Geography, Environment, and Sustainability

Jamie Phelps

Posted on June 19, 2023

PhD, Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 2023

B.A., Environmental & Sustainability Studies, UNCG, 2019

B.A., Biology, UNCG, 2019

Why the Environment & Sustainability Program? Jamie was originally recruited to UNCG for soccer, but met Dr. Allen during her campus visit. After hearing the variety of courses offered in the program, ranging from backpacking to sea turtles to natural resource policy, the E&S program seemed a perfect fit for her career goals. 

Favorite aspects/courses? Jamie says, “I really enjoyed the size of the program; I believe I met everyone in my cohort. My favorite course was ‘Wildness as a Teacher.’ We received lots of hands-on outdoor training. One of my favorite memories from UNCG is when our class took a field trip to Stumpy Point to learn about fisheries and the waterfowl of the Carolina bays. The instructors were all very encouraging and are one of the reasons I’m currently pursuing a PhD in Biological Sciences at Louisiana State University.”

What’s next? “I’m currently a PhD candidate at Louisiana State University in Biological Sciences. My work focuses on environmental cues for plasticity and the life history tradeoffs associated with plastic response. I hope to work for government agencies or NGOs to advocate for scientific policies and conduct research that informs policy.”