Teaching Approach
My teaching philosophy embraces three core tenets: 1) empowering students to feel confident in their ability to take ownership of their learning process, 2) making linkages between the classroom and real world issues through applied learning, and 3) developing critical analytical skills – particularly through writing and communication – that can be applied broadly to enact positive change.
University of Illinois
NRES 589: Nature, Culture, and Society (Every other year, Spring semester)
This course surveys key themes in the field of political ecology. We will take a deep-dive into theories of political ecology – the critical study of nature-society relationships – by exploring scholarship across geography, anthropology, sociology, and political science. Many of the texts included here are foundational readings in studies of nature, culture, and society.
NRES 434: Environment, Policy, and Conflict (Every other year, Spring Semester)
Explores the complex, dynamic relationship between environment, conflict, and conflict resolution. Students examine definitions of (environmental) conflict, identify the pathways by which environment is linked to conflict, and explore how policymakers devise solutions to resolve environmental conflict. The course will examine conflict across multiple scales, actors, resource types, and contexts, working primarily through a lens of equity and justice.
NRES 224: Environment and Social Justice (Annually, Fall Semester)
This course examines environmental issues through the lens of social justice and human inequality. We explore how EJ makes connections between environmental (pollution, biodiversity, food, climate) and social justice issues (race, ethnicity, gender, poverty, power, and access) in order to inform public policy and mitigate environmental problems.