1980 | SFS Founded on October 23 |
1981 | First Summer Expeditions take place in Galapagos, Belize, Mexico, Iceland, Cayman Islands, Alaska, Montana, Virginia. |
1982 | First January Expeditions are offered. |
1983 | SFS is accredited by Northeastern University. |
1985 | Center for Wildlife Management Studies opens in Kenya |
| Center for Marine Resource Studies opens in St. John, USVI |
1987 | Center for Rainforest Studies opens in Queensland, Australia. |
| SFS launches efforts to build college and university membership in its Affiliation Program. |
1989 | Center for Marine Mammal Studies opens in Hawaii. |
| SFS Alumni numbers reach 3,000 and the SFS Alumni Association is formed. |
| SFS shifts from primarily ecology-focused programming to a more comprehensive resource management focus. |
1990 | Center for Marine Resource Studies relocates to Turks & Caicos Islands. |
| Center for Marine Mammal Studies moves to La Paz, Mexico where it operates until 1995. |
1991 | Center for Sustainable Development Studies opens in Costa Rica. |
1993 | SFS completes the transition to a case-study based curriculum. |
1994 | Boston University accredits SFS programs. |
| SFS begins planning process to ensure that research is problem-centered and client-driven. |
1995 | First SFS Safety Director is hired. |
| Center for Coastal Rainforest & Fisheries Studies opens on Vancouver Island where it operates until 2003. |
| SFS moves to a fully center-based operation. |
1997 | Center for Coastal Studies opens in Mexico. |
| SFS develops its first formal website. |
| SFS founding president, Jim Elder, retires. |
1999 | Center for Wildlife Management Studies opens Kilimanjaro Bush Camp in a Maasai community in Southern Kenya. |
2001 | Center for Wildlife Management Studies expands to Nairobi National Park Camp. |
2002 | SFS institutes five-year research planning process at each center. |
2003 | SFS Alumni Numbers exceed 10,000. |
2005 | SFS celebrates 25 years of environmental education and leadership. |
| 2007 | SFS launches a Field Practicum in Public Health and Environment based at our Kilimanjaro Bush Camp. |
| Center for Rainforest Studies introduces two new summer courses: Techniques in Rainforest Research and Tropical Rainforest Studies in Australia and New Zealand |
2008 | SFS president, Paul Houlihan, retires after 11 years of sevice. SFS welcomes Bonnie Clendenning as the new SFS president. |
2009 | SFS launches new Five Year Research Plans for all of its five centers. |