Director's Message: Our Team

The planning of the Center for the Environment was a team effort, and the first three months of the Center’s existence have benefitted from the people, energy, and human relationships that make up our team. 

Faculty Directors 

The Center has two faculty members serving as subject-area directors for our work.

Lora Iannotti is our director for planetary health and environmental justice, and Jonathan Losos is our director for biodiversity. 

Staff 

Alex Morales-Heil and Kevin Hahn-Petruso are the Center’s two program managers. They are actively developing and implementing the Center’s programs.  

We are also searching for a Senior Research Development Associate, see our posting for more details and to help spread the word. 

Student Interns

We are grateful to have four undergraduate interns: Nia Bean, Sadie Brett-Chin, Juliana Morera, and Madison Seramur.

They support our programming and are responsible for projects over the course of the semester. 

Center Scholars 

We have initiated our Center Scholars program. This is a way for WashU faculty and staff researchers to have an affiliation with the Center, allowing us to highlight and support their work while they help expand the reach of our efforts. Learn more about how you can join our team as a Center Scholar. 

I also want to acknowledge the people who provide vital support to the Center including our partners across WashU who give guidance and feedback on our efforts, our collaborators, and particularly staff within the Provost’s Office and Here & Next Teams for their support. 

Dan Giammar

Director, Center for the Environment

Walter E. Browne Professor of Environmental Engineering

Assistant Vice Provost

Research in Action | Speaker Series: Ruth DeFries

Thank you to everyone who attended our Environmental Speaker Series featuring Ruth DeFries last month. DeFries discussed the human effects on climate and how scientists can influence and aid policy discussions. She focused on India's millet cultivation and wildlife corridors in two cases where research and community engagement can support political action.

DeFries described a 5-7 years span where research on the climate resilience and nutritional benefits of millets led to increased demand for these cereals and subsequent national policy changes.

She also discussed how interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, activists, and community leaders led to policies establishing tiger crossing corridors allowing the animals to move between protected conservation areas.

We are grateful for the fantastic turnout and for the support of our co-sponsors in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences; the Living Earth Collaborative; and the Here & Next team.

Center for the Environment Scholars 2023-24

We are accepting applications for our Center Scholars program. Center Scholars will have access to opportunities and support from the Center to highlight their work, support their research, and connect with other potential collaborators. Click here to learn more about the program's benefits and expectations.

This application is open to WashU:

• Tenured and tenure-track faculty
• Research faculty
• Professors of practice
• Permanent research staff
• Full-time teaching faculty

Applicants should be engaged in research or teaching that is connected to:

• Biodiversity
• Environmental justice
• Environmental solutions
• Planetary health
• Earth systems and climate change

We're Hiring: Senior Research Development Associate

The Center for the Environment is seeking an experienced research development professional to lead proposal development and strategic planning for large and complex interdisciplinary environmental research teams. We are looking for someone to support our mission of increasing the size and impact of WashU’s environmental research.

Learn more and please help share this opportunity with your networks.

Upcoming WashU environmental events

October

November

December

If you have an environmentally-focused event you would like included in a future newsletter, submit the event here.

Follow us on Instagram for a weekly event updates.