Contact Us
Contact:
Wyatt Lowrie
Senior Administrative Assistant
Hall of Science, Room T19 on a map
Environmental Science 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8007 United StatesEnvironmental Science at AU
Our Masters and undergrad BA and BS programs train students to become effective advocates for the environment. The curriculum consists of rigorous science- and policy-based courses and experiential learning that prepare our students for exciting careers in the environmental field. The Department of Environmental Science recommits itself to advancing informed, knowledge-based approaches to confronting local and global environmental concerns.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
All humans depend on the Earth for survival, creating a universal interest in understanding and protecting it. Solving complex environmental problems requires diverse perspectives and ways of knowing. Yet, most of the history of environmental science and allied fields has excluded and marginalized people based on their race, socioeconomic status, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and other characteristics. Moreover, environmental science has also caused harm through extractive research practices and research that has promoted harmful, and wrong, ideas towards marginalized people.
In the AU Environmental Science Department, we recognize that environmental scientists, scholars and activists must be representative and inclusive of humanity in all its diversity. We also strive to confront the harmful history of our discipline, put science in the appropriate context, and avoid making the same mistakes again.
People are drawn to our field of study for myriad reasons: love of the outdoors, passion for environmental justice, and an interest in solving complicated, interdisciplinary problems, to name a few. All these motivations are valid. Whatever has brought you here, it is our goal to create a welcoming space for you in our department, where you can flourish academically and personally.
Here is an overview of what our department is doing to promote diversity and inclusion:
- Supporting the Underrepresented Students in STEM and and Women In Science student groups at AU
- Organizing a reading and discussion group to understand and combat racism in our field, based on the NSF-funded Undoing Racism in the Geosciences curriculum
- Obtaining an Antiracist Curriculum Development Grant to enhance our curriculum
- Helping develop and lead AU’s new Center for Environment, Community and Equity.
ENVS Courses
Additionally, many of our classes cover environmental justice topics. These include:
AU Core Classes
- ENVS 150: The Nature of Earth
- Complex Problems classes: Pollution Solutions, Facing Climate Change, Maxing Out Planet Earth
Majors’ and Graduate Classes
- ENVS 160: Biodiversity and Ecosystems
- ENVS 220: Energy and Resources
- ENVS 260: Energy and Pollution
- ENVS 324: Environmental Health
- ENVS 470/670: Water Resources
Research Spotlight
Bringing Back the Anacostia
The 8.7-mile Anacostia River flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, DC, through heavily populated residential areas. It was once a thriving river, critical for fishing and recreation, but urbanization has made the river dangerous for both humans and wildlife.
Funds awarded to environmental science faculty Steve MacAvoy and Barbara Balestra, along with biology professor Vikki Connaughton, made possible their ongoing research in assessing the Anacostia River’s water quality as the city pursues various mediation efforts to reach its goal of “fishable and swimmable by 2032.” Read more in the Washington Post.
Faculty Research & Labs
Selected Research Notes
See more at our Research page.
Michael Alonzo with collaborators published Variation the in relationship between urban tree canopy and air temperature reduction under a range of daily weather conditions in Heliyon.
Dhananjaya Katju and collaborators published The scope of empowerment for conservation and communities in Conservation Biology.
Karen Knee and collaborators at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and Washington State University–Vancouver were recently awarded a 3-year, $700,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from trees.
Valentina Aquila received a grant from Michigan Technological University for $66,476 for “Tracking volcanic volatiles from magma reservoir to the atmosphere: identifying precursors and optimizing models and satellite observations for future major." Aquila also received a $12,000 grant from National Academies for “The Impact of Airport Activity on Local Air Quality" and $85,388 from NASA for the project “Estimating the impacts of volcanic aerosol and pyroCb smoke on model forecasts and data assimilation using the GEOS Analysis Increments.”
Jessica Gephart was awarded a $785,000 NSF grant to develop a global seafood trade network database for sustainable food systems, human health, and nutrition security.
Sauleh Siddiqui, Kiho Kim, and Jessica Gephart are part of the national team of researchers recently awarded a five-year, $15 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Titled "Multiscale Resilient, Equitable, and Circular Innovations with Partnership and Education Synergies (RECIPES) for Sustainable Food Systems,” the project will study food waste and work toward sustainability and equity in food systems under the leadership of AU principle investigator, Siddiqui.
Faculty Labs
- Aquila Lab, Valentina Aquila
- Biogeochemistry Lab, Steve Macavoy
- Ecohydrology Lab, Karen Knee
Bulletins
- Michael Alonzo appeared in a Science Friday live event to discuss his research into the cooling benefits of trees in urban areas. The event was broadcast on several public radio stations.
- Valentina Aquila spoke with Mashable about volcanic eruptions.
- Graduate student Jonathan Craig was profiled by The Eagle about their research on microplastics in the Anacostia River.
- Prof Mike Alonzo, postdoc Thu Ya Kyaw, graduate student Glory Iorliam, and other collaborators conducting tree measurements at UMBC.
More Bulletins
Karen L. Knee spoke with Wired about the dangers of the bacteria Vibrio vulnificus — which is prevalent in hot coastal waters.
Stephen MacAvoy spoke with National Geographic about how to make sense of extreme weather events.
Prof Valentina Aquila details the wildfire and air quality hazard.
Ashley Hocking was awarded a Udall Scholarship, which she will use to fulfill her dream of studying abroad in Ecuador.
Student Hannah VanWagner pursues sustainability with AU's RECIPES project.
Madeleine Danzberger's team project Biome Builder won the first annual Sustainability Invent-a-thon.
Congratulations to ENVS students Maddie Young, Ashley Hocking, and Kat Raiano. All three have been selected for the American University 2023 Academic Achievement Award for Outstanding Achievement in Environmental Activism.
AU's Mike Alonzo led an NSF-funded project about "how trees respond to heat stress."
CAS Dean’s Awards: Jesse Meiller (left) and Sauleh Siddiqui (right) for Exceptional Impact and Karen Knee (middle) for Outstanding Contributions to an Inclusive Community. Kiho Kim received the Outstanding Service to the University Community Award.
Stephanie Braddock completed her MS in Environmental Science and joined the PhD program in Atmospheric Physics at Rutgers.
Kruttika Gopal (BA Environmental Studies, 2023) was awarded the 2021 Udall scholarship.
Elisa Davey (MS 2022) recently started a full-time position with the EPA, working on biosolids.
Emily Nguyen (MS 2022) joined Conservation International as a Program Coordinator.
Student Spotlights
Hana Bahlawan BS Environmental Science '22
More about Hana
Hana Bahlawan is a senior majoring in Environmental Science. She is also a member of the US Air Force ROTC (Lt. Col. AFROTC)! Hana is examining the concentration and distribution of a novel PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) called Bibenzyl which is used in flame retardants, electronics, and textile production. She is looking at both suburban and urban steam sediments that may receive different degrees of sewage input and will test for differences.
Faith Lewis BA Environmental Studies and Economics ‘20
More about Faith
As a Student Sustainability Educator, I like finding out what people are interested in, and then catering to those interests. The environment affects everybody, and it's really our job to show people the way in which it affects them. It helps that people are very receptive at AU, so I don't have a hard time engaging with people.
I hope people see the merit of what we’re doing & are inspired to join the fight
Find out how you can get involved with Sustainability at AU.