If you are looking for research experience:
I often have several projects going on at any given time. These include projects in the field, using GIS in the lab, and analyzing environmental data. For examples of past project look here.
A good entryway into my lab is through one of my classes. If you are seeking research credit during the academic year you can enroll in a GEOG 390 or ENVR 390 (after discussing your plans with me first). If you are looking for a summer research experience, funding is available through the Richmond Guarantee. Additional summer funding opportunities include GTU and Sigma Xi scholarships. I also sometimes have external funding to support research assistants.
If you would to get involved with research in my lab, please send me an email with the following information:
- Why you are interested in the research in my lab and any specific topics that interest you
- Your major, year (freshman, sophomore, etc), and career goals
- Any past research experience or other relevant experience (it’s ok if you don’t have any)
- Whether you are interested in registering for research credit, a summer research experience, or other
Currently, I am actively looking for students to participate in the following research projects:
- As part of a collaborative project with the Science Museum of Virginia, our lab will be collecting information on the air pollution within different neighborhoods of Richmond. This study will include gathering data with local community members using handheld instruments and permanent monitoring stations, and analyzing the data to identify areas of the city at risk from poor air quality. Excel skills required; prior GIS or R exposure a plus but not required.
- Another study will support the campus tree inventory being conducted by our lab to map every tree on campus. Students will then quantify the ecosystem services provided by campus trees to evaluate the impacts of construction projects and consider options for offsetting these impacts. Any familiarity with tree identification is a plus but not required.
- Summer internships, for example, with the USGS Water Science Center, National Park Service Richmond Battlefield, or James River Park System
Additional opportunities to find internships engaged with the local environment here in Richmond can be found here.
If you would like a reference letter:
I am happy to write strong reference letters for students I know well. The strongest reference letters are written by professors who have first-hand knowledge about a students’ motivations, strengths, and skills. Strong letters give admissions committees information they cannot learn from looking at transcripts and application essays: information about the student’s work ethic, problem-solving ability, inter-personal skills, and other attributes. These letters are fairly easy for me to write if I’ve worked directly with a student on a research project. They become more difficult when I haven’t interacted with a student very much.
If you haven’t done research with me but have taken a class with me, I can still write you a reference letter. But if you are concerned that we may not have gotten to know each other well, please be aware that I may not be able to write you the kind of detailed letter you may need to get accepted into graduate or professional school..
If you want me to write a reference letter for you, please send me an email with the following information:
- Your name and a reminder of how we know each other
- Your resume
- A draft of the application essay you are submitting and/or an explanation of why you want to go to graduate or professional school and your career goals
- Any other information you think is relevant and will help me write a stronger letter. This is not the time to be shy or humble – I want to brag about your accomplishments on your behalf, so let me know if there’s something that may be important to tell the admissions committee that I may not be thinking about.
If you ask me to write a letter for you and don’t hear back from me within a week, please send me another email. Also, once I have agreed to write the letter, a gentle reminder or two as the deadline approaches is always a good idea.