Category: Environment, Geography, and Earth Sciences

  • Julie Bartley

    “I try to give students the opportunity to do both individual and team assignments and strive to foster an inclusive, active classroom in which students have choices about how they engage with their work.” What are your areas of research and teaching expertise? My research examines the interactions between early life and its environment. I…

  • Joaquin Villanueva

    “I am interested in understanding how space and our surrounding environment is arranged around particular conceptions of race, class, and gender.” What are your areas of research and teaching expertise? I am a critical human geographer. I am interested in understanding how space and our surrounding environment is arranged around particular conceptions of race, class,…

  • Professor Joaquin Villanueva

    ” ‘Spatial Relationships,’ Colonialism, and Debt – Listen to the Learning for Life Podcast” Professor Joaquin Villanueva of the Gustavus Department of Geography talks about growing up in Puerto Rico and his “political awakening” in college there, his path from business major to languages and geography, the transformative experience of studying abroad in France, the diversity and…

  • Ainsley Langerud ’24 and Alex Dillon ’25

    “Childhood Poverty: Uniting Voices to Empower Tomorrow – Listen to the Learning for Life Podcast” Gustavus students Ainsley Langerud, ’24, and Alex Dillon, ’25, co-chairs of this year’s annual student-run Building Bridges (BB) Conference at the College on Saturday March 2, 2024, talk about their backgrounds and paths to Gustavus, the conference’s focus on childhood poverty,…

  • Dr. Pamela Kittelson

    “The Liberal Arts College I Went to Changed My Life – Listen to the Learning for Life Podcast” Dr. Pamela Kittelson of the Biology Department and Environmental Studies program at Gustavus talks about growing up in Colorado, her path to college and eventually an unanticipated PhD in plant biology, coming to Gustavus, teaching Gustavus students in the…

  • Dr. Jeff La Frenierre

    “Researching Glacial Melt in the Ecuadorian Andes – Listen to the Learning for Life Podcast” Dr. Jeff La Frenierre of the Gustavus Environment, Geography, and Earth Sciences Department at Gustavus on his path to the discipline of Geography, how and why he decided to research glacial melt and its impact on people and communities, the process and…

  • Ashley Ley ’23 and Tessa Yeager ’24

    “Unseen Passages: Refugees and the Collective Fight for Vitality – Listen to the Learning for Life Podcast” Ashley Ley ’23 and Tessa Yeager ’24, co-chairs of the 2023 Building Bridges conference on March 4, talk about their backgrounds and paths to Gustavus, how and why they became involved in Building Bridges, the rewards of their involvement, developing…

  • Soren Sackreiter ’26

    “Having such small classes also allows me to get to know my professors to the point where they are giving me emails of their friends doing research I may be interested in.” Soren has always had an interest in environmental stewardship, and he has found the Environment, Geography and Earth Sciences Department to be a…

  • Jackson Miest ’24

    “The professors have given me the opportunity to experience a wide variety of studies and research, allowing me to make a better career decision for my future and helping me be more accurate with what I want to focus on in life.” Always having been passionate about the outdoors, Jackson has found many valuable experiences…

  • Benji Huff ’24

    “Within Geography courses, we learn practical skills in jobs Geographers have, such as urban planning and GIS.” As a double major, Benji has found a sense of community within both the Geography and Religion departments. Benji has been able to combine these majors to start to develop a well-rounded understanding of how the world works,…