Environmental Humanities Research Cluster

FedEx Institute of Technology launches new research cluster focusing on environmental humanities and issues

The Environmental Humanities Research Cluster at the University of Memphis, within the FedEx Institute of Technology, is dedicated to integrating the humanities with the natural sciences to address contemporary environmental crises. Led by Dr. Amanda Gaggioli from the Department of History and Dr. Youngsang Kwon from the Department of Earth Sciences, the cluster fosters interdisciplinary and integrative research and curriculum development, examining human-environmental relationships across time and space. Faculty from diverse disciplines across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields, are engaging collaboratively to explore environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, resource management, land use, sustainability, water security, energy transitions, hazards and disasters, while emphasizing their cultural and political dimensions. By infusing humanistic perspectives into scientific inquiry, this initiative fosters critical engagement with environmental challenges to develop holistic and socially informed solutions. This initiative builds on existing strengths at the university and aims to create a comprehensive, integrative research and curriculum program, equipping faculty, students, and the public with the knowledge and skills to address urgent environmental issues at local, national, and global levels.

Faculty Team Members:

Dr. Amanda Gaggioli (PI), History, Faculty affiliate in CERI and Anthropology

Dr. Youngsang Kwon (Co-PI), Earth Sciences

Dr. Leah Windsor, English, Institute for Intelligence Systems, Center for Applied Earth Sciences & Engineering Research professor

Dr. Will Thompson, International and Global Studies Director, World Languages & Literature

Dr. Simranjit Steel, Sociology, Religious Studies

Dr. Sean Driscoll , Philosophy

Dr. Helen Sable, Psychology, Chair of Educational Initiatives

Dr. Stephen Diko, City & Regional Planning

Dr. Chunrong Jia, Environmental Health

Dr. Eunseo Choi, Center for Earthquake Research & Information

Dr. Laurel Darcy Hackley, Curator at the Art Museum of the University of Memphis; Art and Design

Dr. Anthony Lauricella, C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa

Dr. Keith Bowers, Field Station Director of the Edward J. Meeman Biological Station, Biology

Dr. Jennifer Mandel, Director of The Institute for Agricultural and Conservation Research and Education (ACRE), Biological Sciences

Brigette Billeaudeaux, Librarian and Archivist of the Special Collections department of the University Libraries

Casey Parkman, Digital Initiatives Librarian and head of the Sandbox Creatorspace

Kickoff meeting will be April 4, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m | FedEx Institute of Technology Fishbowl (203/205). For more information on this new research cluster, contact Gaggioli at gaggioli@memphis.edu.