Faculty and Staff
Joanna Ahlum
Academic Year Adjunct Lecturer
Joanna is interested in how forming a connection with the natural world can impact the upcoming generation, inspiring them to care for the environment in which they live. Joanna comes to us from San Jose State University, where she taught courses in environmental education and sustainable agriculture, and the non-profit organization Wild Farm Alliance. It was through the Wild Farm Alliance that she promoted agriculture which restores wild lands.
Christopher Bacon
Associate Professor
Chris is both a political ecologist and an agroecologist. His research focuses on agriculture, food systems change, and ecology. How does agri-environmental governance link to sustainable livelihoods, seasonal hunger, diversified farming, environmental and food justice in the Americas?
Lucy Diekmann
Postdoctoral Scholar
Lucy is currently studying the impact of urban agriculture in Santa Clara County, and what challenges urban agriculture projects in the heart of Silicon Valley face.
John S. Farnsworth
Senior Lecturer
John specializes in environmental writing and literature, especially in terms of literary natural history and Anglo/American nature writing. His current research focuses on long-term ecological projects, especially in terms of how these projects engage community.
C.J. Gabbe
Assistant Professor
C.J. is an urban planner. His research focuses on the connections between land use regulations, housing affordability, and climate change mitigation.
Noreen Golden
Senior Administrative Assistant
Noreen received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from San Jose State University. She came to Santa Clara University in 2013 and loves being in the Department of Environmental Studies and Sciences.
Leslie Gray
Professor, Department Chair
Leslie's research and teaching examine global environments, development and population change. She has worked in Burkina Faso, Tanzania and Sudan examining issues of agrarian change, land use patterns, and gendered access to resources. Her local work in Santa Clara County examines the socio-environmental nature of urban agriculture.
Stephanie Hughes
Lecturer
I am a registered Chemical Engineer with more than 20 years of broad technical experience in air and water quality, including pollutant source characterization, chemical fate and transport, water and wastewater treatment, and regulatory permit compliance.
Lisa Kealhofer
Professor
Lisa's research in environmental anthropology addresses issues related to ancient landscapes, political economy, and land use. Her research areas include Turkey, and the ancient regions of Sunda and Sahul. Lisa holds a joint appointment in the Department of Anthropology.
Michelle Marvier
Professor
Michelle is a conservation scientist. Her research examines ecosystem recovery following major perturbation and the environmental pros and cons of genetically modified crops.
Virginia Matzek
Associate Professor
Virginia is a restoration ecologist whose work links ecological restoration to ecosystem services that benefit humans. She is also interested in how land managers and policymakers use science and public opinion to set priorities for restoration.
Hari Mix
Assistant Professor
Hari is a stable isotope geochemist. He studies the interactions between different components of the Earth system, from plate tectonics to the climate and biosphere.
Monica Morales
Laboratory technician
Monica is a lab tech for Biology and Environmental Studies and Sciences. Prior to joining SCU, she worked at Abbott Labs, a biomedical engineering company.
Iris Stewart-Frey
Associate Professor
Iris is a hydrogeologist with expertise in hydroclimatology and GIS. Her research explores the effects of climate variability and change on water flow and water quality in the mountain streams of California, the West, and beyond.
