Department of Environmental Studies
"We seek knowledge to support a more sustainable and just world."
Link to: Environmental Studies Website
- An interdisciplinary program including fields from the humanities to the social and natural sciences
- We stress community service by faculty and students
- We train creative problem solvers for environmental issues
Undergraduate Student Nathan Rast
Nathan Rast
Hometown: Billings, Montana
Research Mentor/advisor: Phil Condon
Topic of Interest: Environmental Education broadly viewed: experiential, outdoors, community. Involving and including the business community in sustainability efforts and in environmental awareness.
Nathan is an outstanding student, academically: he is graduating this semester with an EVST major and SOC minor and carries a 4.0 GPA. His EVST instructors know him as a nuanced and articulate writer and a student who always brings a responsible and questioning attitude to his course work and classes. Outside of class Nathan has volunteered and interned extensively in Missoula with HomeWord and the Sustainable Business Council, modeling a productive commitment to community engagement and improvement.
Graduate Student Molly (Mary) McKinley
Molly McKinley
Hometown: Carthage, IN
Advisor/Mentor: Robin Saha
Research Focus: Environmental justice, persistent toxic contaminants, and human health among Alaska Natives
Molly is one of EVST's most talented and energetic students whose research seeks to empower the voices of Alaska Natives regarding their concerns about contamination of subsistence food sources by industrial pollution from the developed nations. In addition to developing innovative environmental justice research and an outstanding academic record, Molly is exemplary in her community service, volunteering both on and off campus for numerous committees and organizations including the Missoula County Food Bank and Habitat for Humanity. She also helped the UM Office of Civic Engagement develop an alternative spring break in New Orleans, where she led the UM group on an educational and cultural outing.
