Academic focus: Environmental anthropology; ocean and environmental justice
Research summary: Situated at the intersection of the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities, I am a holistic scholar focusing on research, pedagogy and community partnerships for the environmental and marine sciences so that they may contribute to more equitable socioecological relationships. My projects interrogate the shifting politics of environmental change in small island and coastal communities. My students and I pay careful attention to historical legacies, present inequities and future possibilities as we experiment with research methods to enhance ethical collaboration among a plurality of populations and scholars.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I am not working and traveling for work, I love to garden; cook; go adventuring with my dog and partner; read novels; listen to live music; explore local breweries, wineries and restaurants; collect globes and house plants; and watch independent films.
What are your current outreach/extension projects?
I am currently coordinating a multiyear project with several community partners to assist the Manissean community of Block Island, Rhode Island, in spreading public awareness about Manissean history and the ongoing Black and Indigenous presence on the island. I am also a collaborator on a multiyear project to inform disaster preparedness and management policy in the Bahamas to better address mental health and adapt to evolving social networks mediated by social media.
What brought you to Cornell CALS?
CALS is a hub of research and innovation in the environmental sciences, part of SUNY, and part of the U.S. Land Grant system. This makes CALS a good home for innovation in ethical research methods and pedagogy in the environmental sciences that can benefit students, faculty and communities at all levels and from a wide range of backgrounds.
What do you think is important for people to understand about your field?
It is important for critical social scientists to work within science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields as opposed to always staying within our disciplinary silos. Our aim is not only to improve our own scholarly fields, but to improve the entire praxis of higher education, the utility of STEM and to expand our role on the wider world to help holistically address society’s most pressing issues.
Why did you feel inspired to pursue a career in this field?
Once I learned how interconnected the social and natural worlds already are, and how politically fraught and hidden those connections can be, I knew I needed to contribute to the breakdown of the barriers that prevent too many of us from comprehending alternative possibilities.
What advice do you have for students interested in your field of study?
I always tell students to contribute to work that gives their lives purpose, makes space for other voices and allows them to become the transformative change agents they were meant to be.
Learn more about Amelia from her CALS profile and lab website.
