School of Earth & Sustainability
Environment & Society
Faculty and students in the School of Earth & Sustainability at Northern Arizona University conduct social science research and interdisciplinary collaborative research involving the natural and social sciences. Most research projects focus on applying knowledge to shape natural resource management and socio-economic policies in ways that will improve ecological and social well-being. Graduate students can conduct research in this theme through the Master’s in Environmental Science & Policy or the Environment & Society emphasis area of the PhD in Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability. These programs provide opportunities for training in social science and interdisciplinary research, collaboration with government and non-governmental organizations, and the application of research findings to guide decision-making. This social science emphasis of the PhD program also involves the application of political and social theory to better understand and address environmental challenges.
Who we are
Faculty and research staff Accordion Open
- Clare Aslan, coupled natural-human systems
- Duan Biggs, innovations for inclusive and equitable conservation, conservation conflict, wildlife conservation, citizen and community science, nature-based tourism, environmental and conservation policy
- Deborah Huntzinger, climate science & solutions
- Rosemary Logan, sustainable food systems, community-and civic engagement-focused university/community partnerships, transformative sustainability learning
- Erik Nielsen, environmental policy
- Denielle Perry, water resources geography, political ecology
- Pranay Ranjan, institutions, water governance, conservation behavior, climate change adaptation, environmental social science
- Sara Souther, ethnobotany/Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
- Diana Stuart, environmental sociology, climate change, food systems, conservation, social theory
For students
Degree programs Accordion Open
- Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Environmental & Sustainability Studies.
- Master’s Degree (MS) in Environmental Sciences & Policy
- PhD in Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, with an emphasis in Environment & Society or Climate & Environmental Change
Graduate-level courses Accordion Closed
- ENV 555 Science Policy Interface
- ENV 515: Climate Change: Solutions, Politics, And Power
- ENV 525 Water Resources Policy
- ENV 562 Social-Ecological Systems
- ENV 675: Topics In Environmental Discourse
- ENV 650: Current Topics In Global Resource Conservation
- SUS 602 Elements of Sustainability
- SUS 603: Social Transformations
- SUS 562: Social Ecological Systems