Environmental Studies Newsletter - Spring 2023

ENV I RONMEN T A L

STUD I E S

F R O M T H E PR OGRAM

I hope this newsletter finds you someplace warm and welcoming. It’s been a fairly mild winter in Lex — only a couple brief cold snaps and no snow as of yet.

There’s lots to share in this year’s newsletter, so I’m not going to take up precious space with my ramblings. It’s been an eventful year since our last reflection. We learned that two iconic ENV faculty, Greg Cooper and Jim Kahn, will be retiring at the end of this academic year. The university allowed us to search for a new, fulltime assistant professor in ENV and we were able to recruit and hire an outstanding environmental sociologist, Mauricio Betancourt de la Parra. Professor Betancourt de la Parra will expand our course offerings in exciting new directions — you will be hearing more about him in next year’s newsletter.

We will be graduating our largest senior class in May, with 34 students set to complete the major or minor. These students represent an amazing diversity of perspectives and interests within the field of environmental studies. Their capstone projects range from original artwork to sustainable investing strategies. An equally diverse and talented (and nearly as large) group

CAREER PANEL

The fourth annual geoscience and Environmental Career Panel took place during the 2022 Winter Term. Our alumni panel included:

Sarah Walters Burnsed ’01 — Biologist at the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Duncan Manley ’20 — Project Finance Analyst at Safari Energy

Lauren McManus ’18 —ESG Consultant at Clermont Partners

Sam Ross ’18 — Staff Geologist at Trihydro Corporation

of juniors is coming up behind them, and our sophomore class is already growing rapidly. It’s fun to see the energy our students bring to the program, and their passion for environmental progress is undeniable.

Finally, we’ve been receiving updates from more of you over the last year as people check in with us after receiving the annual newsletter — and I can’t tell you how much we appreciate and enjoy hearing from you all! It’s incredible to hear about the pathways you’ve pursued and accomplishments you’ve achieved since W&L. Thank you to everyone that has reached out to fill us in on where you’re at and what you’re up to. Remember that we’re still updating our mailing lists, so if you are still hanging out with some of your ENV classmates, please encourage them to drop us a line. Above all else, stay in touch and keep us posted on what you’re getting into. And if you find yourself visiting Lex, be sure to stop by our new digs in the lower floor of Tucker Hall.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Kerriann Laubach Shabanowitz ’13 ’16L — Attorney-Advisor at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Following the panel discussion, students were invited to a reception where they could talk with the visiting alumni and ask questions about their career paths. It was another extremely successful event and the students walked away with a lot of insight. We thank all of our alumni panelists for taking the time out of their busy schedules to share their journeys with our students. 

Panel Co-Sponsored by Career and Professional Services

WINTER LECTURE

In Winter term 2022, the Environmental Studies program hosted a talk by guest speaker Gerald Torres. Torres is a professor of Environmental Justice at the Yale School of the Environment and professor at the Yale Law School. He is former president of the Association of American Law Schools and has previously taught at Stanford Law School and Harvard Law School, where he served as the Oneida Nation Visiting Professor of Law. Torres served as Counsel to the Attorney General on environmental matters and Indian affairs at the U.S. Department of Justice.

He has also served on the boards of the Environmental Law Institute, the EPA’s National Environmental Justice Advisory Council and the National Petroleum Council. While originally planned to be a campus visit, his talk — titled “Tribal Sovereignty and Resource Management: The Complexities of Past and Future” — switched to a Zoom webinar due to COVID-19. The event was enjoyed by a large audience, including Environmental Studies students and faculty, students and faculty from a variety of other departments in the College, and members of the Lexington community. 

KAHN AND COOPER RETIREMENT

If you graduated from our program in the past 20 years, you almost certainly took a course from Professors Jim Kahn and Greg Cooper. Professor Cooper left Duke University in 1999 to join the Philosophy Department at W&L and has been a core faculty member in the Environmental Studies Program since his arrival. His courses in environmental ethics have been central in our curriculum, and his course “Ecology of Place,” co-taught with Professor of Biology Larry Hurd, has introduced many students to the unique ecological context of life in Rockbridge County. Professor Kahn ’75 left his post at the University of Tennessee to join W&L’s Economics Department and to serve as the first director of the Environmental Studies Program in 2000. His research and courses with colleagues in Brazil formed the foundations of our featured Amazon Study Abroad program, which introduced scores of

students to the rainforests and communities of Amazonas, as well as the challenges that rapid development posed to the rich natural resources of the area. It is an understatement to say that the Environmental Studies Program owes much of its success over the past 20-plus years to Kahn and Cooper’s contributions.

Kahn and Cooper will be retiring at the end of this academic year, and we will feature more about their work in next year’s newsletter. If you would like to share anything about your experience with either of these great professors that we can in turn share with them and the Environmental Studies community, we would love to hear from you. Please send your reflections by email to Robert Humston at humstonr@wlu.edu. We will compile them to share at the joint retirement party in the spring and in next year’s newsletter. Please do let us hear from you!

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Bill Hamilton

DEPARTMENT CHAIR; PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

What classes are you teaching?

BIOL 111: Yellowstone Ecology; BIOL 330 Experimental Botany: Global Climate Change; and BIOL 332: Plant Functional Ecology (ST in Yellowstone)

Can you tell us about the research / scholarship projects you are working on right now (or projects recently completed)?

My students and I have been working with the National Park Service since 2013 on a long-term grazing project, which is funded by the Department of Interior. It focuses on the effects of Bison grazing (but Elk, Pronghorn and Blacktail deer graze the sites too) on grassland productivity, soil organic matter decomposition and nitrogen cycling (including microbial abundance and diversity). Since 2013, we have monitored over 35 sites in Yellowstone; in the last three years, we have added the monitoring of bird and arthropod diversity.

Studying the environment can sometimes be disheartening. What is something you have seen or read recently that makes you excited about the environment?

Bill McKibben’s talk, “The Climate of Climate: Are We Finally Starting to Move,” which he presented in the University Chapel at W&L.

What music (artists, genre, album, etc) is getting the most play on your speakers lately? Always the Beastie Boys, Charley Crockett, Sierra Ferrell, Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers. 

Chelsea Fisher

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

What classes are you teaching?

To round out the rest of the 20222023 academic year, I’ll be teaching Environmental Humanities, Food and the Environment, and my Spring Term class, Environmental Archaeology. I’m very excited to engage our ENV students in some of my favorite topics: nuclear waste markers, Shaker farming communes, iron furnaces, Niagara Falls and the Paleo diet.

Can you tell us about the research / scholarship projects you are working on right now (or projects recently completed)?

I have a book coming out! It’s called “Rooting in a Useless Land: Ancient Farmers, Celebrity Chefs, and Environmental Justice in Yucatán.” I started writing it in summer 2021, worked on it through my pre-tenure sabbatical in fall 2021, and submitted the first draft to my publisher, the University of California Press, in January 2022, though it’s based on work I’ve been doing since I was back in grad school.

Here’s the little summary I sent my editor for the book jacket: “In ‘Rooting in a Useless Land,’ Chelsea Fisher uses archaeology to examine the deep histories of environmental justice conflicts in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. Fisher draws on her innovative archaeological research in Yaxunah, an Indigenous Maya farming community dealing with the tensions of possible land dispossession, but with a surprising twist: Yaxunah also happens to be entangled with prestigious sustainable development projects and the most famous

chefs in the world. Fisher contends that in Yaxunah and across Yucatán, sustainable development initiatives and celebrity chefs inadvertently bolster the useless land narrative — a colonial belief that Maya forests are empty wastelands, which has been driving Indigenous land dispossession and environmental injustice for centuries. ‘Rooting in a Useless Land’ explores how archaeology, practiced with communities and located in so-called wastelands, can counter the useless land narrative by restoring history and relationship with contested ground.”

On the cover will be a spooky old photograph of a burnt cornfield. I took my own author photo; I sent it to my editorial assistant months ago, but he still hasn’t said anything about it. So I hope this means we can both pretend it never happened. All bad selfies aside, I’m very excited about my book, and you can look for it in fall 2023!

Studying the environment can sometimes be disheartening. What is something you have seen or read recently that makes you excited about the environment?

Lately I feel more heartened than I have in a long time, but I also believe that it’s normal and OK to pass through cycles of despair and hope about these things. The last couple of months I’ve been grateful for the work of Richard Rohr and the folks at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in helping me navigate those cycles.

What is your current favorite movie / TV show / podcast / etc. and why?

I love the podcast “Maintenance Phase,” hosted by Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes. Gordon and Hobbes debunk wellness industry myths and deconstruct health fads — think Snackwell’s cookies, the “sleep loss epidemic,” celery juice, the President’s Physical Fitness Test, apple cider vinegar and Goop. I love the way they incorporate research into the show and connect to really compelling questions about food policy and culture! 

2022 SENIOR CAPSTONES

The senior capstone in the Environmental Studies Program is a central part of our curriculum, where students design their own culminating experience to integrate and apply what they learned in their studies at Washington and Lee. This past year saw perhaps the widest array of topics and projects tackled yet. Students designed service projects and social entrepreneurship business plans, created digital books and interactive web stories, and charted solutions to sustainability challenges. Here’s the list of capstone titles produced by this remarkable graduating class:

Ruth Abraham — “Preferences for Intervention Methods of Shared Ecological Resources in Barcelos, Amazonas, Brazil.”

Annie Bernot — “Healthcare Sustainability: Repurposing Surgical Sterilization Wraps as a Waste Reduction Strategy”

Adelaide Burton — “Transitioning the Washington & Lee Fleet to Electric Vehicles — A Viability Case Study”

Chris Curtis — “Solutions for protecting vulnerable transportation infrastructure and social equity in Miami-Dade”

Joey Dunn & Justin Littlejohn — “Social enterprise business plan for solutions to mitigate urban heat islands”

Ella Hall — “Environmental and Financial Potential of a Menstrual Cup — A Service Project”

Maya Hernandez — “Voices of the Valley — Oral Histories of Pipeline Resistance”

Sarah Hollen — “The Role of Deliberative Democracy in Environmental Decision-Making — A Case Study of the Thacker Pass Lithium Mining Project”

Nick Greenberg — “Using Social Media to Better Communicate Scientific Research in the Outdoor Community”

Mark Lamendola — Understanding Patterns and Preferences of Campus Green Space Use at Washington and Lee University

A.J. Mabaka — “Offshore Wind Energy & Commercial Fisheries Technical Report: Environmental Impact Analysis of the South Fork Wind Farm & Export Cable on the Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery”

Bri Mondesir — “Searching for Stability — The Intersections of Environment, Income, and Health”

Judy Park — The Sinking Village of America — Shismaref, Alaska”

Whit Rudder — “Maury River Restoration through Community Engagement”

Christopher Watt — “Metrics to Assess Indifly’s Support of Socio-Economic Well-being in Indigenous Communities”

ALGERNON SYDNEY SULLIVAN AWARD

Environmental studies major, Bri Mondesir ’22, was the recipient of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for 2022.

A Bonner Scholar, Bri completed more than 1,800 hours of community service and leadership training while at Washington and Lee. She volunteered at W&L’s Campus Kitchen and became president of the Campus Kitchen leadership team. Bri also served as a Campus Kitchen intern, collaborating with community partner agencies, working in the Campus Garden, preparing and delivering meals, and planning for the next academic year.

Bri served in leadership roles for many other organizations as well, including Students for Educational Justice, based in New Haven, Connecticut; Live Healthy Rockbridge Coalition; Community First; and the Student Judicial Council. She was an active member of the Student Association for Black Unity, Amnesty International, Tri Beta Biological Honor Society, and the Native American Student Organization. During her sophomore year, Bri worked as a remote intern for Amartya, an environmental NGO in Buenos Aires, and she studied the impact of environmental issues on low-income communities in Argentina.

As part of a W&L project, Bri assisted Carilion Clinic with its tri-annual community health assessment for Rockbridge County, which included conducting focus groups to identify barriers to good health. This project, as well as her academic studies, volunteer work, and internship experiences have cemented Bri’s interest in public health. Following graduation, Bri moved to Durham, North Carolina where she began work for Spark Point Fundraising as a fulltime grant writer. Her postgraduate plans also include returning to school to pursue a master’s degree and Ph.D. in public health. 

STUDENT AWARDS

hernandez completed the climate change track of the environmental studies major and also completed a major in politics. She was recognized with this award not only for her outstanding record of success in her courses, but also her excellent work in the capstone course. In her capstone project, Hernandez documented an oral history of resistance to the Mountain Valley Pipeline project in Appalachia through interviews with stakeholders, ranging from the environmental lawyers waging the legal battle to the activists on the front lines of injustice and resistance. Hernandez’s capstone project was an outstanding culmination of her academic work, and is a great example of what we hope our students can achieve in our program.

hollen Was recognized for her efforts in support of sustainability on campus and in the local community throughout her four years at W&L. Her nomination for this award highlighted her leadership in sustainability initiatives in athletics, as well as the time she devoted to supporting efforts at Boxerwood Gardens. She clearly led by example with these efforts and had a significant impact on the university and Rockbridge communities. This award symbolizes our appreciation for Hollen’s dedication to improving environmental sustainability on campus and in our community.

this aWard is given in recognition of significant accomplishment in the area of applied environmental conservation with an emphasis on river conservation and/or the American West. Mabaka was selected for this award based on the two summers that he invested in research with the Henry’s Fork Foundation (HFF). His first year with HFF in 2020 was limited to remote work due to pandemic-related restrictions; however, he impressed the scientists at HFF so much that they invited him back to complete more work on the project in person the following year. The HFF and their work were near and dear to Al Knight’s heart — we are certain he would be delighted with Mabaka’s contributions to their research and conservation efforts.

throughout his four years at W&L, Dunn was a leader in our program in the area of sustainable commerce and paved the way for our major elective track in this field of study. Alongside his collaborator Justin Littlejohn, Dunn forged new ground in the senior capstone class with a social entrepreneurship business plan to provide mitigation solutions for urban heat islands. Through his dedicated efforts in this field, he blazed a trail for other students to follow in future years.

Maya Hernandez ’22 Bates Prize for Academic Achievement in Environmental Studies

Sarah Hollen ’22 Bates Prize for Environmental Citizenship in Environmental Studies

AJ Mabaka ’22 Al Knight Conservation Award

Joey Dunn ’ 22 Bruce. M. Flohr Sustainable Commerce Award

Above: AJ Mabaka, Joey Dunn, Robert Humston, and Maya Hernandez at the 2022 ENV End-of-Year Gathering and Awards Ceremony

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

With a return to a more normal summer, our students participated in an incredible array of summer internships in 2022. Below are just a few examples of how some of our students spent their summer.

Belen Delgado Mio ’23

Belen delgado mio ’23 Was an intern for the institute for energy and the environment (IEE) at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS), where she worked on three research projects: Beneficial Electrification (BE) within Agriculture, Solar on Marginal Farmlands and Farmland Solar Policy. BE is the process of electrifying appliances, machines and technologies that are traditionally powered by fossil fuels. Her project was focused on applying BE to appliances technology frequently utilized in agriculture, and she researched business models between farmers, land trusts and solar developers to develop solar arrays on farmland. Her responsibilities included policy and legal research, interviewing stakeholders, and presenting her findings to energy clinicians and IEE staff. 

Jules Seay ’23

Jules seay ’23 received a research felloWship at rutgers university from the National Science Foundation’s REU program (Research Experience for Undergraduates). Her lab focused on geobiology and ecosystem ecology, and her independent research was on utilizing Northern Hardwood tree species to promote forest health while sequestering carbon to combat climate change. At the end of the fellowship, Seay presented her work and developed a forest management recommendation for Duke Farms, recommending what trees should be planted to promote afforestation. 

Clara Albacete ’23

last summer, clara alBacete ’23 Went to argentina to complete research for her upcoming honors thesis on yerba mate. Mate is a tea-adjacent beverage that can be found growing in northern Argentina, Paraguay and southern Brazil, and is consumed in those countries, as well as in Uruguay. As a lifelong mate drinker herself, Albacete was thrilled to learn more about the cultural traditions behind the drink and the ecological properties of the location-specific plant. She was able to travel to Buenos Aires, San Juan, Córdoba, Corrientes, Chaco, Misiones and Iguazu Falls, located on the border between Argentina and Brazil. 

Madison Williams ’23

last summer, Williams Worked With professor david harBor on regenerative agriculture research focused on soil health. They conducted a comparative analysis between two adjacent farms: SideOats Farm and Verdant Acres Farm in Raphine. They tested soil compaction and water infiltration in the field and collected soil samples to test their differences in carbon content, moisture and aggregate stability, among other things. Williams also visited the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania, an organic farm which conducts research about sustainable farming practices, where she learned about their soil testing methods, along with new initiatives and projects. 

A VISIT TO IDAHO

The A. Paul Knight Internship, Henry’s Fork Foundation, and W&L’s Southeast Idaho Alumni Chapter.

This past summer, i visited W&l’s unofficial Southeast Idaho alumni chapter in Island Park, Idaho. It might be unofficial and there may not be a chapter president, but if you visit between late June and the first cold winds of winter, you are sure to run into more than a few folks who know their way around campus. Most visitors to this part of Idaho come for outdoor recreation, and particularly to fish for rising trout on the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River. Although there is a lot of interest in fly fishing among W&L’s students and alumni, the connections between Lexington and Island Park are ultimately due to the A. Paul Knight Internship Program in Conservation.

Harriman Ranch State Park

We profile the “Knight Interns” in our newsletters, but some of you may not know the history of this program. It was established in 1988 by Al Knight (’51L) in memory of his late son Paul (’85), who passed away in a backcountry hiking accident in Yellowstone National Park in 1985. Each year, the program hosts four undergraduate interns in Idaho to work at the Henry’s Fork Foundation, Harriman Ranch State Park and the Nature Conservancy’s Flat Ranch Preserve. The nature of their work changes from year to year, but the focus is always on natural resource conservation and access. The W&L Alumni Magazine featured a great article about the program on its 30th anniversary in 2018.

My summer visit was long overdue; former W&L wrestling coach Gary Franke had been inviting me out to visit him there for over 12 years, but my summer research plans always seemed to get in the way. Al Knight was active in shepherding the program and its interns each year, from recruiting new students in the fall to helping them get settled in Island Park in the summer. Al passed

away in 2019. After 30 years and over 130 W&L student participants, it was hard to imagine the program without Al’s presence. As the article in the W&L Magazine attests, most students who have gone through the Knight Internship program have described the experience as transformative. So, after the dust of the pandemic settled and the interns returned to Idaho, I traveled to Island Park to meet with the program’s supporters in person and to ensure that the Knight Program will continue to offer that experience to our students.

What I found there was more than reassuring. Our internship partners are committed to the experience of our students and to the continued success of the program. They offer the opportunity for students to work on a variety of projects, while also providing the flexibility and freedom to explore the area. And the area is indeed unique and stunning. Situated just west of the Tetons and within a short drive of Yellowstone National Park, it’s a landscape you can’t help but be inspired by whether fly fishing is your thing or not. And of course, it is woven together by the river itself,

which is indeed special (the legend is real — that’s all I’ll say). But the real kicker is the community of people that it attracts: fun, welcoming and liberally peppered with W&L folk. In my four days in the area, I connected with at least 10 different Lexington expatriates. All of them were very familiar with the Knight program, and most were former interns themselves. They all readily spoke of the impact it had on their lives and the connection they forged with this special place, and they expressed a desire to see the program continue to thrive.

I hope to make it back out to the Henry’s Fork sooner than later — I know I don’t want to wait another 12 years. But there will be four new interns traveling to Idaho this summer, and I am glad to know they will be welcomed by the community of friends that the Knight program has created there. And I won’t be surprised if I run into this crop of interns again on my next visit to Island Park. 

– Robert Humston

From left: Scott Harkins, Chris Brand, John McDaniel, Bob Chandler, and Robert Humston on the back patio of the Trout Hunter Lodge.

Coach Franke on the bank of the Henry’s Fork, waiting for a fish to rise.

KNIGHT INTERNS

When our knight interns returned to campus this fall, several of them referred to their summer as a “life changing” experience. The Knight Internships continue to support Washington and Lee students in learning about and participating in conservation activities in the West. It is a program like no other, and we are extremely grateful and proud of its long and successful history. The summer 2022 Knight Interns were:

Hanna Grace Galbreath ’23 — Henry’s Fork Foundation

Nelle Alexander ’23 — The Nature Conservancy at Flat Ranch

Emmie McElroy ’23 — The Nature Conservancy at Flat Ranch

Townsend Dotterer ’23 — Friends of Harriman State Park

Right are some pictures from the interns’ experiences this summer.

We Were also pleased to have a visit from gail knight last year. She continues to be a strong supporter of the Knight Internship program, and we were so glad that she was able to meet with some of our 2021 interns for lunch last year.

Emmie and Nelle catch a fish at sunset

Hannah Grace Galbreath using Sonde in boat at HFF

Nelle on ATV

Emmie and Townsend in Jackson Hole

Emmie, Townsend and Nelle at Yellowstone

Hannah Grace Galbreath with fellow intern in Teton

ALUMNI IN ACTION

Katie Petitt

CLASS OF 2017

What is your current professional position? Briefly describe your journey from W&L to your current position.

I am an associate attorney at ChattenBrown Law Group. We represent nonprofits and community groups to enforce state and federal environmental laws, including the California Environmental Quality Act, California Coastal Act and Endangered Species Act.

Throughout college, I knew that I wanted to work in a position that focuses on protecting the environment, but I didn’t know through what avenue. During my final year at W&L, I was particularly inspired by the environmental lawyers at Earthjustice, NRDC and other groups who played a crucial role in fighting efforts by the Trump administration to weaken our nation’s environmental laws.

Law school opened so many opportunities and connected me with people doing incredible work. My first legal internship was with Los Angeles Waterkeeper, a nonprofit working to protect the region’s waterways, ensure sustainable and equitable water supply management, and revitalize the L.A. River to restore its health and provide green spaces to the surrounding communities. This position reaffirmed I was

Who or what had the greatest influence on your getting to your current professional position?

My family has played a huge role in getting to where I am now. They have all been extremely supportive of my career goals and are always interested in talking about environmental challenges and policy. My mom instilled in me a love for the environment, especially San Diego’s beautiful natural resources. My dad is a great attorney and role model, and I strive to emulate his work ethic and love for the law.

The professors I had the opportunity to learn from have also been very influential. My undergraduate studies were extremely formative in learning about the real human cost of environmental harms. My legal internships and classes further underscored that these harms are disproportionately felt in economically disadvantaged communities. It was important to me to find a professional position that directly works to alleviate these harms.

Describe a current or recent project (either professionally or personally) you worked on and what you like most about it.

Much of my work involves challenging faulty environmental review of urban sprawl projects and ensuring legally compliant Climate Action Plans on behalf of Sierra Club and other nonprofits. The State of California is prioritizing greenhouse gas emission reductions and more sustainable, transit-oriented land use development to respond to the growing threat of climate change. I really like that this work helps implement those priorities and preserves crucial habitat. The Attorney General’s Office even intervened in a couple of our ongoing cases, and it has been a great experience to work alongside the State. At my previous firm, we secured a win last fall in the Los Angeles Superior Court in our challenge to a proposed warehouse and storage facility, adjacent to a school and park along the L.A. River, for the City of Los Angeles’ failure to disclose various environmental impacts. The parcel has long been envisioned as a park, as part of the wider goal to revitalize the river. I was very excited to contribute to the fight to secure more green space, especially in a park-poor area.

I could also go on about the various species I have learned about in the course of my work — such as the Western Snowy Plover, California Gnatcatcher, Western Spadefoot Toad, burrowing owl and Quino Checkerspot Butterfly, to name a few. California is home to so many diverse and special species that we are unfortunately seeing decline due to habitat loss.

What motivates you?

I’m primarily motivated by the fact that my work directly ties into protecting both people and the environment (the two are intertwined, of course). I get to work with and represent groups that have these same goals. So, I also am very motivated by doing the best job for my clients.

What was your favorite thing to do in Lexington when you were a student and what is your favorite thing to do now when you visit Lexington?

I’m not sure I can pick just one favorite thing! I absolutely loved going to Goshen Pass to swim, hike and just enjoy being in nature. The abundance of trees and green spaces is something that I thoroughly miss, especially now living in Los Angeles. I really enjoyed Lexington’s great breweries and restaurants. And playing soccer — I have so many special memories out on Watt Field. I still love to visit these places now, and especially love catching up with professors and friends from my time at W&L.

What music (artists, genre, album, etc) is getting the most play on your speakers lately?

I’m a huge fan of Caamp and Mt. Joy and have been listening to them a lot lately. Jessie Reyez’s new album, “Yessie,” has also been on repeat for a while now. I just saw her live in San Diego, and she is one of my absolute favorite artists. 

PROGRAM HEAD

Robert Humston

John Kyle Spencer Director for Environmental Studies and Professor of Biology humstonr@wlu.edu, 540-458-8341

CORE FACU LTY

Jim Casey

Associate Professor of Economics caseyj@wlu.edu

Greg Cooper Professor of Philosophy cooperg@wlu.edu

Chelsea Fisher Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies cfisher@wlu.edu

Lisa Greer Geology Department Chair; Professor of Geology greerl@wlu.edu

Bill Hamilton Biology Department Chair; Professor of Biology hamiltone@wlu.edu

204 W. Washington St. Lexington, Virginia 24450-2116 www.wlu.edu

David Harbor Professor of Geology harbord@wlu.edu

Andrew M. Hess

Ehrick Kilner Haight, Sr. Term Associate Professor of Business Admin. hessa@wlu.edu

Lawrence E. Hurd Herwick Professor of Biology hurdl@wlu.edu

Jim Kahn

John F. Hendon Professor of Economics and Professor of Environmental Studies kahnj@wlu.edu

AFFILIATED FACULTY

Paul Cabe Professor of Biology cabep@wlu.edu

Leah Naomi Green Visiting Assistant Professor of English greenl@wlu.edu

Joseph Guse Winfrey Term Professor of Economics gusej@wlu.edu

Rebecca C. Harris Professor of Politics harrisr@wlu.edu

Megan F. Hess Associate Professor of Accounting hessm@wlu.edu

Margaret Anne Hinkle Assistant Professor of Geology hinklem@wlu.edu

Elizabeth Knapp Director of the Johnson Program in Leadership and Integrity, Professor of Geology knappe@wlu.edu

David Marsh Professor of Biology marshd@wlu.edu

Kary Smout

Associate Professor of English smoutk@wlu.edu

Alice Zhang

Assistant Professor of Economics atzhang@wlu.edu