Annual Report 2024 2025

Image: Tray of plant seedlings. Courtesy of Wade Isphording.

SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM

2024-2025 Annual Newsletter

Image: Entrance to University of Cincinnati in the springtime.

Table of Contents 02

Table of Contents

12

Research & Scholarship

03

Director Message

16

Engagement

04

About Us

21

Thank you

05

Teaching & Learning

A Year's Overview

A MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL DIRECTOR Welcome to the annual report from the School of Environment and Sustainability (SEaS), the home of Environmental Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Cincinnati.

The School of Environment and Sustainability (SEaS) is thriving. Students, faculty, and alumni continue to address pressing challenges facing the Greater Cincinnati area and the planet.

SEaS is the home of the Environmental Studies BS and BA, as well as two minor tracks, which combined serve around 300 students.

We are thrilled to provide unparalleled experiential learning opportunities to our current students, from study abroad opportunities in Brazil, Costa Rica, and Germany to research experiences in the local area on gaslight emissions.

We are excited to grow our program and are in the process of creating micro-credentials, certificates, and graduate degrees in sustainability.

We continue to thrive with alumni support and partnerships in the Greater Cincinnati Area as well as through co-curricular and extracurricular partnerships with student organizations on campus, such as Leaders for Environmental Awareness and Protection (LEAP), Net Impact, UC Students for Burnet Woods, the Horticulture Club, Ornithology Club, and Mountaineering Club, amongst others.

SEaS is also excited to partner with the UC Center for Field Studies. We would welcome you to check out its programming. Open throughout the week, its 17.6-acre parcel of land is one of the university’s most advanced teaching and research facilities.

Want to stay involved? Here is how: Learn more about recent SEaS news by visiting our website.

Support our programs and give to a fund that furthers the work of our school.

Connect with us to discover opportunities to interact with, mentor, and employ our current students.

Laura Zanotti, PhD Director and Professor School of Environment and Sustainability

ABOUT US

Image: SEaS faculty and students tabling at the UC Sustainability Fair in Fall of 2024.

The School of Environment and Sustainability (SEaS) is a community of scholars and students dedicated to understanding and meeting the world’s environmental challenges. The School of Environment and Sustainability is home to the Environmental Studies BS and BA, minors in Environmental Studies and Environmental Analysis and Policy as well as microcredentials in sustainability.

SEaS brings together expertise in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities to create a transdisciplinary approach to problem solving both in the classroom and beyond. Students, faculty, and staff in SEaS co-create impactful action that can meet the seemingly insurmountable challenges we face.

COOPERATIVELY CREATING A JUST AND ECOLOGICALLY THRIVING WORLD.

TEACHING & LEARNING

STUDENTS ARE AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO. Professor Bob Hyland inspires students in the Environmental Studies Capstone and Environmental Writing classes by linking them to community partners, like the Mill Creek Alliance and building capacity in events like the annual Environmental Justice and Advocacy Symposium.

Drs. Susan Allen, Kevin Gibson, and Daniel Murphy catalyze problem-solving and historical thinking in their environmental studies, geography, and anthropology courses that teach GIS, paleoethnobotany, futures thinking, and more!

Drs. Rob Skipper, Eduardo Martinez, and Muhammad Faruque spark critical thinking about ethics, food, democracy, and environmental change.

Image: A group of Environmental Studies students during the pandemic at Gorman Heritage Farm

WE OFFER Majors Environmental Studies, BS Environmental Studies, BA Minors Environmental Studies Minor Environmental Analysis + Policy Minor

STUDENTS AND FACULTY WORK TOGETHER IN ACTION-ORIENTED CLASSROOMS THAT SUPPORT COOP, INTERNSHIP AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS CAREER PLANNING.

Micro-Credentials Introduction to Sustainability Advanced Topics Sustainability Graduate Sustainability Micro-Credential Image: During an interactive presentation at Greenacres, an Environmental Studies student holds up two different types of soils.

CAPSTONE PROJECTS Annually, our most senior students embark on formulating, researching, and completing group-based projects. Through engaging with partner organizations and community members, students tackle a sustainability challenge together. Below, we share the titles of the range of interdisciplinary projects our students led this year to make a difference!

2024-2025 PROJECT TITLES A Better Bin: Hamilton County Recycling Plan Proposal An Analysis of Community Perceptions Toward Natural Gas Street Lamps in the City of Cincinnati An Evaluation of E. coli in the Soil and Water of Burnet Woods’ Lower Valley An Interdisciplinary Investigation of Steel Production Pollution in Middletown, OH Assessing the Presence of Per-/Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Along the Mill Creek Waterway: Locating Point Sources and Prospects for Remediation Biodiversity and Health of Coral Species in Cahuita National Park Cincinnati Arboretum Biodiversity Assessment Designing and Testing Educational Signage for Greenspaces Effects of Natural vs. Artificial Light on Growth, Productivity, and Hardiness of Thymus vulgaris Planter Boxes for Pollinators & Communities Pollution in Soils: Microplastics in Soil and their Effect on Berseem Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) The Effects of Biodiversity Loss Due to Climate Change on African Communities and Their Livelihoods Utilization of Invasive Species in North America for Invasive Species Management

STUDY ABROAD Experiential and place-based learning in international contexts afford our students opportunities to engage in cross-cultural exchange, increase awareness of local to global problems, and learn critical skills for the global workforce.

BRAZIL

Dr. Stephen Matter and Dr. Laura Zanotti lead students to Brazil on two separate study abroad programs. The Amazon River basin is one of the largest, intact, tropical ecosystems in the world and has long been stewarded by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. These courses offer students the opportunity to personally experience and develop a passion for sustainability, community collaborations, and biocultural diversity as they reflect on the interconnectedness of riverscapes across the Americas.

Image: A student on the Brazil abroad course taking a photo amongst banana trees.

COSTA RICA

Dr. Teri Jacobs leads students to Costa Rica where students are immersed in learning about how a nation can meet sustainable challenges and address a myriad of environmental problems (e.g., sustainable farming for coffee and chocolate, biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, etc.). At the same time, students responsibly enjoy beaches and rainforests, boost local economies, support local host communities, reduce ecological impacts, restore biodiversity, and understand Pura Vida (i.e., the way of Costa Rican life).

Image: A view of a landscape in Costa Rica.

GERMANY

Dr. David Stradling offers a Germany study abroad experience to Amsterdam and Essen where students analyze the development of American and German cities in the second half of the 20th and early 21st. With a mix of environmental and urban history techniques, the students learn how to addresses the economic factors leading to deindustrialization and the many attempts to repair environmental damage and reverse urban decline through the development of sustainable and resilient cities.

Image: Students on David Stradling’s recent trip to Germany in Spring 2025

ARNOLD I. MILLER AWARD We annually offer awards to honor an outstanding students in Environmental Studies . The Arnold I. Miller Award recognizes students for high achievement in the classroom and extraordinary engagement in the community. The award also comes with a monetary prize.

Miller is an emeritus professor of geology, former senior associate dean, and a former director of the EVST program. Students Wade Isphording and Sarah Austgen were the Arnold I. Miller Awardees in 2025.

Sarah Austgen was recognized for her work with the UC Student Organization Net Impact, internship with the Urban Farming Initiative, and her recent efforts that landed a GCP Seeds of Change youth grant for a project she is am working on with the Director of Horticulture to beautify the planter beds at the main entrance of DAAP by turning them into a pollinator garden.

Wade Isphording’s journey with Environmental Studies has greatly shaped his understanding of sustainability and has inspired him to take an active role in environmental stewardship as well as community engagement. Through his work at the Bearcats Pantry, he has harvested over 200 pounds of produce to support students facing food insecurity. His leadership in UC Horticulture Club has allowed him to foster a sense of community regarding all thing's plants whether it be plant propagation, field trips to botanical settings, and educational meetings on gardening/keeping houseplants. Wade’s work with Mt. Auburn community gardens and Groundwork Ohio River Valley has strengthened his dedication to environmental education.

Image: Wade Isphording (left) and Sarah Austgen (right) at Springfest in Burnet Woods holding their award certificates

ARNOLD I. MILLER AWARD

Images: Photos provided by Wade Isphording and Sarah Austgen representing the range of their activities and impact

EXTRACURRICULAR STUDENT GROUPS Our students lead and participate in a wide variety of UC student organizations, which we regularly partner with to put on events, organize programming, and take action.

Leaders for Environmental Awareness and Protection LEAP is a student organization that aims to create alliances and unite student leaders with diverse backgrounds, interests, and talents with faculty and local environmental organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area.

UC Students for Burnet Woods UC4BW is a group of students who are passionate about our sacred green space that neighbors UC's main campus. We work for and support initiatives that promote equitable access to the park, as well as the park's preservation and well-being.

Net Impact is a student organization whose mission is to shift the narrative around sustainability and organizational practices to create transformative awareness in student mindsets of all disciplines at UC. Through fun, beautiful, and collaborative experiences we develop conscious leaders that understand the importance of the triple bottom line.

Check out all of the sustainability student groups, curated by Net Impact.

Images: A UC Net Impact group photo during an event.

RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP

MEET OUR FACULTY

Laura Zanotti

Teri Jacobs

Julia S. Carlson

Muhammad Faruque

Professor + Director Env Culture, Film, Rights Community Engagement

Asst Prof Educator Undergrad Director Geography, Soil Science, Conservation

Associate Professor Romanticism, Env Film, Ecopoetics

Associate Professor Philosophy, Environment, Ethics, Religion

Bob Hyland

Stephen Matter

Daniel Murphy

Kenneth Petren

Associate Professor Educator Env Writing, Env Justice, Community Engagement

Professor Ecology, Insect Plant Interactions

Associate Professor Culture, Economics, Risk, Pastoralism

Professor Conservation, Comparative landscape genetics

Robert Skipper

David Stradling

Sarah Sturmer

Amy Townsend-Small

Professor

Zane L. Miller Professor of Urban History

Instructor - Adjunct Ann Environmental Studies

History and Philosophy of Biology

Environmental History, Pollution, Urbanization, Dredging

Learn more about us and our community

Professor Impacts of the Oil & Gas industry, Community Engagement

Images: A photo of Amy Townsend-Small (left) and EVST student (Right) presenting their work on gas streetlights and methane emissions.

RESEARCH Research is built into the Environmental Studies curriculum. Students can select from a wide range of experiences to conduct research, during their capstone projects, co-ops, internships, in advanced courses, or in partnership with research faculty.

For example, in 2024, students undertook community engaged service-learning projects with the City of Cincinnati Office of Environment and Sustainability.

Each year, students celebrate and present their work at the UC Undergraduate Scholarly Showcase or at the Midwest Regional Climate Summit. For a full list of research opportunities, please check out our Undergraduate Research Page.

UC SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS

Daniel Murphy Associate Professor

At UC’s Annual Sustainability Week in January of 2025, Associate Professor Daniel Murphy (Anthropology, School of Environment and Sustainability) was recognized by the UC Office of Sustainability as the recipient of the UC Sustainability Research Award for the year.

Bob Hyland

Associate Professor-Educator Associate Professor Educator Bob Hyland (School of Environment and Sustainability, English) was one of two professors at UC who in 2025 received the Faculty Award from the UC Office of Sustainability. Hyland’s award also was given during an award ceremony held by the UC Office of Sustainability during UC’s Annual Sustainability Week.

OHIO RIVER VALLEY CLIMATE CHANGE & HEALTH CONFERENCE AUGUST 6 & 7, 2025

Dr. Amy Townsend-Small is hosting an Ohio Valley Climate Change and Health Conference on UC’s campus in the summer of 2025 to build wellbeing and resilience in the Ohio River Valley. The conference will include sessions on the largest geo-health issues in our region such as increased levels of environmental contaminants, extreme heat, flooding and combined sewer overflows. This is a results-oriented, interactive conference for scientists and students in the Earth and health sciences. Participants will meet new people, exchange ideas, and create tangible outcomes!

ENGAGEMENT

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES SEaS is a vibrant community! Each year we collaborate on several events to serve broader publics and celebrate work together. From annual end of the year celebrations like Spring Fest to partnerships with the city to introduce electrification to our students there is something for everyone. A sample of some of the many events we hosted last year are below! Many thanks to all of our cosponsors.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND ADVOCACY SYMPOSIUM On Friday December 6, 2024, the Environmental Justice and Advocacy Symposium (EJAS) brought together A&S alumni, faculty, staff and students across disciplines; and from around the world to discuss what's next in Climate and Sustainability. We had a crowded audience at MainStreet Cinema who enjoyed 10-minute presentations from A&S alumni who are working to solve climate and sustainability challenges in various sectors. The student poster session and networking reception in the TUC Atrium were a success! This event was sponsored by the School of Environment and Sustainability and the A&S Alumni Foundation with generous support from the Taft Research Center.

MIDWEST REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY SUMMIT Dr. Laura Zanotti partnered with the UC Center for Field Studies to represent SEaS at the 2025 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit. Held on June 5, 2025, in the Sharonville Convention Center, the summit featured more than 100 speakers from across the region passionate about building a sustainable and resilient future. The Summit is an annual event, hosted by the Green Umbrella.

Image: SEaS Postcards featured at the Summit.

Image: Work at a local garden. Courtesy of Wade Isphording.

Alumni Advisory Board We are thrilled to welcome the new Alumni Advisory Board! Alumni provide critical advice on and insights to our program, regularly visit Environmental Studies classes, mentor current students, supervise internships, and - starting this year formed and sustained an Alumni Advisory Board.

The Alumni Advisory Board at UC has set up a LinkedIn group for current students, alumni, and faculty. Join us to connect, post job opportunities, and share events!!

Scan the QR code to join!

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who makes this work possible. A special thanks to our Alumni Advisory Council and our donors for your ongoing support and generosity.