Environment Science Faculty & Administration

K. L. Knee Associate Professor and Department Chair, Environmental Science CAS | Environmental Science

My research is centered around two main themes: (1) understanding how human activities like oil and gas extraction, mining, agriculture, and urban development affect water quality, and (2) using the n

  knee@american.edu

  (202) 885-1093

Graduate Program Director

 

Stephen MacAvoy Associate Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Working in biogeochemistry and ecology, Professor MacAvoy has been particularly interested in how both nutrients and contaminants flow through, and are incorporated by, aquatic ecosystem components. R

  macavoy@american.edu

  (202) 885-6300

All Faculty

Last name starts with A

Mike Alonzo Associate Professor CAS | Environmental Science

I use satellite and drone imagery (plus other geospatial tools) to study forests and land cover change, mostly in urban or boreal domains. Current or recent projects include: 1) Urban trees and coolin

  alonzo@american.edu

  (202) 885-1770

Valentina Aquila Associate Professor CAS | Environmental Science

I am an atmospheric scientist focused on the role of aerosols in the climate system. My main focus is stratospheric aerosol, mostly from volcanic eruptions but also from pollution, forest fires, and g

  aquila@american.edu

  (202) 885-1772

Last name starts with B

Barbara Balestra Senior Professorial Lecturer CAS | Environmental Science

I am a micropaleontologist and my research covers different aspects of paleoceanography and paleoclimate. In 2018, I joined the Environmental Science Department at American University as director of t

  balestra@american.edu

  (202) 885-7101

Kristine Beran Professorial Lecturer CAS | Environmental Science

As a social scientist my research focuses on natural resource management with an emphasis on post-harvest loss, value chain improvements, global trade and marketing of seafood toward sustainability-an

  beran@american.edu

Simon Bird Professorial Lecturer CAS | Environmental Science

Dr. Simon Bird is an ecologist and conservation biologist with interests in environmental education and urban sustainability. He has two decades of experience teaching environmental biology, ecology,

  sbird@american.edu

Willem Brakel Adjunct Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Willem Brakel is an environmental scientist, teacher and career diplomat with broad experience conducting research in marine and freshwater ecosystems, managing government programs, and advocating/neg

  brakel@american.edu

  (202) 885-1751

Michael Brody Adjunct Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Michael Brody is an environmental scientist who had a long career in the Federal Government before coming to American University as an Adjunct Professor in Fall 2012. During the current Spring Semeste

  mbrody@american.edu

Last name starts with C

Albert Cheh Prof Emeritus

My research focuses on signatures of exposure to environmental carcinogens. I have also studied the enzymatic digestion of biomass to produce cellulosic ethanol biofuel, error-prone bypass DNA polymer

David Culver Adjunct In Residence CAS | Environmental Science

David C. Culver did his undergraduate work at Grinnell College and his PhD at Yale University.The author or editor of five books and over 100 articles, he has studied many aspects of the biology of su

  dculver@american.edu

  (202) 885-6300

Last name starts with G

Alexander Golub Adjunct Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Alexander Golub has 25 years of experience in environmental and natural resource economics, including 20 years of experience in energy and climate change with particular focus on climate economics and

  agolub@american.edu

Last name starts with H

Eleanor Harris Research Assistant Professor-in-Residence CAS | Environmental Science

Dr. Eleanor Harris (Burch) is Managing Director of the Clifton Institute. Her research on social systems' evolution explores how social groups maintain cohesion, process information, and perform colle

  eharris@american.edu

John Harris Research Assistant Professor-in-Residence CAS | Environmental Science

Bert is Executive Director of the Clifton Institute (Warrenton, VA) and has a long-standing interest in the ecology and conservation of forests and grasslands in the eastern United States. He grew up

  bharris@american.edu

Last name starts with K

Dhananjaya Katju Professorial Lecturer CAS | Environmental Science

I am an interdisciplinary environmental scientist with a diverse background in wildlife science, tropical ecology, conservation biology, and political ecology. My research applies an integrative appro

  katju@american.edu

Kiho Kim Adjunct Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Kiho Kim (he/him) is an adjunct Professor in the Department of Environmental Science.As a marine scientist, his research focuses on understanding how environmental drivers, such as nutrient pollution

  kiho@american.edu

  (202) 885-2181

K. L. Knee Associate Professor and Department Chair, Environmental Science CAS | Environmental Science

My research is centered around two main themes: (1) understanding how human activities like oil and gas extraction, mining, agriculture, and urban development affect water quality, and (2) using the n

  knee@american.edu

  (202) 885-1093

Chelsea Koch Assistant Professor CAS | Environmental Science

I am a marine scientist with a focus on Arctic ecosystems. My research involves the measurement of biomarkers, stable isotopes, and contaminants to understand how climate change and pollution are impa

  ckoch@american.edu

  (202) 885-2174

Kara Kokernak Adjunct Assistant Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Kara Shuster Kokernak is a Sustainability Manager at RE Tech Advisors, LLC, a real estate investment advisory firm that operates at the intersection of sustainability, technology, and buildings. RE Te

  kokernak@american.edu

Thu Ya Kyaw Postdoctoral Fellow CAS | Environmental Science

Dr. Thu Ya Kyaw is a remote sensor and tree physiologist. His experienced research domains are tree physiology, multi- and hyperspectral remote sensing, quantifying forest and land cover changes, GIS-

  kyaw@american.edu

Last name starts with M

Stephen MacAvoy Associate Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Working in biogeochemistry and ecology, Professor MacAvoy has been particularly interested in how both nutrients and contaminants flow through, and are incorporated by, aquatic ecosystem components. R

  macavoy@american.edu

  (202) 885-6300

Last name starts with S

Sauleh Siddiqui Professor CAS | Environmental Science

Sauleh Siddiqui is a Professor of Environmental Science with an affiliation with the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at American University and a Research Fellow at the German Economic Research

  sauleh@american.edu

  (202) 885-7889

Last name starts with W

Claire Williams Research Professor-in-Residence Conversion Only

Dr. Williams holds a doctorate in forestry with a minor in genetics from North Carolina State University and in 2021, she completed a MA degree in Global Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. While her career h

  cgwill@american.edu

Affiliate Faculty

David Carlini Associate Professor CAS | Biology

My research interests include the evolution and genetics of natural populations, and the molecular evolution of protein-coding genes.

  (202) 885-2184

C. Anne Claus Associate Professor CAS | Anthropology

C. Anne Claus is a cultural anthropologist who researches environmental issues in contemporary seascapes, primarily in Japan. Her academic work investigates how the interplay of international and loca

  claus@american.edu

  (202) 885-6797

Christopher Tudge Professor CAS | Biology

Dr. Tudge is a reproductive biologist with particular interests in the reproductive biology of invertebrates. His research focuses on the reproductive cells and associated structures, evolutionary mec

  ctudge@american.edu

  (202) 885-2033