I am a political scientist and educator whose work centers the politics of climate change and climate justice. More generally, as a scholar my research, writing, and teaching explore the relations between politics and nature in an age of planetary ecological crisis. As an activist, I dedicate my labor towards working with groups and communities organizing and working towards climate and environmental justice. Currently I am Lecturer of environmental politics and policy in the Department of Political Science at Purdue University.
In 2019 I obtained my PhD in Political Science from The Ohio State University, with concentrations in International Relations and Political Theory. As an environmental political scientist I am a generalist and my approach is interdisciplinary and critical. I have taught courses on international/global environmental politics, introductions to international relations, comparative politics, and environmental policy, international organizations and law, world regional geography, and global justice. My research and writing has been published by outlets such as New Political Science, Radical Philosophy Review, and the North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) and I’ve peer reviewed articles for journals including International Theory, Relaciones Internacionales, and Global Environmental Change.
Born and raised in the Midwest Great Lakes region of the US, I am a proud product of public education and land grant institutions, as well as liberal arts education from Butler University, where I obtained a BA in Political Science, Spanish, and Philosophy. Prior to graduate school I spent several years living and working abroad as an English as a foreign language teacher in China and Chile and I speak Spanish as a second language. I believe good education comes in a variety of forms and is necessary for a democratic society, so I advocate for equality of opportunity and accessibility to quality education. I am also a strong advocate for the self-organization and emancipation of workers everywhere, to which I dedicate my time and energy when available, including with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). I welcome unsolicited messages from fellow (potential) students, teachers, researchers, workers, and activists interested in dialoguing with respect to any of the above.
I currently live and work on the historical lands of Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Kaskaskia, Bodwéwadmi (Potawatomi), and Myaamia peoples, which you can learn more about here.