Faculty & Staff
Faculty
Dr. Luke Dollar
Dollar is a renowned wildlife biologist and conservationist, and a National Geographic Explorer. Much of his research is focused in Africa, as he manages the National Geographic Society's Big Cats Initiative. In Madagascar, Dollar also leads ongoing, long-term research focusing on the ecology and conservation of the island's largest endemic predator, the Fosa, a unique carnivore found nowhere else in the wild, resembling a blend between the mongoose, hyena, and cat families. |
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Interests: plant systematics, molecular phylogenetics, plant ecology, parasitic plants |
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Interests: aquatic toxicology, watershed studies, environmental physiology, biodiversity |
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Flanigan completed her Undergraduate in Environmental Studies at the University of Kansas with a focus on conservation and geography. She completed Service Learning, Geographic Information Science, and Geospatial Specialist Certificates. Presently, she is a Master’s Candidate at Ohio University completing her Masters of Science in Environmental Studies. Flanigan’s thesis is an occupancy study of small mammals and quantification of habitat loss in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar. She is placing an emphasis on the elusive carnivore, the Western Falanouc. Flanigan hopes that her thesis research will assist with management strategies and educating resident communities in the park about their impacts on the surrounding ecosystem they depend on in order to work toward more sustainable development. |
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Jacobson is a conservation biologist who uses geographic information systems (GIS) to research the location and distribution of special species and places on planet Earth. Jacobson attended the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University where he earned his Master’s degree and began a specialization in GIS. Jacobson obtained his PhD from the Geography Department at the University College London, with research focusing on the distribution of large carnivores in human-dominated landscapes of East Africa. Before coming to Catawba College, Jacobson worked as a Science and Geospatial Advisor to the National Geographic Society, helping to identify and prioritize protection of wild places throughout the world. Jacobson is excited to begin collaborative research with Catawba students & faculty, as well as local organizations & non-profits. Interests: GIS, drones, conservation biology, carnivores, land & species conservation |
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Office: SSB 102
Interests: Animal Behavior, Ornithology, Ecology |
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Quesada-Embid is an interdisciplinary scholar with research and teaching interests spanning the social and natural sciences, as well as the humanities. Her interests gravitate toward and explore an array of eco-egalitarian concerns, in particular, the role of socio-ecological resilience as it relates to local and global sustainability efforts. Key to this work is an understanding of communication strategies. The political sphere that revolves around legislative and social change requires strategic listening and communication skills, an organized vision for long-term impact, and an ability to support and mobilize concerned citizens in a transparent, effective, and relevant way. |
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Research Interests: Physiology and development of invertebrates; Calcification and development of coral; interactions between parasitic larvae of freshwater mussels and their fish hosts |
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Courses Taught: Comparative Economic Systems, Business & Economics Statistics, Environmental Economics |
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Dr. John E. Wear Jr., the Catawba College Center for the Environment's founding director, established the Center and Catawba's Environmental Science & Environmental Studies Program in 1993. Dr. Wear has committed his energies to environmental initiatives at the local, regional and state level. His leadership was instrumental in launching a number of sustainability initiatives in the state relating to air and water quality and land conservation. Read more » |
Professors Emeriti |
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Dr. Michael J. Baranski
Baranski joined the Catawba faculty in 1974 and spent his career at Catawba teaching a wide range of subjects, most notably field courses. He also took a leadership role on campus promoting environmental preservation, conservation, and awareness among his students and the public at large. Baranski retired in 2012 after 38 years of service to the College. |
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Dr. Drum retired from Catawba after 23 years of service to the College. |
Adjunct Faculty |
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Walser is Executive Director of the LandTrust for Central North Carolina, a non-profit regional land conservancy. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Morehead Scholar, where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration (1994). Read more » |
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Staff |
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View a list of staff for the Center for the Environment. |
Dr. Jay F. Bolin
Dr. Sue Calcagni
Kelly Flanigan
Dr. Andrew Jacobson
Dr. Joe Poston
Dr. Mercedes C. Quesada-Embid
Dr. Connie Rogers-Lowery
Dr. Jamie Slate
Dr. John Wear, Jr.
Dr. George Drum 
Jason Walser 
Lisa Wear 
