Seminars
DEPARTMENTAL SEMINAR SERIES
The ESP Department hosts a seminar series each fall and spring semester. Our faculty coordinators try to arrange for an interesting array of guest speakers to share their expertise in a presentation. Seminars will be in hybrid format and are open to everyone.
To receive the Zoom link to each of the seminars, please register here: Zoom Link.
***In the event of a snow day, the scheduled seminar will be in virtual format only via Zoom***
Spring 2026 Seminar Schedule
All seminars have a Zoom option. Register to join by Zoom here: https://tinyurl.com/5f7u77yv
Date: Friday, February 20, 2026
Implementing the One Health Paradigm & the Role of the One Health Global Alliance in Addressing Complex Issues
Presenters: Dr. Tequam Worku and Dr. Wondwossen Gebreyes
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Exploratory 3301
Date: Friday, April 10, 2026
Climate Challenges to Cultural Heritage: A Pathway to Political Dialogue?
Presenter: Dr. Todd LaPorte
Time: 2:30-3:30pm
Location: Johnson Center Meeting Room A (325)
Date: Friday, April 17, 2026
Biodiversity loss, identified as one of the critical planetary boundaries that humanity is transgressing, is seen as a major, large-scale shift in Earth systems
Presenter: Dr. Meredith Gore
Time: 2:30-3:30pm
Location: Exploratory Hall 3301
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Fall 2025 Seminar Series
Sep 24
Fairfax: Johnson Center 334 (Room E) and on Zoom
12-1pm
Rhema Bjorkland (COS)
"Protecting transboundary living resources. A conservation ecologist takes a governance perspective"
Oct 8
Fairfax: Johnson Center 334 (Room E) and on Zoom
12-1pm
Alexandra Buck (Fairfax County Health Dept.)
"Extreme Heat & Health: Monitoring Heat-Related Illness in the Fairfax Health District for Prevention and Action"
Oct 29
Fairfax: Johnson Center 334 (Room E) and on Zoom
12-1pm
Hung-Ling (Stella) Liu (CEHD)
"From Evidence to Action: Integrating People, Parks, and Planning for Sustainable Outcome"
Nov 12
Fairfax: Johnson Center 334 (Room E) and on Zoom
12-1pm
AHM Ali Reza (COS)
"My journey as a Foreign Service Officer (Environment) with USAID"
Dec 10
Fairfax: Johnson Center 333 (Room D) and on Zoom (Register)
12-1:20pm
Special event featuring graduate students' Flash Talks (speakers & topics below)
Q&A and feedback to follow
12:05-12:30 Charles Sterling
"The Connection between Urban Segregation and Drinking Water Access"
12:30-12:55 Carsyn Bennett
"Like Moths to a Flame: Engaging Citizens in Insect Conservation"
12:55-1:20 Jacob Mormando
"How temperature Impacts the Toxin Production of Cyanobacteria"
Spring 2025 Seminar Series
Feb. 12
"Urbanization and Conservation: A "One Health" Perspective" presented by Dr. Gad Perry in
Johnson Center 326 Meeting Room B
Feb. 26
"Plant Community Assembly Through the Lens of Restoration Ecology" presented by Dr. Emily Conway in
Johnson Center 333 Meeting Room D
Mar. 12
"Wild Boar Hunting" presented by Dr. Juan Martin Dabezies in
Johnson Center G19 Gold Meeting Room
Mar. 26
"Microbes on Microplastics in the Occoquan River" presented by Dr. Jennifer Salerno in
Johnson Center 325 Meeting Room A
Apr. 9
"Characterizing Environmental Change in Central America" presented by Dr. Laura Sauls in
Johnson Center 325 Meeting Room G
Apr. 23
"Stakeholder Engagement in Large Landscape Conservation" presented by Dr. Sammie Powers in
Johnson Center 325 Meeting Room G
May 7
"Microcoleus (Cyanobacteria) Growth and Anatoxin Production under Different Lab-manipulated Conditions" presented by PhD student Sydney Brown in Johnson Center Meeting Room C
Spring 2022 Seminar Series (Virtual)
Fall 2021 Seminar Series (Virtual)
Spring 2021 Seminar Series (Virtual)
Fall 2020 Seminar Series (Virtual)
Dr. Shifra Goldenberg, December 11 Flyer
Dr. Miguel Angel Reyes Lopez, November 20 Flyer, Seminar Video
Donielle Nolan, November 13 Flyer
Dr. Katheryn Patterson, October 30 Flyer
Spring 2020 Seminar Series
Location for all seminars is EXPLORATORY HALL 3301, unless indicated differently on the seminar flyer
Time for all seminars is 3:00-4:00 PM
Dr. Dexter Locke, March 5
USDA Forest Service
Dr. Milton Muldrow, Jr., February 27
Wilmington University
Seminar Flyer New location! RSVP required
Dr. Jared Stabach, February 13
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI)
Dr. David Shiffman, January 30
(Twitter: @WhySharksMatter)
Seminar Flyer New location!
Fall 2019 Seminar Series
Location for all seminars: EXPLORATORY HALL 3301
Time for all seminars: 3:00-4:00 PM
Jennie Miller, December 5
Defenders of Wildlife
Jacques Oliver, November 14
Office of Water and Office of Science and Technology, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Matthew Milholland, November 7
University of Maryland
Adam Shapiro, October 30
United States Department of State
Dr. Miriam Goldstein, October 17
Managing Director for Energy and Environment Policy and Director for Ocean Policy, Center for American Progress
Dr. Erica Towle, September 19
National Coral Reef Monitoring Program Coordinator, Coral Reef Conservation Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)