Urban and Environmental Sustainability
Humans are rapidly urbanizing the planet, with half the Earth’s population already living in cities. At the same time, our thirst for natural resources is stronger than ever. Managing population expansion, urbanization, and resource demand in a sustainable manner will be humankind’s primary challenge in the decades to come. The Urban and Environmental Sustainability (UES) program prepares students to confront this challenge with broad understanding and creative problem-solving. The UES curriculum combines courses in natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities to expose students to diverse theories and methodologies.
As a flourishing global center and the most populous city in the United States, New York provides an optimal classroom to probe issues of sustainable urbanization. In UES courses, students conduct site-based studies using approaches from both natural and social sciences. This cross-disciplinary approach gives students tools to formulate innovative responses to urban problems like waste management, water treatment, air quality, and rapid growth. At the same time, students use New York City as a case study to probe issues of global sustainability. Students also take advantage of unique internship opportunities in public policy, environmental conservation, and urban resource management. By contextualizing environmental issues in their own backyard, students exercise social responsibility and community engagement.
| Division: |
Sciences |
| Division Office: |
Carson Hall 706 |
| Phone: |
212-774-0725 |
| Division Chair: |
Benedetta Sampoli Benitez, Ph.D.
bsampoli@mmm.edu |
| Division Assistant: |
Kate Warner
kwarner@mmm.edu |
Program Faculty:
As an interdisciplinary major, the Urban and Environmental Sustainability program includes faculty from assorted departments. The following full-time faculty teach courses in the major:
Alessandra Leri
Professor of Chemistry
Coordinator, Urban and Environmental Sustainability Program
B.S., College of William and Mary
M.A., University of Virginia
Ph.D., Princeton University
Carson Hall 603
Phone: 212-517-0661
aleri@mmm.edu
Ann Aguanno
Professor of Biology
Chair, Department of Natural Sciences
B.A., SUNY, Buffalo
M.S. & Ph.D., New York University
Carson Hall 603
Phone: 212-774-4838
aaguanno@mmm.edu
Carrie-Ann Biondi
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Chair, Department of History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies
B.A., Hofstra University
M.A. & Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
The Faculty Center 100
Phone: 646-393-4113
cbiondi@mmm.edu
Diana Epelbaum
Assistant Professor of Academic Writing
Director, Academic Writing Program
B.A., New York University
M.S., Pace University
Ph.D., The Graduate School & University Center of CUNY
The Faculty Center 401,
Phone: 646-393-4112
depelbaum@mmm.edu
Andreas Hernandez
Associate Professor of International Studies
Chair, Department of International Studies
B.S.W. University of Washington
M.S.W., University of British Columbia
Ph.D., Cornell University
The Faculty Center 500
Phone: 646-393-4132
ahernandez@mmm.edu
Matthew Lundquist
Assistant Professor of Biology
B.S., State University of NY College at Oneonta
M.S., Michigan State University
Ph.D.,Binghamton University
Carson Hall 614
Phone: 212-517-0667
mlundquist@mmm.edu
Magdalena Maczynska
Associate Professor of English and World Literatures
B.A. & M.A., Wroclaw University
Ph.D., The Catholic University of America
The Faculty Center 300
Phone: 646-393-4123
mmaczynska@mmm.edu
Lia Leon Margolin
Associate Professor of Mathematics
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., Tbilisi State University, Georgia
Carson Hall 603
Phone: 212-517-0650
lmargolin@mmm.edu
Philip R. Meyers
Professor of Mathematics
B.S., Brooklyn College, CUNY
M.A. & Ph.D., University of Maryland
Carson Hall 614
Phone: 212-517-0663
pmeyers@mmm.edu
Erin O’Connor
Associate Professor of Sociology
Chair, Department of Politics and Human Rights
B.A., Michigan State University
M.A. & Ph.D., New School for Social Research
The Faculty Center 400
Phone: 646-393-4133
erinoconnor@mmm.edu
Benedetta A. Sampoli Benitez
Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Chair, Division of Sciences
B.S. & M.S., University of Florence
Ph.D., University of California, San Diego
Carson Hall 614
Phone: 212-517-0653
bsampoli@mmm.edu