Environmental Leadership & Literacy

An era lived in the shadow of massive climate instability requires as many forms of knowledge as possible. I work to bring together humanists, artists, architects, scientists, engineers, and more to confront pressing ecological questions through research, creative engagement, education, and collaboration. Over a decade ago I began working with colleagues to build units within and collaborations across (and beyond) my university to address these needs. It all began with some questions I had about how artists were responding to urgent dilemmas about energy and the environment. From there emerged a range of collaborations I couldn’t have imagined.

In 2019 I founded the Center for Environmental Studies in the School of Humanities and the Arts at Rice University, shaping this new unit out of a series of previous programs. The center was born from the impulse to support the research contributions of humanists, artists, architects, and interpretive social scientists but we also prioritize collective research and cross-disciplinary partnerships. We work with environmental partners to co-create research projects and bring together university and community expertise.

So much of what I do emanates from my love of teaching. When I created the CES, I also revamped the now-thriving Environmental Studies curriculum (currently under other leadership) to bring multi-disciplinary conversations about the social, cultural, and political aspects of climate and environment to students across campus. Nothing prepares you for a world in which no one discipline or practice is sufficient to face current challenges than Environmental Studies 100, which early on was enrolled with 70 students across 25-30 different degree programs.

EcoStudio emerged from the need to translate the extraordinary environmetnal research at my university to a range of audiences outside the institution. Often leveraging the capacity of the arts and media to engage and educate, EcoStudio has evolved towards major initiatives: the new Center for Climate and Environmental Health (CEH) and two interlocking programs HEAL: Houston Environmental Action Learning and TX Environmental Action Learning, which support climate education for secondary students and teachers.

Thanks to a great collaboration with my colleague and climate scientist Sylvia Dee and a partnership with medical and public health researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the UT Health Houston School of Public Health, we are embarking on a new endeavor. The Burroughs-Wellcome Foundation has awarded us a $10 million grant to form a cross-institutional a Climate + Health Excellence (CHEX) Center. Sylvia Dee and I will direct Rice’s new Center for Climate and Environmental Health starting Fall 2026. Stay tuned for details!