Environmental Studies
Why study environmental studies at Coastal Georgia?
The environmental studies concentration offers students a hands-on exploration of science, policy, and resource management. Students engage in both scientific and applied research that directly connects to the Golden Isles community. Through internships and independent study, students gain experience in environmental communication, sustainability assessments, and collaboration with local environmental organizations. Past students have worked with the Glynn Environmental Coalition and the Satilla Riverkeeper.
What will I learn?
Students in the environmental studies concentration build a strong foundation in Earth systems, field research, and data analysis. They gain hands-on experience with tools like GIS (QGIS and ArcGIS), STELLA, and R. As a result, students will have a holistic understanding of how to conceptualize and investigate Earth processes. Environmental studies electives are integrated in a way that allows students to specialize in what they are most interested in (public management, policy, environmental history, etc.).
What can I do when I graduate?
Environmental scientists with a concentration in environmental studies have an inherent emphasis on human dimensions and the application of the fields of biology, physics, chemistry, and earth science to solve societal problems. Environmental studies professionals lead the application and management of solutions provided by environmental scientists and engineers.
Environmental studies graduates excel in a wide variety of careers, though most work for the government (federal, state, or local), or for private companies. In these roles, environmental studies graduates lead sustainability efforts, develop policy, and facilitate communication in multi-stakeholder groups. Additionally, these professionals also serve in critical community management roles centered on environmental justice and community resilience.
Student Spotlight: Lily Heidger
Heidger, an Environmental Science and Public Management double major, is spending her summer in France preparing for her future environmental sustainability career.
“I’ll be in a sustainability concentration in the fall, and that really allows me to take the science behind it all and pair it with the writing, and learn how to translate the science into change and action.”
-
Dr. James Deemy
Associate Professor of Environmental ScienceEducation
Ph.D. in Forest Resources (Hydrology, Water Resources), Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia (2017)
M.S. in Environmental Studies (Wetland Restoration), Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University (2012)
B.S. Environmental Studies, Center for Environmental Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University (2010)
B.S. Biology, College of Humanities and Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University (2010)Teaching and Research Interests / Recent Publications or Scholarly Output
Deemy, JB, Besterman, A., Tyler, KN, Hall, BM, Takagi, KT, 2022. Nutrient cycling and trophic dynamics in tropical and subtropical freshwater wetlands. In: eds. Dalu, T, and Wasserman, RJ. Fundamentals of Tropical Freshwater Wetlands: From Ecology to Conservation Management. Elsevier.Deemy, JB, Hall, BM, Takagi, KT, Tyler, KN, Ramussen, TC. 2022. Physicochemical environment of Tropical and Subtropical freshwater wetlands. In: eds. Dalu, T, and Wasserman, RJ. Fundamentals of Tropical Freshwater Wetlands: From Ecology to Conservation Management. Elsevier.
Deemy, JB, Takagi, KT, McLachlan, RL, Ramussen, TC, Wright, SG, Tyler, KN, Garner, MG. 2022. Wetlands Hydrology, Geomorphology, and Soils: An Overview. In: eds. Dalu, T, and Wasserman, RJ. Fundamentals of Tropical Freshwater Wetlands: From Ecology to Conservation Management. Elsevier.
Deemy, J.B., T.C. Rasmussen, K.K. Takagi. 2020 Hydrologic Connectivity of Isolated Wetlands: Episodic Flows. In Encyclopedia of Water: Science, Technology, and Society. Eds. P. A. Maurice and C. Strickland. John Wiley and Sons Inc.