Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries is the Hudson Valley campus of Clarkson University located in Beacon, NY - with administrative headquarters located on Main Street and a state-of-the-art educational facility on Denning's Point, Beacon, NY.

One location of Clarkson University's Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries is Denning's Point in Beacon, New York

As its mission, Clarkson University's Beacon Institute for Rivers & Estuaries ignites citizen science, user-inspired R&D and education through collaboration and creative innovation to inspire sustainable solutions for estuary and freshwater ecosystems throughout the Hudson Valley and across New York State.

True to its mission, the campus serves as both a research institute focused on healthy water solutions and a provider of educational services, including K-12, public and family and professional graduate programs.

Learn more about our growing Hudson Valley campus.

Winter 2021 Hours

beaconinstitute@clarkson.edu
845-838-1600

Clarkson's Beacon Institute Gallery and Water Ecology Center are open to public visitors, student groups and families by appointment. For school groups, we offer a range of virtual programming direct to your classroom. Meet our live animals, explore our ecology exhibits, and enjoy inspiring environmental art. Outdoor environmental and STEM programs based from our campus in Denning's Point State Park can be arranged. See "Educational Programs" below for more information on in-person and virtual options.

Availability is flexible, 7 days a week, except certain dates and holidays. Depending on timing and group size, a modest per person fee may apply. To inquire, email Brigette Walsh at bwalsh@clarkson.edu.

Clarkson's Beacon Institute Gallery
199 Main St., Beacon, NY 

Live Animal Exhibits: Meet animals of the Hudson watershed and beyond, and learn how fish, turtles, snakes and more survive and thrive throughout the seasons.

Current Art Exhibit: Jane Colgan "Blessing Waters" - Colgan's inspired estuary and coastal landscapes show her relationship with and appreciation for water "in her gentle beauty, her vast power, and her fathomless generosity." 

Water Ecology Center
199 Denning's Ave, Beacon, NY
inside Denning's Point State Park 

Current Ecology Exhibit: 
Critter Cribs: Hudson River Habitats - Bring the family to learn about the animals of the Hudson River and Denning's Point Park. Get an insider's view of their homes and habits in this habitat walk for all ages.

Safety Protocols:

For the safety of our visitors, staff, and volunteers, and in compliance with state and federal guidance, social distancing practices must be followed. Indoor and outdoor activity groups are limited to a preset number of participants. Masks must be worn at all times inside facilities and throughout in-person programs; as well as on the trails and premises whenever a 6-foot distance cannot be maintained between individuals or households.

Event: Great Backyard Bird Count

Did you know Denning's Point Park is a birding hot spot?

Advanced Great Backyard Bird Count

199 Denning's Ave, Beacon NY
February 13, 2021
8am-9am or 10am-11am

Advanced birders, get ready to put your bird identification skills to the test! This year Clarkson’s Beacon Institute is participating in the annual Community Science Project the Great Backyard Bird Count! Join us in the field at Denning’s Point as we collect data on bird populations. As a participant in this event you will continue to build your bird identification skills as well as contribute to the tracking of global bird populations! All data will be submitted to eBird, the world’s largest biodiversity-related community science project. No experience using eBird is required. Pre-registration required. Choose the time slot that suits you – if a link is no longer working, registration has closed for that slot. Try an alternative time slot. All COVID-19 guidelines apply. For more information visit clarkson.edu/beacon.

BYOB – Bring your own binoculars

8am Registration 10am Registration

Maximum group size is 10-15 participants.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This event’s format was specifically created for individuals experienced in bird identification. If you are seeking training in bird identification training please go to our events page and find the “Great Backyard Bird Count Training – Beginners”.

This initiative was launched in 1988 and has been engaging birders from around the world since. For more information please visit https://www.birdcount.org/about/

Beginners Great Backyard Bird Count

199 Denning's Ave, Beacon NY
February 14 at 10am & February 15 at 10am, 2021

Beginner birders, get ready to learn how to identify birds in the Hudson Valley! This year Clarkson’s Beacon Institute is participating in the annual Community Science Project the Great Backyard Bird Count! Join us in the field at Denning’s Point as we collect data on bird populations. As a participant in this event you will learn how to identify a variety of bird species that frequent Denning’s Point as well as contribute to the tracking of global bird populations! All data will be submitted to eBird, the world’s largest biodiversity-related community science project. No experience using eBird is required. Pre-registration is required for either 2/14 or 2/15. Choose the day that suits you – if a link is no longer working, registration has closed for that slot. Try an alternative time slot. All COVID-19 guidelines apply. For more information visit clarkson.edu/beacon.

BYOB – Bring your own binoculars

2/14 Registration 2/15 Registration

Maximum group size is 10-15 participants.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This event’s format was specifically created for individuals with minimal experience in bird identification. If you are seeking an advanced birding event please go to our events page and find the “Advanced Great Backyard Bird Count Training”.  

This initiative was launched in 1988 and has been engaging birders from around the world since. For more information please visit https://www.birdcount.org/about/

Educational Programs

Beacon Institute offers a variety of educational programs for K-12, public and family and professional studies.

K-12 STEAM and Environmental Programs Citizen Science Programs Mother Nature and Me: Pre-K-8 enrichment

K-12

The Hudson STEAM program aims to connect students of all ages to the Hudson River Valley. Through in-class workshops and field trips to Dennings Point State Park, students get the opportunity to learn about the dynamic watershed of the Hudson River. Our state of the art Water Ecology Center and an experienced education staff foster experiential learning at its best. Students participate in activities such as siening, water quality testing, fish identification, and ecosystem explorations right at the Hudson River's shoreline. 

River of Words (ROW) brings students together with our team of inspiring instructors, experts in the fields of Art, ELA, and Science. ROW educators connect through place-based artscapes, creative writing, and field science workshops. 

TAP (Tributary Assessment Project) is a two day project- and place-based learning module with field and lab day components where students analyze samples, collect data, and publish results. 

TEAM Summer Science Weeks are led by scientists and educators in July and August and are open to K-8 students.

Public and Family

Kids of all ages can enjoy a variety of family friendly programs offered both at Denning's Point and our location on Main St. in Beacon. Our Park Visitor's Center offers public nature and river education; WOW! For Kids provides live animal experiences and hands-on nature education; Walks & Talks offers naturalist trail walks at Denning's Point; the Art Gallery celebrates and showcases environmental artists collaborating with scientists; and Sensor Place creates hands-on, water science learning at Beacon Main St. 

Learn more about our Public and Family Programs

Current Gallery Exhibit: "Blessing Waters," by Jane Colgan

Colgan's inspired estuary and coastal landscapes show her relationship with and appreciation for water "in her gentle beauty, her vast power, and her fathomless generosity."


 

Executive & Professional

Clarkson offers a Master of Science in Engineering Management (MSEM) program at the Beacon Institute. The hybrid MSEM degree consists of 30 credit hours that can be completed within 24 months. It blends in-person and online classroom learning for a worker-friendly and extraordinarily flexible experience. 

Learn more about the MSEM program

Clarkson also offers an Master of Science in Data Analytics program. Online students can build part-time or full-time schedules that work for them. Part-time students generally finish the program in about 2 years. 

Learn more about the Data Analytics MS

 

Healthy Water Research

Research at Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries is at the core of our mission and vision, and is aligned with Clarkson's focus on healthy world solutions that ultimately protect the air, water and habitats. Interdisciplinary faculty teams collaborate across fields to proactively integrate environmental concerns into best management practices. Our research currently focuses on invasive species and hydrology with field study and citizen science. 

Learn more about our current research projects.

NEW CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN HEALTHY WATER SOLUTIONS
Clarkson was recently designated along with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) to launch New York state's new Center of Excellence (CoE) in Healthy Water Solutions. The two partners plan a collaborative model to deploy experts and students to deliver technology innovations and research-based solutions with local partners taking on complex challenges in their aquatic systems and water infrastructures. Focusing on water and the natural environment, the CoE will work with industry, government and regional university collaborators to develop early-warning systems to monitor, model, predict and avoid threats before they become issues. The center will also work on management practices and ecosystem design to improve the resilience of New York state's water assets. Read more

 

Recent News

Clarkson University Shares Plans For Fall 2021
Clarkson University Group at Beacon Institute Awarded Lower Hudson PRISM Grant
Clarkson Partners With 10-in-10 to Offer The Gigatonne Challenge Focused on Saving the Environment