Faculty Research Interests
TU faculty affiliated with the ENVS program represent a diverse array of fascinating and exciting research. Below are some of the ENVS faculty and a brief description of their research.
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Assistant Professor of Geography
Liberal Arts 2332
410-704-3462
mallen@towson.edu |
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Dr. Michael Allen explores the intersection of climate and weather on society, linking topics related to climate science, hazard and emergency management, public health, and geographic education. His research focuses on changes in the climate system and how communities become resilient to extreme temperature events. In the past, Dr. Allen has worked with public health entities, government, and non-government organizations, and incorporates both natural and social science perspectives. A 2023 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Serbia, his research also focuses on geographic education and geo-literacy, an essential tool in tackling 21st century challenges. |
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Professor of Biological Sciences
Science Complex, 3101B
410-704-2286
Research Focus: Plant community ecology, invasive species, and ecosystem restoration
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Dr. Beauchamp’s research centers on plant community ecology, with a particular emphasis on the impacts of invasive species on biodiversity and successional dynamics. Her work also explores the ecology of riparian (streamside) plant communities. A significant aspect of her research involves applying ecological principles to the management, conservation, and restoration of plant communities, bridging the gap between theory and practice. |
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Harald Beck, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences Science Complex, 3101D 410-704-3125 hbeck@towson.edu Research Focus: Mammal-plant interactions and tropical ecology
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| Dr. Beck’s current research focuses on understanding how disturbances, either natural or anthropogenic affect the population dynamics and species richness of mammals and plants in the Amazon. In particular, he is interested in the dramatic impact of peccaries (a pig-like creature) on forest ecology. Because of habitat destruction and hunting (anthropogenic disturbances), the species has been driven to local extinction and a new generation of trees is maturing without the massive seed predation and dispersal (mammal-plant interactions), soil disturbance, or physical damage wrought by the peccaries. To test some of these hypotheses, he has set up several long-term experiments in Cocha Cashu and Los Amigos, two sites within the Peruvian Amazon. In addition, in collaboration with colleagues from the IUCN Tapir Specialists Group, he is currently testing the impact of tapir disturbances on the seedling and sapling communities using hundreds of exclosures across five Neotropical countries and in Malaysia. Dr. Beck has also been studying the effects of peccaries as ecosystem engineers - a species that physically modifies and creates new habitats. The results of his research are crucial for understanding the role of mammals within their ecosystem, and help us to develop new conservation and management strategies. | |
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Research Focus: Estuarine and coastal landscape ecology
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Dr. Besterman is an ecologist generally interested in the role of landscape-scale, physical drivers (e.g., tidal flooding dynamics) on habitat formation in ecosystems, and the resulting organization of biological communities and ecosystem functions. She uses diverse methods integrating theory and techniques from many fields including ecosystem ecology, geomorphology, hydrology and population/community ecology. Dr. Besterman is interested in socially relevant research and global changes provide the context for much of her work. In both her research and teaching she emphasizes diverse perspectives. Dr. Besterman's collaborations include applied scientists, land trusts, and natural resource managers. In order to better understand local ecology and the problems that human communities face she works closely with community organizations. More information can be found on her website. |
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Assistant Professor of Physics, Astronomy and Geosciences
Science Complex, 2150 F
410-704-2744
Research Focus: Conservation paleobiology and stable isotope trophic analyses
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Dr. Casey’s research focuses on the ecological responses of clams and snails to natural and anthropogenic environmental disturbances on long timescales. In particular, she uses the fossil record as a natural laboratory to test ecological and evolutionary responses that operate at timescales beyond direct human observation and to determine the pristine ecological baseline of modern ecosystems in need of conservation or restoration. Past and current projects include: 1) Evaluation of commercial fishing, eutrophication, and hypoxia stressors in Long Island Sound and their effects on modern and recent fossil mollusks; 2) Use of stable isotopes (N and C) to evaluate trophic position (i.e., predator versus omnivore) of modern drilling gastropods and evaluate changes in diet associated with ecosystem change or stress; 3) Taphonomic and feeding experiment approaches that evaluate the amount and kinds of data we can reliably obtain from fossil shells, including changes in predatory behavior, predator identity, and predation intensity; and 4) Evaluation of geographic range size through time and its impact on extinction risk, including the study of factors that govern the preservation of a species’ geographic distribution in the fossil record. |
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| Ryan Casey, Ph.D.
Professor and Chairperson of Chemistry
Science Complex, 4301 A 410-704-3051
Research Focus: Environmental chemistry and toxicology
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| Dr. Casey's research involves quantifying biogeochemical processes at the interface between terrestrial and aquatic systems. Currently he is focusing on quantifying major and trace element fluxes from urban impervious surfaces (e.g. roads, parking lots) into storm water retention ponds. He and his team are investigating the role of road salt and stormwater ponds in the long term salinization of surface waters in this region. Other studies have shown that Cl- levels are increasing in area streams draining impervious surfaces and have predicted that if this increase continues, sensitive organisms may be eliminated from these waters due to salt stress. They hypothesize that stormwater ponds introduce significant quantities of road salt into the subsurface where it can slowly migrate to surface waters throughout the course of the year. They are also evaluating changes in cation distribution that occur during salinization and the potential impacts those changes have on trace metal bioavailability and biota in stormwater ponds. Recently, they have also investigated the relative importance of sediment and biofilm for uptake of trace elements into larval amphibians. These organisms graze on biofilms and co-ingest sediments, both of which may be contaminated in stormwater ponds and other sites. This work addresses the question of whether ingested biofilm is as important as ingested sediment in trace element accumulation. Results to date indicate the biofilm is an important consideration for the accumulation of As and Se, while sediment is the dominant source for Cr and Ni. | |
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Research Focus: System sustainability and network analysis
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| Dr. Fath's research goals are to understand better System Sustainability, which he addresses using three different approaches: network analysis, integrated environmental assessment, and information theory. Sustainability is a critically important area that encompasses a broad range of research interests including ecosystem services, biodiversity, natural resources, human cultures, and specific environments. He uses network analysis to investigate thermodynamic sustainability indicators. These indicators are often referred to as ecological goal functions, which are used to describe the direction of development that ecosystem properties such as energy or exergy flow, biomass production, or respiration undergo during succession. These metrics help understand the overall behavior and health of that system and its response due to perturbations. He is also interested in how ecosystems interact with human systems and vice versa. Integrated environmental assessment is an interdisciplinary and social process linking knowledge and action in public policy aimed at identifying and analyzing interactions of natural and human processes which determine both the current and future states of environmental quality. | |
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Professor of Biological Sciences
Science Complex, 4101A
410-704-4033
Research Focus: Plant community and ecosystem ecology
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Dr. Gough's research is at the intersection of plant community ecology and ecosystem ecology. She has been researching the arctic tundra in Alaska for more than 20 years with a focus on understanding how plant communities and the organisms with which they interact affect ecosystem processes. One recent project has focused on the role of microtine rodents (voles and lemmings) in carbon and nutrient cycling. She also supervises students conducting research locally on urban ecology and invasive plant species. In addition, she leads grant-funded projects that help faculty develop and teach CUREs (course-based undergraduate research experiences) and become more effective and inclusive mentors of undergraduate researchers. |
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Research Focus: Plate tectonics
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Plate tectonics describes the subdivision of Earth's rigid outer shell into variably sized plates that move at about the same rate as your fingernails grow. As well as being an important control of geologic phenomena like volcanic eruptions, mountain building, and earthquakes, plate tectonics facilitates our planet's habitability and is a fundamental driver of evolution. Dr. Guice's research focuses on how and when plate tectonics emerged on Earth, what tectonic processes predominated before plate tectonics, whether these processes have changed through geologic time, and the nature of critical mineral deposits that form in association with these tectonic processes. To investigate these questions, Dr. Guice uses a variety of techniques, including: detailed fieldwork and geologic mapping, structural geology, microscopy, bulk-rock chemistry, mineral chemistry, and geochronology. Currently, his research projects are focused in 3 geographic regions that represents 3 temporal snapshots of Earth’s evolution: (1) the 500-300 million year old Appalachian mountains, with a specific focus on the region between Washington, D.C. and New York City; (2) the 950-580 million year old Sao Gabriel Block in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul; and (3) the 1900-1700 million year old Svecofennian orogeny in central and northern Finland. |
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Professor of Biological Sciences
Science Complex, 3101K
410-704-2926
Research Focus: Environmental education and science teacher education
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| Dr. Haines' research focuses on advancing environmental education across diverse settings, including formal classroom environments and informal learning contexts. She explores how connections to nature and environmental attitudes shape K-12 student learning, emphasizing the importance of fostering meaningful engagement with the natural world. Additionally, her work examines the impact of professional development on in-service teachers and higher education faculty, investigating how these opportunities support the effective integration of environmental education into their teaching practices. With a broad interest in environmental education research, her work seeks to bridge theory and practice to promote environmental literacy and sustainability education. | |
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Beth Kautzman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Chemistry Research Focus: Atmospheric chemistry and environmental contaminants
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| The aim of Dr. Kautzman's research efforts is to further the understanding of the chemical and physical properties of atmospheric secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). A large fraction (80–90% in some locations) of atmospheric organic aerosol is secondary in origin. The effects of SOA impact issues of climate change and human health, which in turn have implications for weather, the hydrogeological cycle, and changes in ecosystem stability. Dr. Kautzman's program seeks to directly address important questions in SOA formation mechanisms and chemical composition, and to relate chemical properties to the optical properties of atmospheric aerosols. | |
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Associate Professor of Geography
Science Complex, 2150D
410-704-2441
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Dr. McNeal is a Geoscience Education Researcher at Towson University who focuses on investigating how students use spatial reasoning in fluid-Earth science courses. Her research includes working with student and expert meteorologists to better understand their interpretation of complex data displays, such as surface and upper air maps. She works with student and expert hydrogeologists to better understand their ability to visualize subsurface features in three-dimensions. Dr. McNeal also uses rotating tanks to investigate student use of spatial reasoning while observing models of geophysical fluid processes. The goal of these investigations is to better understand how humans think spatially and apply that knowledge to teaching and learning in undergraduate fluid-Earth classrooms, such as meteorology, hydrogeology, and oceanography. Dr. McNeal’s research group uses the Fluid-Earth Science Spatial Thinking Lab, with an HT3 rotating tank system, which features a 76 cm diameter transparent tank mounted on a Taylor-Henry cart. The motorized turntable can support up to 200 pounds and operates at variable speeds up to 13.3 RPM. This equipment allows the group to demonstrate key fluid dynamics phenomena, including solid-body rotation of dyed water, effects of stirring, and the formation of Taylor columns. Through student interviews centered on these demonstrations, we explore how students comprehend concepts like “rigid water” in solid-body rotation. These tank experiments accurately model geophysical fluid dynamics, reflecting the behavior of Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. Additionally, we investigate the use of spatial thinking and development of expertise in authentic meteorological contexts. By embedding in convective field studies (storm chases), Dr. McNeal and students collect data from students in the field and analyze the data to learn how students learn in high intensity authentic environments. |
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Interim Director of the Environmental Science and Studies Program
Director of the Environmental Science Graduate Program
Professor of Geosciences
Science Complex, 2150B
410-704-4245
Research Focus: Water chemistry and quality, especially related to urbanization; effects of urbanization on stream and soil geochemistry |
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Dr. Moore and his research group investigate critical zone processes, including stream and soil geochemistry, with a focus on urban watersheds as well as the effects of deicing (road) salt use. |
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| Wendy Nelson, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Geosciences
Science Complex, 2150G
410-704-3133
Research Focus: Understanding volcanism using mineralogy, geochemistry, and radiogenic
isotopes
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| Dr. Nelson is a geoscientist interested in using geochemical and mineralogic tools to answer questions related to tectonic processes that generate volcanism on land and in the sea. Examples of recent and ongoing projects include (1) Understanding the evolution of seamount volcanoes along the Walvis Ridge formed during the opening of the southern Atlantic Ocean using major element, trace element, and Re-Os isotopes. (2) How did the Marsabit Volcano in northern Kenya form? Using major elements, trace elements, isotopes, and petrography to determine the tectonic origin of this off-rift volcano. (3) Re-Os isotope signatures of seamount hotspots across the Pacific Ocean: Determining the mixture of mantle sources responsible for lava generation. (4) Mars analog study of basaltic sand from source-to-sink: using major element compositions of Hawaiian basaltic sand grains to determine the variety of sources contributing to basaltic sand dunes. By establishing which sand components are most useful in tracking various sand sources in Hawaii, we can understand basaltic sand formation, transport, and ultimate deposition in Martian sand dunes. (5) Fingerprinting the Re-Os-Platinum Group Element signatures of mantle xenoliths in East Africa to understand their age, tectonic history, and how they contribute to rifting and volcanism. (6) Old tectonics lead to new volcanoes: tracing subduction signatures in rift lavas using melt inclusions inside olivine and pyroxene minerals. | |
| Keith Reber, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Chemistry Science Complex, 4301 J 410-704-2721 kreber@towson.edu |
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Dr. Reber's research group is broadly interested in the chemical synthesis of novel organic molecules with interesting or useful properties. Since synthetic planning is greatly facilitated by advances in chemical methodology, his group also develops new chemical reactions to address unusual or challenging structural features in our synthetic targets. Through interdisciplinary collaborations with other scientists (both at Towson University and at institutions across the county), his group synthesizes compounds to facilitate research in such diverse areas as medicinal chemistry, nanomaterials, water disinfection, and environmental science. The primary focus of Dr. Reber's research group is the total synthesis of natural products: compounds obtained from nature (e.g. plants, fungi, bacteria) that exhibit biological activity. Since these types of secondary metabolites are usually isolated from the natural source in only milligram quantities, evaluation of their pharmaceutical potential is limited by the scarcity of material. His research program aims to alleviate supply issues by developing efficient syntheses of bioactive natural products starting from cheap and readily available commodity chemicals. |
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| Martin Roberge, Ph.D.
Professor of Geography and Environmental Planning
Liberal Arts, 2355
410-704-5011
Research Focus: Data analytics, stream hydrology, and software engineering
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| Dr. Martin Roberge studies the interaction between human society and its physical environment. He uses methods from the fields of Geomorphology, Geographic Information Science, Remote Sensing, and Computer Programming to study our impact on urban streams and watersheds. Some of his past projects have investigated how channel structures have affected the Salt River in Phoenix, Arizona; the effect of urban development and impervious surfaces on the Chesapeake Bay; the effects of historical soil erosion in Baltimore County; stream restoration; and the causes and effects of trail erosion. His current work uses Python to analyze stream gauge data. | |
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Christopher Salice, Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences Science Complex, 5301A
410-704-4920
Research Focus: Applied ecology, ecotoxicology, and population dynamics
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| Research in Dr. Salice’s lab is broadly focused on understanding and predicting the effects of anthropogenic activities on ecological systems. His lab uses field research, laboratory studies and mathematical modeling to address problems in applied ecology, conservation and ecotoxicology. A strong focus of current research lies in using bio- and eco-energetic frameworks to understand the effects of environmental toxicants on aquatic systems. A key challenge in managing environmental systems is the disconnect between how data are frequently generated (in the lab, on a single species) and the complexity of systems we want to protect (communities and ecosystems). Our lab is working on using the universal currency of life – energy – as a way to build a mechanistic understanding of anthropogenic stress in an ecological context. Additionally, the lab has had a strong interest in reptile and amphibian ecology and ecotoxicology and future projects will likely involve evaluating impacts of environmental stressors on developing amphibians. Students in the Salice lab will eventually be expected to conduct independent research but are usually trained by working on existing projects within the lab. Students are also encouraged to participate in research conferences and to ideally publish their work. | |
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John Sivey, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry Science Complex, 4301D
410-704-6087
Research Focus: Aquatic Chemistry and Water Treatment
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Research in Dr. Sivey’s group focuses on environmental organic chemistry and the chemistry of drinking water treatment. Specifically, Dr. Sivey’s group examines the chemistry of aqueous disinfectants (including free chlorine and free bromine) as well as the generation disinfection by-products. The reactivity of biologically-important molecules (e.g., amino acids) toward chlorinating and brominating agents is of particular interest. The group also examines the transformation mechanisms and environmental fate of agrochemicals (including pesticides and so-called "inert" ingredients). |