Meet the Faculty - Andrea Parker

01/21/2026

Andrea Parker’s path to SUNY ESF started with a moment of curiosity at a national conference — how could a small school in upstate New York be making such a big impact in environmental communication and decision-making? In this video, she shares how that first impression turned into a career shaped by shared values, passion, and purpose. At ESF, she found a community where caring deeply about natural resources and the environment isn’t the exception — it’s the expectation.

As a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Studies, Andrea teaches students how knowledge turns into action. Her research methods course pulls back the curtain on how science actually works, giving students the skills to interpret research, conduct their own studies, and become informed citizens. In her Environmental Communication Workshop, students tackle real-world complexity — learning how inclusive public engagement, conflict resolution, and democratic decision-making shape environmental outcomes. From energy democracy research to hands-on collaboration with students, Andrea shows how ESF helps students take their passion, sharpen it with real skills, and step into the world ready to lead, challenge systems, and create meaningful change.