Assistant Professor of Psychology H. Shellae Versey, PhD and Emma Ritter ’19 launched a faculty-student research collaboration during the 2018-2019 academic year exploring Communities in Crisis: The impact of disasters on mental health. The research focused on environmental hazards—both natural and manmade—and the resulting effect on health and displacement among various communities. A COE faculty-student research a grant provided Versey and Ritter the opportunity to conduct research that would not have been otherwise possible.
faculty
kim, nir ’19 & esposito ’19 collaborate on sound calendar
Want to hear more? Join us on October 31st at noon to listen, lunch and learn!
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Jin Hi Kim’s Sound Calendar of the Year 2018 is a year-long fusion of art and environmental sound ecology sponsored by the COE’s Faculty-Student Research Grant Program, which provides opportunities for faculty and students to work together on research projects. Harrison Nir ’19 is a composer and double major in music and anthropology. Nir’s work on the sound calendar was funded by a COE Summer Research Fellowship Grant. Psychology and SISP double major Marc Esposito ’20 also worked on the project.
stewart explores tipping points in annual earth week rant
On April 18, 2019, Brian Stewart, professor of physics, environmental studies, and integrative sciences, hosted his 12th Annual Earth Week Rant on the subject of “Tipping Points: Physical, Ecological, Social, and Personal.” His yearly talks inform the greater Wesleyan community on the evolution of climate change and challenge them to actively work to counter its effects.
ostfeld ’10, envs students meet with ct lawmakers
Visiting Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies (and Wes alum) Rosemary Ostfeld, PhD ’10 and her students from ENVS344 / Renewable Energy and Negative Emission Technologies joined with members of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) on a visit the state capitol in Hartford earlier this month. Environmental studies majors in the group included Caroline Sgaglione ’19, Catherine Xi ’21 & Maggie Humphrey ’21. While there, Ostfeld and her students discussed renewables, green technologies, and the importance of making the environment a priority with State Reps Michael Winkler & Quentin Phipps and fellow Wesleyan University alums State Senator Matthew Lesser ’08 and State Rep Mike Demicco ’80.
poulos researches fire effects in arizona
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Helen Poulos traveled to Arizona in March 2019 to research fire effects of the 2018 Pinery Canyon Fire on agaves in the Chiricahua Mountains. Poulos is working on the project in collaboration with Wes astronomy major Hunter Vannier ‘20.
While in the Grand Canyon State, Poulos also spent time researching the effects of the 2017 Frye Fire on mixed conifer forests of the Pinaleño Mountains, a project in collaboration with Dr. Don Falk at University of Arizona.
sher ’07, students seek to improve material development through understanding electron transport
The research explored here, “Spectroscopic Studies of Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells,” was undertaken as part of the College of the Environment’s Faculty-Student Research Grant Program, which provides opportunities for faculty and students to work together on research projects.
Meng-ju Renee Sher ’07 is assistant professor of physics, assistant professor of integrative sciences, and assistant professor of environmental studies at Wesleyan University. Sher received her bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan in 2007 and PhD degree from Harvard University in 2013.