Environment and Resources PhD - completed Summer 2016

My research explores the social and cultural dimensions of land and water resource uses that impact the sustainability of urban and rural environments. Using a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods, I study how human values, beliefs, and attitudes shape environmental behavior, decision making, and management, especially in working landscapes and postindustrial settings. I am particularly interested in understanding how community-based, participatory processes can lead to the holistic framing of environmental problems and the creation of equitable solutions. The purpose of my research is to involve students, scholars from other environmental disciplines, and community stakeholders in applied, transdisciplinary environmental problem-solving using rigorous and credible scientific methods. Undergraduate students working with me have the opportunity to collaboratively create research questions, build relationships with community stakeholders, collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data, and communicate findings to a variety of audiences. The ultimate aim of my research is to inform the development of effective outreach and educational strategies with respect to urban and rural environmental challenges, and to support the formation of inclusive social processes that lead to sound environmental policy at municipal and regional scales.