Student Interest Groups
In addition to the Student Fellows Program formally organized by the Law, Ethics & Animals Program (LEAP) at Yale Law School, Yale is home to multiple independent student interest groups of note:
Yale Animal Law Society (YALS)
YALS works to reduce animal suffering by providing resources on animal law, hosting events at the Law School, and building a community of law students interested in advancing the legal status of animals. The group welcomes all who are interested in developing legal strategies to protect animals.
Yale Food Law Society (FoodSoc)
FoodSoc is the Law School’s food law interest group. FoodSoc promotes the study of and engagement with food law and policy by hosting speakers and organizing events that explore how the law can contribute to the creation of a more just and sustainable food system. In addition to hosting formal events that highlight the intersection of the food system and the law at local, national, and international levels, FoodSoc hosts regular social events.
Yale Environmental Law Association (YELA)
Building on the Law School’s legacy as a center for groundbreaking environmental thinking, YELA works to create a community among YLS students interested in the environment and draws attention to all aspects of environmental law and related fields through YLS community events, speakers, reading groups, and opportunities to connect and collaborate with other campus groups. All students are welcome, irrespective of prior environmental background or experience.
Sustainable Food & Agriculture Student Interest Group
The Sustainable Food & Agriculture Student Interest Group at Yale School of the Environment (YSE) aims to educate the YSE and larger Yale student body on the environmental issues and challenges of agriculture, and to highlight the agricultural ecosystem as an important component of ecosystem studies and management. The group hosts hands-on workshops and field trips, runs the Yale Food Systems Symposium, and advocates for YSE course offerings focused on food systems.
Faith, Ecology, Religion, Nature, and Spirituality (FERNS)
FERNS (Faith, Ecology, Religion, Nature, and Spirituality) is a Yale Divinity School student club that meets for monthly discussions over lunch, organizes an annual graduate conference on religion and ecology, coordinates environmental volunteer opportunities for students in New Haven, and advocates for sustainability measures at the Divinity School.
Yale Animal Welfare Alliance (YAWA)
The Yale Animal Welfare Alliance is an undergraduate and graduate student group devoted to improving conditions for animals worldwide by raising awareness, sparking conversation, and fostering a progressive, cruelty-free student community. Past YAWA activities have included field trips to farm sanctuaries, volunteering at New Haven’s local animal shelters, hosting speakers and film screening, debating with the Yale Political Union, hosting an annual vegan Thanksgiving celebrations, and more.
Conservation Biology Student Interest Group (“ConBio”)
The Yale School of the Environment’s Conservation Biology Student Interest Group, known as “ConBio,” is a chapter of the Society of Conservation Biology. ConBio works to complement and supplement academic programs with diverse student-initiated activities and to strengthen the conservation biology community at Yale. The Chapter sponsors lectures, field trips, and events to promote professional development and the advancement of conservation science. The group supports a community of future conservation leaders and encourages dialogue on innovative solutions through student research presentations, networking opportunities with field practitioners, and opportunities to mingle with other Yale Departments and Programs.
Environmental Film Festival at Yale (EFFY)
The Environmental Film Festival at Yale (EFFY), sponsored by the Yale School of the Environment, is one of America's premier student-run environmental film festivals. Every spring, EFFY showcases incisive, cutting edge films that highlight the environmental and social issues of our time.