Alumni Career Stories

See below for descriptions of what Environmental Studies alumni are doing now and how their education at Washington University helped them get there.

Joe Mihaljevic, Class of 2010
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology Track

After spending Summer 2010 in the oak chaparral ecoregion of California sampling amphibian diseases, I'll be entering a PhD program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Colorado studying parasite community ecology.  Working with Professor Jon Chase at the Tyson Research Center drove me towards graduate school to pursue a career as a professor.  My experiences not only helped me secure acceptance into my top-choice graduate programs, but also helped me earn a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.

Ryan Woodford, Class of 2010
Major - Environmental Studies: Social Sciences Track

I’m working as an invasive species crew member for the vegetation department of Grand Canyon National Park. I got this job with the Park Service through the Student Conservation Association (SCA), which I would strongly recommend to all Environmental studies students. My job entails removing invasive plant species from all over the park (north rim, south rim and in the canyon itself).  My greatest influences at Wash U were: (1) my Introduction to Environmental Studies class taught by Dr. John Parks, which made me decide to pursue a major in Environmental Studies, (2) an independent study on genetically modified soybeans in South America that I conducted with Professor Glenn Stone, which taught me the rigors of thorough research and exposed me to the scientific side of environmental studies, and (3) my honors thesis, which I did under the supervision of Professor Clare Palmer, still stands as one of my proudest achievements. Through my research and the development of my thesis, I gained a profound insight into the philosophy underlying environmentalism, cementing my conviction to pursue an environmental career.  I also am grateful to Professor Bill Lowry for always encouraging me to follow my passions and for recommending the SCA to me.

Kira Sargent, Class of 2010
Major - Environmental Studies: Geoscience Track

I just finished my summer training for Teach for America and am about to begin my first year as a high school math teacher. Environmental Studies gave me the foundation in applied math and science I need to bring the concepts I am teaching to my students.

Ted Erker, Class of 2010
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology Track

I just finished my summer training for Teach for America and am about to begin my first year as a high school chemistry and biology teacher.
My experience in the Environmental Studies Program developed my critical mind and love of science.  Environmental studies gave me exposure to a wide range of disciplines and allowed me to pursue the study of a wide variety of topics connected by the common thread of my own personal interest.  I feel well prepared to connect the high school curriculum with the exciting and pressing issues that affect all of us today and hope to inspire another generation of scientists capable of understanding our role in a changing world

Emily Reisman, Class of 2009
Major - Environmental Studies: Social Sciences Track, International and Area Studies

Since graduation I have been coordinating outreach for an energy efficiency program for homes and small businesses in Bellingham, Washington. My environmental studies thesis working with local businesses on sustainability is one of the key reasons why I was hired. The research skills gained at Wash U and support from outstanding professors also helped me succeed in my application for a Fulbright Grant. I am excited to say that for the 2010-2011 year I will be conducting independent research on Women and Environmental Leadership in Togo, West Africa.

Aaron David, Class of 2009
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology Track

After graduating, I worked for 6 months at Archbold Biological Station in Lake Placid, Florida collecting data on endangered plants and conducting an independent project on a local invasive grass. I also worked for 5 months as a technician at Washington University looking at the effects of climate change and habitat fragmentation on changes in pollinator behavior. I will be entering a PhD program at the University of Minnesota in the fall and will study the population dynamics of invasive species.  The Environmental Studies major helped me discover my love for ecology and science in general. Classes like Experimental Ecology lab and Population Ecology gave me a wide breadth of knowledge across the field and an advantage for competitive internships and grad school.

Emily Dangremond, Class of 2008
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology Track

I am a PhD candidate in Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. I am doing research on the Ecology of a rare mangrove in Central America. My undergraduate research with Professor Tiffany Knight prepared me for graduate school and earn a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation.  My senior thesis was just published in the journal Ecology. The Environmental Studies major provided me with excellent training in both natural sciences and the environmental issues I encounter while traveling to my research sites.

Ania Truszczynski- Class of 2008
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology Track

As an environmental studies major, I was able to take advantage of both the Environmental Law Clinic and Ecological research in Professor Tiffany Knight's lab at Tyson Research Center. These experiences allowed me to not only decide whether to pursue law school or graduate school, but also set me up to face post-graduate studies with a truly interdisciplinary perspective. I am now a third year graduate student in Ecology at the University of California-Davis, supported by the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship. 

Joey Stromberg- Class of 2010
Major - Environmental Studies: Social Science Track

I am currently working at an NGO in Jaipur, India, as a part of a Clinton Fellowship from the American India Foundation. The organization, Pravah, focuses on youth empowerment and social change. Taking courses such as Brave New Crops and Rich Nations, Poor Nations, as well as participating in the Village India Program in South India gave me important exposure to issues of agriculture and the environment in developing countries. 

Lauren Barry - Class of 2010
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology/Ecology Track

I'm spending the summer working on an ecological field study in Tibet, looking at how climate change is affecting the grassland and the local nomadic herders. In the spring I will go to Hangzhou, China to start research under a Fulbright grant--I'll be looking at climate change effects on plant populations. My ecology classes and summer research experiences really gave me the perspective I needed to start developing my own interests, and I feel so lucky to have been part of such an encouraging research environment.

Devki Desai - Class of 2009
Major - Environmental Studies: Biology/Ecology Track

After graduation, I enjoyed teaching environmental science to elementary and middle schoolers in St. Louis. This September I am switching gears and joining the PhD program in Civil Engineering at the University of Michigan to work on technology to regulate building temperature without using a traditional hvac system.  I'm particularly interested in the life-cycle analysis of projects like these, which tracks the flux of energy and pollutants over the life-span of a product, because of how much that can inform design decisions.