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Get to Know Us Better!

Read some spotlights below on our incredible faculty, alumni, and students to get to know us better! 这是了解所有惊人机会的好方法 and knowledge you have access to by joining the Washington College family.

Faculty Spotlights

  • Dr. Robin Van Meter    Van Meter

Education:
-马里兰大学帕克分校保护生物学学士学位
-MS in Environmental Science, Drexel University
-PhD in Marine Estuarine Environmental Science, University of Maryland Baltimore County

Courses Taught at WAC:
- Applied Ecology
-Disease Ecology
-Conservation & Wildlife Techniques
- Wetlands Ecology
- Current Topics in Ecology for non-majors
-General Biology 2
- General Zoology
- Tropical Ecology winter session abroad course
- Diversity and Inclusivity in Science

Interests and/or Research Focus: "My research lies at the intersection of ecotoxicology and herpetology, so I love 研究污染物对两栖动物的影响. I’ve studied the effects of a crude oil spill on snapping turtle development, road salt pollution impacts to larval amphibian 幼龄和成年两栖动物的食物网和农药吸收. More recently, I’ve started a project to explore the application of non-lethal sampling methods in marbled salamanders. 学生们和我一起在当地的湿地栖息地寻找成年人 迁徙到湿地繁殖的蝾螈. When we locate an adult, we swab it with a cotton swab and are using the swabs to identify biomarkers that will 帮助我们更好地了解不同土地利用梯度下两栖动物的健康状况."

Favorite Thing About WAC: "My students and the other ENV professors! It’s been so much fun to get to know students, watch them graduate each year, stay in touch, and then learn about all of their exciting graduate school and career experiences. They make me so proud! The ENV professors are so wonderful to work with too – I feel lucky."

Favorite Food: "Definitely ice cream. 所有的口味对我来说都很好,季节不重要. If 房间里有冰淇淋,我一定要吃一些! (I almost said the ice cream 食堂里的机器是我最喜欢WAC的地方!)"

 Fun Fact About Yourself: "I’ve been practicing Buddhism for 14 years, and meditation really calms my monkey mind. This aspect of my life is incredibly meaningful and helps me navigate the unexpected 在一个复杂的世界里自然会出现曲折和转折."

 

  • Dr. Jillian Bible Bible

Education: "I have a BS and MS in Earth Systems from Stanford University and a PhD in Marine 加州大学戴维斯分校的生态学教授. My BS was focused on biology and 我的硕士学位是环境教育和传播. My PhD thesis assessed the vulnerability of Olympia oysters in California to human-caused stressors like climate change and invasive predators."


Courses Taught at WAC:
- Applied Ecology
-Introduction to Environmental Studies 
-Marine Conservation
- Restoration Ecology
- Environmental Communications


Interests and/or research focus: "I research how humans affect marine and estuarine organisms, especially oysters. I apply my work to conservation, restoration, and management of marine and estuarine resources. I am also interested in citizen science and what motivates people to participate."

Favorite thing about WAC: "Passionate students, faculty devotion to teaching, the Chester River, and spring flowers!"

Favorite food: "Mangosteen"

Fun fact about yourself: "I took a year off during college to work and travel throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia. After college and before graduate school, I traveled with my boyfriend (now husband) in Central and South America." 

 

  • Dr. Rebecca Fox 

  • Fox

Education: “I have a B.S. 在宾夕法尼亚州莱康明学院获得生物学博士学位,在霍恩角实验室获得博士学位, which is part of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. My PhD officially came through the University of MD through the Marine, Estuarine, and Environmental Science program. I also did a post doc at Horn Point.”
 
Courses Taught at WAC:
- Field Methods in Environmental Science
-Watershed Biogeochemistry
-Climate Change
- Wetlands Ecology
- Introduction to Environmental Studies
-Sustainability and the Environment
- FYS: Science of Reality TV
- Summer Environmental Studies in Ecuador 
- Summer Bermuda Enviroment
-大气、海洋和环境实验室部分
 
Interests and/or Research Focus: “我的兴趣是土壤、地下水和溪流中的氮循环. I am also interested in greenhouse gas production and loss. Currently, my research is centered on agricultural areas”
 
Favorite Thing about WAC: “I like the close-knit community. I love that I get to really know my students and that they get to know me. I also love my department colleagues. I feel super fortunate to work with such wonderful people! 我也很喜欢食堂的饼干 when there are cannoli's or churros”
 
Favorite Food: “Just one? 我最喜欢的食物是千层面,我最喜欢的水果是西番莲. My favorite candy is Swedish Fish, but I also really like seasonal candy (candy hearts, candy corn, jelly beans!), although similar to Dr. Sherman, I generally like sweets! Can you tell that I like food?”
 
Fun Fact About Yourself: “I like to swim, run, and bike (in that order..) and I have completed events from the 5K to the Ironman”
 
  • Dr. Leslie Sherman 

  • Sherman

Education: " I grew up in Chicago but was born in England. I have a B.S. with a major in math from Carleton College, but I did a lot of music (flute - played in two small ensembles and the orchestra during my 4 years.) Then an M.S.C.E. (Civil Engineering) in Environmental Engineering. Finally my Ph.D. 她的专业是土壤科学,土壤化学. In between my graduate degrees I worked for NOAA and then served two years in the Peace Corps in Cameroon teaching chemistry and physics and working with Heifer Project International"

Courses Taught at WAC:
-Quantitative Chemical Analysis
- Chemistry of the Environment for Non-Majors
- Environmental Chemistry
- Chemistry Seminar
-Environmental Science Seminar


Interests and/or Research Focus: “我对保护土壤、水和空气质量很感兴趣. My most recent work has been at the grassland restoration project out at RAFC where I've investigated 如果土壤有改善,从转换到草地植被. But, I have also studied metals in the Chester River with Dr. Kehm. I was fortunate to spend a sabbatical in Costa Rica studying the impact of intensive pineapple cultivation on soil quality (my kids went to school there!) I am also very interested in renewable energy"

Favorite Thing About WAC: "The students!"

Favorite Food: “我喜欢印度菜,我特别喜欢吃甜食!"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I moved to Chestertown to start teaching at WAC by taking the summer with my husband and 1 year-old daughter to drive from Rhode Island across the country to Oregon, by way of Kansas and Utah, and then back to Maryland via South Dakota and Wisconsin. My daughter learned how to walk in the campgrounds we stayed in along the way!"

 

  • Dr. Brian Scott 

  • Scott

Education:
-Ph.D. 经济学,芝加哥伊利诺伊大学,2005年7月
——2002年4月,伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校经济学硕士学位
-International Business Linkage Program, August 1993 to May 1994, Helsinki University of Technology, Espoo, Finland

Courses Taught at WAC:
-环境与自然资源经济学概论
-ECN 112 Introduction to Microeconomics
-ECN/ENV 317 Environmental Economics
-ECN/ENV 318 Natural Resource Economics
-ECN 394 Cost Benefit Analysis

Interests and/or Research Focus: "Market based pollution control mechanisms, how agents misrepresent pollution reductions, 志愿服务,实验经济学和行为经济学"

Favorite Thing About WAC: “和我的学生一起工作(在d厅吃米脆点心)”

Favorite Food: 我最喜欢的“味道”是巧克力葡萄干. My favorite food is "Runza" (found in Nebraska"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I mean, I'm an economist. Can I be fun? I enjoy running marathons and triathlons.
Oh and I LOVE narwhals."

 

Alumni Spotlights

  • Julia Portmann Julia

Year graduated from WAC: 2019
 
Education beyond WAC: Current M.S. Biology student at James Madison University
 
M.S. thesis title: Identifying key factors for stream restoration success in an agriculturally impaired sub-watershed of the Chesapeake Bay
 
Future plans: Continue working to improve water quality through state/local government programs or non-profits, potentially pursue a PhD in ecology or environmental science studying stream restoration.
 
Favorite thing about WAC: "That’s hard to pick! 毕业后我意识到的一件事是 lucky WAC students are in the variety of courses available and the small class sizes. I got to take so many really cool classes and get to know all of my professors through them."
 
Advice for current WAC students: "Take advantage of all the partnerships and cool opportunities that WAC has! Intern with any of CES’s awesome programs, work with professors, talk to the career center 关于外部实习,要积极主动!"
 
  • Eric Waciega Eric

Year and Major: 2013 B.A. Environmental Studies Minor Biology

Current Employer: Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Job Description: "As a Park Ranger I am responsible for directly providing services to visitors, maintaining and protecting natural and cultural resources, equipment, campground and day use areas, and grounds and facilities."

Favorite thing about WAC: "The Center for Environment and Society is an amazing organization within WAC that provides students very valuable learning opportunities outside of lecture and lab. "

Advice for current WAC students: "Try new things and go outside your comfort zone. Take an internship, study abroad, 在野生动物保护区做志愿者,永远不要停止学习."

  • Kevin Costello

  • kevin

Year graduated from WAC & Major/Minor: 2001 – Environmental Studies

Education beyond WAC: MS Environmental Management from UMGC in 2013

Current Employer: Baltimore Gas & Electric

Brief Job Description: "Senior Environmental Water Issues Program Manager – I act as the subject matter expert for anything pertaining to the Clean Water Act, from groundwater treatment systems to construction dewatering to Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures Planning."

Favorite thing about WAC: "The lifelong friendships that I made there."

Advice for current WAC students: "Graduation is not the end of your education. Please continue to learn about things you are interested in. 保持开放的心态,经常问问题,即使你在考虑 yourself an expert at a particular topic, another person’s perspective can allow you 继续成长,塑造你的世界观."

Student Spotlights

  • Emma Cease (Class of 2022) 

  • emma

Major: Environmental Science
Minor: Public Health
 
Hometown: Rising Sun, Maryland
 
Other Involvements on Campus: Student Director of Sustainability & Food Initiative, Sustainability Council Chair, George’s General Admissions Worker, Student Environmental Alliance Officer, CES Fellow, Cater Society Fellow, Presidential Fellow, KAO President, Running Club Officer
 
Environmental Areas of Interest: Marine Science and Conservation, Ecology, Health and Sustainability
 
Favorite Part About Your Job: “I love getting to work with the ENV faculty! They are so kind and have further increased my passion for environmental science through all of their knowledge and experience.”
 
Favorite Thing About WAC: “WAC honestly feels like a home away from home. The students and faculty are like 一个大家庭,我迫不及待地想回到校园度过我的大四. I also love being right off the Chester River. Whenever I have free time and it’s nice out, I take a kayak or paddleboard out on the water.”
 
Fun Fact About Yourself: “I love to run! 我是一名长跑运动员,每年参加几场比赛. My favorite distance is the half marathon and I plan on running a full marathon after I graduate.”
 
  • Sammy Diloreto (Class of 2021) 

  • sammy

Hometown: Harleysville, PA

Most Exciting Part of your WAC Experience: "Conducting my own research funded through the Cater Society of Junior Fellows. My research is analyzing the effects of distance from a Turnpike Interchange on soil contamination from vehicle non-exhaust emissions."

对正在考虑杜克大学3:2课程的学生的建议: "Start planning early! 这对我开始规划课程很有帮助 I needed to take for WAC requirements and Duke prerequisites as a freshman, than it would have been if I decided this later. You can always change your mind later on 但这样你就已经走在了游戏的前面!"

你在杜克大学的课程计划: "Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health"

Plans this summer: "I will be interning at Gannett Fleming this summer with the Environmental Team at their Valley Forge location."

Plans after graduating from Duke: "As of right now, I am not entirely sure what I plan to do after Duke but I hope to either have an environmental management position to apply the skills I will have learned in the Ecotoxicology and Environmental Health program or possibly pursue a PhD."

Favorite Course Taken at WAC: "Environmental Chemistry"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I am a captain of the Trap and Skeet Team!" 

 

  • Shannon Thomas (Class of 2021) shannon

Hometown: Pottstown, PA

Thesis: “The Interaction of Reduced pH Levels and Increased Resource Competition, Simulated 导致林蛙幼体生长减少

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: “I have been working with Dr. 范·米特工作了两年,协助她做研究 that focuses on amphibians. 对这个充满激情是令人兴奋的 topic and be able to dive into my own research!”

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: “Having an experimental thesis, I have had to come to terms with the fact that experiments do not always yield the results you expect or the results you want, but it doesn’t make your research any less important!”

Plans for After Graduation: “I am excited to apply the knowledge and experience WAC has given me to a new job or internship.”

Favorite Course Taken: “Watershed Biogeochemistry, as an environmental science major and chem minor, it 是所有我认为很酷的东西的混合体! (and shoutout to Chesapeake Semester, of course)”

Fun Fact About Yourself: “I have my boater’s license and I can waterski, I love being on the water!”

给学生完成论文的建议: “Get organized early. 从大三和大四的研讨会开始,你会遇到 resources or have ideas that you want to keep track of, so make sure you have a folder 把你所有的论文材料放在一起并组织起来!”

  • Chase Lentz (Class of 2021) chase

Hometown: Severna Park, MD

Thesis: “Urbanization's Destructive Impacts on the Severn River Versus the James River”

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: “I enjoy learning more about the river I've grown up on (the Severn River) along with the ability to learn more about the James River, a river I've never really knew too much about before my thesis. 我也把本地生物有机体纳入我的论文, which is cool because I enjoy learning more about animals and plants that I commonly experience.”

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: “I'm not the kind of guy to be able to sit and write for too long, so I've found myself neglecting my thesis too often. I've been making progress but less than I'd like.”

Plans for After Graduation: “As of now, I plan on working for the Safe Harbort marina company to enforce environmental 在他们控制的区域内的码头内的指导方针. I have to graduate first though.”

Favorite Course Taken: “Applied Ecology. 我真的很喜欢外面的实验室,和不同的人交流 components of nature, especially organisms such as salamanders, clams, and frogs (who 虽然不是实验计划的一部分,但却是我时间的焦点。).”

Fun Fact About Yourself: “我曾经养过一只名叫戴安娜王妃的松鼠. After raising her for a while from a two-week-old, I gave her to a professional to be released into the wild.”

给学生完成论文的建议: “Try to stay on top of it, once the last semester hits and the aversion to work combines with the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, it is easy to find yourself falling behind.”

  • Olivia Butler (Class of 2021) olivia

Hometown: Sykesville, MD

Thesis: "Climate Change Fueled Migration of Mangroves: An Encroachment on Salt Marshes"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Being able to incorporate knowledge and experiences from a previous summer internship."

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: “找时间在其他课程上投入."

Plans for After Graduation: "I am applying to seasonal jobs around the country, but may look into Chesapeake Conservation Corps."

Favorite Course Taken: “切萨皮克学期(尤其是伯利兹和危地马拉之旅)!)"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I got to help band Ospreys last summer!"

给学生完成论文的建议: “使用Zotero这样的程序来帮助你组织资源."

  • Doug Kurtz (Class of 2021) doug

Hometown: Lancaster, PA

Thesis: "The Effect of Common Agricultural Pesticides on Delmarva Ambystomatid Corticosterone 回复(可能会想办法缩短LOL这个名字)”

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Learning new laboratory techniques & working closely with Dr. Van Meter on research that has real-world implications!"

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Juggling the logistics of doing an experiment during a pandemic (safety is always the priority!)."

Plans for After Graduation: “希望能在研究机构获得一些工作经验. I would ultimately like to go to graduate school, but the pandemic has allowed me to practice patience"

Favorite Course Taken: "Field Methods with Dr. Fox. 你获得了实际的研究经验,并得到了表达 creativity in designing research studies!"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "Bananas are my favorite food!"

给学生完成论文的建议: "Find a time every week to do an internal check in, even if it’s just to review what you still need to do. 如果你在学校,在一天中留出一段时间在你的 安排好,然后坐在空教室里,就像在上课一样."

  • Samina Soin-Voshell (Class of 2021) 

  • samina

Hometown: Annapolis, MD

Thesis: "The potential for C. 欧洲绿蟹入侵切萨皮克湾

Most exciting part: "Getting to take an interdisciplinary approach to my topic since as a double major 我将生物和环境问题结合在一起。”

Most difficult part: "Having writing deadlines that occur sequentially since I usually approach writing in a non-linear order"

Plans after graduation: "I’m taking a gap year to work, hopefully with Chesapeake Conservation Corps, for a year and applying to grad programs for coastal/marine ecology this fall"

Favorite course: "Honestly the entirety of Chesapeake Semester! (I know everyone who’s done it says that, but it’s really true)"

Fun fact: "I’m a third-generation WAC student, both my mom and my gramma have their masters degrees from Washington College"

Advice for students: "Use winter break of your senior year to your advantage, if you write even just a few sentences or a paragraph every day, you’ll have a really solid rough draft by the time the semester starts!"

  • Will Reid (Class of 2021) 

  • will

Hometown: Mount Laurel, NJ

Thesis: "Direct Anthropogenic Actions and Their Effects on Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor)"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Getting to study my absolute favorite animal! I also really love those lightbulb 当我想到一个联系或新的想法去研究的时候. I know I’ve sent Dr. Bible, my advisor, plenty of emails being like “Can we meet up to discuss X? Also what do you think about Y or Z?”'

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: "Doing it all virtual has made it a little bit more draining than I would have liked. I really wanted to be able to sit in the library on campus and just start typing, 但我却一直坐在客厅的办公桌前. It’s been tough, but I’m super excited to be back on campus, and I’m gonna try to get into a groove with it."

Plans for After Graduation: "My other major is Theatre, and I really want to try to find work as an actor first and foremost. 然而,我计划使用ENV学位来帮助提供一些稳定性 in my life. 两年前的夏天,我在费城动物园实习,我打算试一试 然后申请那里教育部门的工作. I love working with animals, and I’d be in the city! You know “Don’t Stop Believin’”? Yeah, I’m that city boy. I’d also love to, if ever given the platform, advocate for environmental needs. You know Leonardo Dicaprio? 他既是演员又是环保主义者,而且他很诚实 just a role model for me."

  • Emma Dodsworth (Class of 2021) 

  • emmad

Hometown: Port Republic, MD

Thesis: "Hatchery Oyster Production in the Chesapeake Bay and the Impact of Climate Change on Key Water Quality Parameters"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Getting to work with data from the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery where I spent the summer as an intern"

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: 确保我能在有限的篇幅内简洁地支持我的假设."

Plans for After Graduation: "I have applied to graduate school at William & Mary's School of Marine Science at VIMS for a degree in Fisheries Science."

Favorite Course Taken: "Chesapeake Semester"

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I have my black belt in tae kwon do."

给学生完成论文的建议: "Find something that you are truly passionate about and let that guide your research!"

  • Willie Cosner (Class of 2021) willie

Hometown: Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Thesis: "A Discussion of the Ecological Impacts of Trout Stocking and a Cost-Benefit Analysis 宾夕法尼亚州A类和B类野生鳟鱼溪放养鳟鱼的研究

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "Learning and incorporating GIS"

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience: “将环境科学和经济学融合在一起”

Plans for After Graduation: "Find an internship or job restoring fish populations or monitoring streams"

Favorite Course Taken: "All of the Chesapeake Semester courses"

Fun Fact About Yourself: “今年夏天,我开车四天走遍了全国。”

给学生完成论文的建议: "Make an annotated bibliography for your sources and stay ahead of deadlines" 

  • Devin Valcich (Class of 2020) 

  • devin

 Hometown: Annapolis, MD

Thesis: "The Invasion of the Northern Snakehead, Channa argus, in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Impacts and Potential Management Solutions"

Most Exciting Part of your Thesis Experience: "开发我自己的"切萨皮克启发"鱼的食谱 & chips meal featuring the Northern Snakehead."

Most Difficult Part of your Thesis Experience:" Being on a different timeline than everybody else because I graduated in the fall rather than the spring and started my thesis while studying abroad in Ireland."

Plans for After Graduation: "I hope to be involved in environmental education and communication but honestly I would be happy doing field work or lab work too - as long as I get to stay in the Chesapeake region."

Favorite Course Taken: "All of the Chesapeake Semester courses! Especially the comparative study in Belize and Guatemala."

Fun Fact About Yourself: "I was able to study abroad in Ireland, Bermuda, Belize, and Guatemala during my two and a half years at WAC."

给学生完成论文的建议: "DON’T PROCRASTINATE!!! 只要你能做到,截止日期是很容易做到的 不要试图在截止日期前12小时写5页."