Exploring relocation
as adaptation.
I pair insights from environmental and urban scholarship with methods of causal inference to investigate the social production and consequences of environmental injustices. My work focuses on how communities experience climate hazards, navigate recovery, and utilize residential relocation as a form of adaptation.
About Me
I am an Environmental Sociologist dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities through experiential, community-based research. Drawing on my background as a graduate of a rural community college, I strive to make sociological theory accessible and relevant to lived experiences. My work integrates environmental justice theory to illuminate how marginalized groups navigate recovery from environmental hazards and adapt to ongoing climate challenges.
My core research investigates the social impacts of environmental hazards on households, communities, and trust in government recovery efforts. Currently, I am applying causal inference methods to highly granular data to study climate-related resettlement and federal home buyout policies across the United States. In the classroom, I am an experienced instructor who has taught courses ranging from research methodology to urban inequality, with a strong focus on structured service-learning and producing meaningful public sociology.
Featured Research
Teaching & Public Sociology
Current & Recent Courses
Environmental Sociology
This course explores the emergence of the 'environment' as a subject of social and political concern. Students engage with diverse theoretical approaches to build critical skills for analyzing contemporary environmental issues and assessing pathways toward sustainability and environmental justice.
Public Participation & Conflict Resolution
A close examination of environmental conflicts and their social, cultural, and political dimensions. Through contemporary Canadian case studies, students learn to navigate the perspectives of diverse stakeholders and the ongoing debates surrounding sustainability, energy, and climate change.
Pedagogical Approach
My teaching strategy centers on bridging sociological theory with real-world application. Because my courses are cross-listed (combining undergraduate and 600-level graduate cohorts), I utilize a scaffolded approach to discussion and assignments. This allows advanced students to engage deeply with theoretical frameworks while ensuring foundational concepts remain accessible and relevant to all learners.
Materials & Public Sociology
I strongly believe in taking sociology beyond the classroom walls. My instructional materials frequently incorporate contemporary Canadian case studies and structured service-learning alongside local environmental justice groups. This approach grounds theoretical concepts in lived realities and empowers students to co-produce knowledge that benefits underrepresented communities.
Let's Connect
Whether you are a student, a fellow researcher, or a community organizer, I'm always open to discussing relocation adaptation and environmental justice.