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Environmental Resources and Policy Faculty
Our faculty are a unique blend of researchers, educators and professionals who are proven experts in their fields.
Marjorie Brooks, Associate Professor
Environmental Resources and Policy - Zoology
I am interested in testing how multiple human stressors affect aquatic communities, and how we can alleviate those stressors so organisms and ecosystems can adapt to climate change. I also investigate the some fundamental aspects of the biogeochemistry of microbial communities meaning that I study a variety of aquatic systems in the lab and field
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Phone: 618-453-7639
mlbrooks@siu.edu
Carolyn Butts-Wilmsmeyer , Associate Professor and Director of the Center for Predictive Analytics
Environmental Resources and Policy - Biological Sciences
Research Interests:
As a statistical geneticist, my research interests lie at the intersection of predictive models, plant genetics, and human health. The overall goal of my research program is to build statistical models that allow us to predict and improve plant characteristics of economic and societal importance, such as the nutritional quality of grain crops and the natural resilience of plant production systems. My current research projects include developing more predictive genomic selection techniques for complex traits and minimizing the occurrence of mycotoxin-producing fungal pathogens in grain production systems.
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Phone: 618-650-2682
cbuttsw@siue.edu
Andrew Carver, Professor, Director of Engagement
Forestry, Horticulture, Environmental Resources and Policy
Dr. Carver is Professor of Conservation Planning and Sustainable Development and Director of Engagement for the College of Agricultural Sciences. Dr. Carver leads a globally recognized teaching and research program in international natural resource conservation and international development. His research informs policy decision making in Europe, North America, Central America and Central Asia. His outreach duties include building domestic and international partnerships for the SIU College of Agricultural Sciences.
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Office: Agriculture Building, Room 186-B
Phone: 618-453-7461
acarver@siu.edu
Dunren Che, Professor

Office: Engineering A0307B
Phone: 618-453-6046
dche@cs.siu.edu
Leslie Duram, Professor, Fulbright Scholar, Director of the Environmental Studies Program
Geography and Environmental Resources
Dr. Duram's research interests are environmental geography (local- to global-scale environmental issues), environmental public participation, climate change education, plant-based diets, and campus sustainability.
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duram@siu.edu
Phone: 618-453-6084
Office: 4537 Faner Hall
Scholar Profile
CV (pdf)
Karla Gage, Associate Professor
Crop, Soil and Environmental Management
Dr. Karla Gage is Assistant Professor of Weed Science and Plant Biology at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she received her Ph.D. in Plant Biology with a focus in Weed Ecology in 2013. She holds a cross-appointment between the College of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Soil and Agricultural Systems and the College of Science, Department of Plant Biology. She has experience working with weed management research, planning and control in agricultural, grassland, forest, and aquatic ecosystems.
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David Gibson, Professor

Office: Life Science II 405
Phone: 618-453-3231
djgibson@siu.edu
Nicholas Guehlstorf, Professor
Environmental Resources and Policy - SIUE Cooperative Faculty
I'm an environmental scientist interested in human health hazard and exposure assessment. My prior research experience largely focused on monitoring and modeling contaminant fate, bioaccumulation, and human exposure. I have also maintained an interest in environmental statistics and data analysis applications, as well as information exchange, collaboration, and education with other environmental specialists and the general public.
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Phone: 618-650-3852
nguehls@siue.edu
Scott Hamilton-Brehm, Associate Professor
Environmental Resources and Policy - Microbiology
Research Specialties: Anaerobic and aerobic cultivation of microorganisms, environmental sampling.
Education:
PhD, 2008, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
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Phone: 618-453-3818
scott.hamilton-brehm@siu.edu
Kristin Hurst, Assistant Professor
Geography and Environmental Resources
Dr. Hurst's research interests include Sustainability Psychology, Pro-environmental Behavior, Climate Change Engagement, and Human-Environment Interactions.
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kristin.hurst@siu.edu
Phone: 618-536-3375
Office: 4520 Faner Hall
Google Scholar Profile
CV (pdf)
Sajal Lahiri, Professor of Economics
Sajal Lahiri, Ph.D. earned his doctorate from the Indian Statistical Institute (1977). He worked at the University of Essex in England (1978-2002) and joined the faculty at Southern Illinois University in 2002 as the Vandeveer endowed chair in Economics and is a distinguished scholar at SIU.
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Office: Faner Hall, 4130
Phone: 618-453-9472
lahiri@siu.edu
Liliana Lefticariu, Professor
Geology
Education
- B.Sc. 1989, University of Bucharest
- M.S. 2001, Northern Illinois University
- Ph.D. 2004, Northern Illinois University
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Office: Parkinson Lab 301 D
Phone: 618-453-7373
Fax: 618-453-7393
lefticariu@geo.siu.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Personal Webpage
Ruopu Li, Associate Professor
Geography and Environmental Resources
Dr. Li's research centers on the Geoinformatics for Food-Energy-Water (GeoFEW). His specific research topics include Water Resources Modeling and Management, Food-Energy-Water Nexus, Social-Hydrological Systems, Energy Geography, and Smart and Connected Communities. His research methods involve geospatial artificial intelligence, social media data mining, multispectral drones, and community surveys.
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ruopu.li@siu.edu
Phone: 618-453-6038
Office: 4543 Faner Hall
The GeoFEW Research Lab
Scholar Profile
CV (pdf)
Zhi-Qing Lin, Professor

Phone: 618-650-2650
zhlin@siue.edu
Adriana Martinez, Assistant Professor
Environmental Resources and Policy - SIUE Cooperative Faculty
I am a physical geographer with GIS expertise. I received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geosciences (2005), and a Master of Science in Geography (Fluvial Geomorphology, 2008) at Texas A&M University and a PhD in Geography (Fluvial Geomorphology, 2013) at the University of Oregon.
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Patricia McCubbin, Professor
Environmental Resources and Policy - School of Law
Professor McCubbin is an expert on federal environmental law and administrative law. She joined SIU Law in 2000 after a distinguished career with the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. She served as a Fulbright Scholar in China at the Wuhan University School of Law in Wuhan, China, which is home to one of China’s premier research institutes for environmental law. She also was a visitor at the Izmir University of Economics in Izmir, Turkey.
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Office: Lesar Law Building 228
Phone: 618-453-8759
mccubbin@siu.edu
Logan Park, Associate Professor
Forestry
Logan O. Park is the Associate Professor of Forest Recreation and Park Management in the Forestry Department of Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
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William Retzlaff, Professor

Phone: 618-650-2728
wretzla@siue.edu
Charles Ruffner, Professor
Forestry
Charles M. Ruffner, Ph.D., specializes in old-growth forest ecology and fire history in his research and teaching, and is deeply engaged in service with professional and community groups at multiple scales.
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Amir Sadeghpour, Associate Professor
Crop, Soil and Environmental Management
Dr. Amir Sadeghpour is an Assistant Professor of Soil Management and Integrated Cropping Systems in the Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
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Office: Agriculture Building, Room 176
Phone: (618) 453-1795
Email: amir.sadeghpour@siu.edu
Website: https://asadeghpour.com/
Justin Schoof, Director, School of Earth Systems and Sustainability and Professor, Geography and Environmental Resources
Geography and Environmental Resources
Dr. Schoof's research interests include climate variability and change, synoptic climatology, and statistical climatology.
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jschoof@siu.edu
Phone: 618-453-6019
Office: 4524 Faner Hall
Scholar Profile
CV (pdf)
Jon Schoonover, Professor
Forestry
Dr. Schoonover serves as Professor of Physical Hydrology and Soils in the Forestry Program at SIUC.
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Sylvia Smith, Professor
Dr. Sylvia Smith joined the faculty at SIU in 2007. She earned her doctoral degree from the University of Tennessee while completing research on Culinary Tourism. Her interest in food is what landed her in Carbondale, Illinois. During one of her interviews, she had a chance to visit the local farmer’s market. The market, people, and produce were so abundant and thriving she recognized the quality of life that could be possible in the Carbondale community. In 2010, she helped establish the Illinois Farmers Market Association.
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Quigley Hall, 209 B
Office: 618-536-7567
Dept: 618-453-3307
ssmith8@siu.edu
Chris Theodarakis, Professor

Phone: 618-650-5235
ctheodo@siue.edu
Guangxing Wang, Professor, Remote Sensing and GIS
Geography and Environmental Resources
Dr. Wang's research interests include remote sensing, GIS, spatial statistics and their applications to geography, natural and environmental resources with the specific areas: sampling design strategies; human activity and natural disaster induced vegetation disturbance and soil erosion, environmental quality assessment; forest and city vegetation carbon sequestration modeling and mapping; wetland classification and dynamics monitoring; desertification trend monitoring; quality assessment and spatial uncertainty analysis of remote sensing and GIS products.
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gxwang@siu.edu
Phone: 618-453-6017
Office: 4442 Faner Hall
Scholar Profile
CV (pdf)
Karl Williard, Professor and Faculty Coordinator
Forestry, Executive Director of The Universities Council on Water Resources
Karl W.J. Williard is a Professor of Forest Hydrology and Watershed Management in the Department of Forestry at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU).
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Jianhong Xu, Associate Professor

Office: Neckers 387
Phone: 618-453.6561
jhxu@siu.edu
Kyong Sup Yoon, Assistant Professor
Environmental Resources and Policy - SIUE Cooperative Faculty
My main research interests span a spectrum of environmental toxicology and medical entomology to protect agriculture, animal and human health in environmentally safe, sustainable and affordable ways. I have been particularly interested in the following areas of interdisciplinary research: (1) mechanism of acute action of toxic substances: (2) genetic and epigenetic factors and processes associated with insecticide resistance; (3) adverse effects of sub-lethal and long-term exposure to environmental chemicals; (4) controlling and management of human head and body louse populations; and (5) developing and evaluating biochemical and molecular diagnostics for chemical and pest management. Overall, my scholarly work has attempted to addresses the linkage and interaction between exposure to environmentally ubiquitous toxic substances and factors governing physiology, genetics and epigenetics.
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Phone: 618-650-3302
kyoon@siue.edu