About EnvironmentalScience.org
Our Lecture Series
Our Lecture Series comes from an environmental engineer who spent his career solving the problems our readers are training to tackle.
Neil S. Shifrin, PhD
Environmental engineer; author of Environmental Perspectives
Neil Shifrin holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in Civil/Environmental Engineering from MIT, and has consulted on environmental engineering topics including water quality, contaminant fate and transport, hazardous waste site cleanups, and environmental cost allocation. Over a 45-year career, he founded the consulting firm Gradient Corporation and testified in court more than 25 times on Superfund topics such as cost allocation, cleanup approaches, and insurance recovery. He is the author of Environmental Perspectives (Springer, 2014) and wrote our Lecture Series between 2015 and 2018.
Read his Lecture Series: Environmental Perspectives - Environmental Management and Its History - Is It Safe?
Learn from Environmental Science Experts
Our expert interviews go behind the job titles. Environmental professionals told us how they built their careers and what they'd tell students starting out. Where we've confirmed that someone's role has changed since the interview, we note both.
Our Contributors
Scientists, planners, geographers, and writers have contributed articles to EnvironmentalScience.org. Where a contributor’s role has changed since they wrote for us, we note what they’re doing now.
Jennifer Aicher
Writer; chemical oceanography
Jennifer Aicher holds a master’s in chemical oceanography from the University of Miami and has studied the world’s oceans from American Samoa to Hawaii. She started a marine science college degree program, administered water chemistry facilities, and has worked as a grant writer, newspaper columnist, and scientific content writer. She wrote several of our early guides, including Is Environmental Science Really a Good Major? and What We Wish We Had Known before Majoring in Environmental Science.
Research Scientist, Michigan State University
Jacob Hill is a research scientist in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University and a Boone and Crockett Fellow. He holds a PhD in Forest Resources from Mississippi State University, an MS in Biology from Purdue University, where he studied the diving behavior and population genetics of hawksbill sea turtles, and a BA in Biology from UNC Chapel Hill. When he wrote for us in 2015, he was a field and conservation biologist preparing to begin his doctorate.
Geologist, writer, and author
Ruby McConnell is a writer, geologist, and author whose work explores the natural world and the relationship between landscapes and human experience. Her work has appeared in publications including Mother Earth News. She received the Walt Morey Fellowship from Oregon’s Literary Arts in 2016 and is the author of A Woman’s Guide to the Wild and Ground Truth: A Geological Survey of a Life, a finalist for the 2021 Oregon Book Awards. When she contributed to EnvironmentalScience.org, she was a geologist and environmental scientist preparing to publish her first book.
Writer, researcher, and business advisor
Susan Jaworski is a writer, researcher, and business advisor who specializes in translating technical material, from environmental studies and sustainability reports to grant proposals, into clear language. She holds a Master’s in Environmental Management from UMUC and a Bachelor’s in Life Science from Otterbein University, and spent more than 15 years in environmental planning and management, including NEPA review and transit planning, before she moved to freelance writing. She wrote for us in 2014 and 2015.
Writer, researcher, and geographer
Kate Dougherty is a freelance writer, researcher, and geographer based in Philadelphia who specializes in science, technology, and the environment. Her work has been published by Truthout and Next City, among other outlets. She previously worked in science libraries, including on an EPA-related library contract and as Geosciences & Maps Librarian at the University of Arkansas.
Writer, archaeology and environment
MG Mason is a freelance writer from England whose main love is science outreach on heritage and the natural environment. He holds archaeology degrees from the University of Exeter and has GIS experience. He wrote for us in 2018.
David Newland
Writer
David Newland is a writer and avid follower of the environment who covered energy topics for our readers in 2014, including nuclear energy, wind power, and natural gas.
Emily Davies
Contributor on environmental careers
Emily is trained as an environmental scientist and an environmental lawyer. She has an ongoing interest in the development of environmental careers, or ‘green jobs,’ and by researching and writing articles on a wide range of environmental jobs, she aims to inform readers about different career paths and options.
Our Mission
EnvironmentalScience.org is the comprehensive resource for environmental science education and career guidance. Our mission is to help students, career changers, and anyone passionate about the environment find their path, whether that's choosing the right degree program, exploring career options, or understanding what it takes to build a meaningful green career.
Some schools that appear on our pages, in featured program listings and other promotions, pay for that placement. Payment doesn't determine what our guides say about careers, degrees, or accreditation.
About Our Data
Information, statistics, and data featured on our site come from federal and state agencies and other primary sources. Because figures, program details, and requirements change, confirm current details with the relevant school or agency before you make a decision.
EnvironmentalScience.org is compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
Everything we publish follows our editorial standards: where our facts come from, how we use AI, and how each article is fact-checked by a person before it's published.
Questions, corrections, or updates? Email us at [email protected].