Division of Environmental Science
Graduate Program in Environmental Science (GPES)
Graduate Program in Environmental Science (GPES)
The Graduate Program in Environmental Science (GPES) supports interdisciplinary environmental research and teaching at SUNY ESF and offers unique graduate programs that serve the needs of our students. GPES is comprised of faculty from each of the seven departments at SUNY ESF who understand the importance of interdisciplinary collaborations to manage and solve critical environmental problems.
GPES is centered on four Research Areas:
Climate & Energy
Work with faculty from multiple disciplines and perspectives to tackle a wide range
of research questions related to climate change and energy.
Ecosystems: Land, Water and Air
Integrate multidisciplinary approaches by working with faculty experts to contribute better understanding and novel solutions relevant to society-environment-ecosystem interactions.
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Indigenous Peoples & Environmental Science
Collaboratively and creatively engage both Indigenous knowledge systems and Western
academic science in environmental research
Policy, Planning, Communication & Society
Focuses on people's relationships and interactions with natural and built environments, and how we value, communicate, plan, design, manage, and make decisions about such spaces.
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Research Areas are designed to group faculty around broad research and teaching themes. Prospective students identify potential Major Professors within one of these Research Areas when applying to the program.
GPES offers Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree programs. The program is designed to have minimal required coursework so students can uniquely design a graduate curriculum that satisfies their research and professional needs.
We encourage you to learn more about our programs, contact potential Major Professors, and join us to work towards making our world a more just, healthy and sustainable environmental system.
Student Stories
Meet some of our recent graduates and keep up with their successes.
Amina Furrkukh Mughal
Amina is a Ph.D. Candidate in Dr. Yaqi You's lab. See below for their student story.
My path to environmental science was through microbiology and immunology before I found my way to freshwater systems. With a BS in Biosciences and an MS in Microbiology and Immunology, I came to SUNY ESF with a strong foundation in molecular biology, but it was here that I discovered how those tools could answer some of the biggest questions about lake ecosystem health.
My research centers on the hidden microbial world of freshwater lake systems, which examines the sediment microbial communities and fish gut microbiomes that quietly shape how these ecosystems function. Using sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analysis, I work to understand how microbial communities respond to environmental stressors and contaminants, from PCBs to the broader landscape of emerging pollutants.
I've had the opportunity to build leadership experience as president of an international student association and to present my research at multiple regional and international conferences. These experiences have shaped how I think about connecting science with community.
For me, GPES has been the space where microbiology, environmental chemistry, and a
genuine curiosity about lake ecosystems all come together.
Here is the link to my google scholar to learn about latest research from our group and LinkedIn to get connected.
Andrea Cass
Andrea Cass is a GPES PhD Candidate in the policy, planning, communication, and society track focusing on climate adaptation, relocation from flooding, and long-term disaster recovery in West Virginia. During her 5 months in southern West Virginia, she has conducted over 59 interviews as part of her dissertation as well as supported the development of the West Virginia Flood Resiliency Framework with her PhD advisor, Dr. Jame Shinn. Her dissertation examines the power dynamics of relocation from flooding and examines voluntary buyouts in inland, riverine communities. Alongside her colleague, she recently published a commentary in the Climate and Development Journal on everyday resistance to climate adaptation. Andrea has received three awards from the American Association of Geographers and received funding from the Syracuse University Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict & Collaboration, R.G. Pack Fellowship, SUNY ESF Alumni Association, and SUNY ESF Graduate Student Association.
Cass, A., & Tasnim, T. (2026). Transformational adaptation from the bottom-up: arts, alternative imaginaries, and everyday forms of resistance. Climate and Development, 18(3), 273–279. Full Article
Harold Jones
Harold Jones is a current GPES MS Student in the Ecosystems: Land, Water and Air (ELWA) Study Area working on an NSF funded project examining the balance between ecological and human demands on water resources. He presented his ongoing research entitled "Effects of Beaver Dam Analogs on Late-summer In-stream Water Level Variability" at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) fall 2021 meeting in New Orleans, which examines the use of small dams to alter the dynamics of riparian ecosystems using a Nature Conservancy site at Red Canyon Ranch in Wyoming. His Major Professor is Dr. Stephen Shaw. He is also a Pathway Intern with the U.S. Forest Service, an innovative program designed to provide students with opportunities to explore Federal careers while they're still in school. His current internship is focusing on abandoned mine drainage, a common water pollution problem.
Dustin Hill '21
Industrial air pollutants can have an adverse impact on human health, especially for those located in proximity to emission sources. 2021 GPES PhD graduate Dustin Hill recently led a group of researchers publishing an article in Environmental Research entitled "Linking metal (Pb, Hg, Cd) industrial air pollution risk to blood metal levels and cardiovascular functioning and structure among children in Syracuse, NY." This work found that blood levels of mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) were elevated in inhabitants near air pollution sources in Syracuse, NY, with a particularly strong impact on children. They also found that regulatory monitoring data are effective measures of spatial lifecourse exposure to air pollutants. This work was one of 8 papers (!) Dustin co-authored during his PhD at SUNY ESF, with a general focus on environmental policy, political economy, and environmental sociology. His Major Professor at ESF was Dr. Mary Collins. Dustin is now in a post-doctoral position at Syracuse University.
Research Highlights:
