Program later in the interview).
CEMML is the largest singular unit employer at CSU, with a wide breadth of career opportunities. I encourage anyone with interest or expertise in environmental management to check out our careers page. While CEMML is headquartered in Fort Collins on the CSU campus, over 85% of our staff work at military installations across the continental U.S., as well as in Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam.
On an annual basis, we are actively recruiting at job fairs at CSU and elsewhere, including attendance at conferences aimed at underrepresented communities such as the American Indian Science and Engineering Society and RecruitMilitary. We are also working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on a possible partnership to help train veterans in the areas of expertise that CEMML requires and hopefully provide a pipeline to employment for veterans following their military service.
Guiden: Could you talk about your background in tribal historic preservation and its importance, given your family ties to the Cherokee Nation?
Fariss: Over the course of my career prior to joining CEMML, I’ve served as a state archaeologist in Hawaii, working with the Maui and Lanai Islands Burial Council; a tribal historic preservation officer in Oklahoma; and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act coordinator for a major university in New England. Now at CEMML, I’m fortunate to be able to continue working on projects that are important and personal to me, particularly around issues of tribal sovereignty.
My family is enrolled in the Western Band Cherokee Nation. It’s important for me to pass along respect for tradition to our children, as well as to students and colleagues. CSU strives to uphold the vision of the Morrill Act of 1862, which provided states with federal land grants to fund higher education opportunities for people from all walks of life. Yet, the implementation of the Morrill Act came at a dire cost to Native American nations. While the commitment to teaching, research, and service is something I’m proud to be a part of, it is equally important for me to make sure there is a true account of the history of land-grant institutions like CSU.
Guiden: You’ve increased resources for the center’s Early-Career Development Program, which provides college students and recent graduates with exposure to the field of military lands management and offers participants a pipeline to long-term employment. What changes do you envision with the increase in support for this program?
Fariss: One of my priorities is the diversification of our labor force with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our goal is to be a leader in this area among all colleges at CSU. Our Early-Career Development Program (ECDP) is one of our best tools to achieve this goal. At its core, the ECDP aims to bridge the gap between what a student learns in the classroom and the practical application of that knowledge in the form of a well-paid, service-oriented career path.
I encourage all students and young professionals in natural and cultural management areas of study to visit our ECDP website to learn more about the program, and see what opportunities are available.