Environmental Studies is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on the natural environment and the myriad of ways in which human interact and connect with environment. The major is designed to provide students with skill sets and knowledge from various disciplinary perspectives to address environmental challenges and affect positive social change through local, national and global stewardship that fosters sustainability. The environmental studies curriculum combines inter-disciplinary breadth and depth and prepares students for graduate school, professional school, and a wide array of environmental careers.
The major consist of seven major requirements, two (2)intermediate breadth electives and three (3) upper level breadth electives for a total of forty-eight (48) credit hours.
Dr. Fatemeh Shafiei is the director of Environmental Studies, an associate professor in the Department of Political Science, and co-chair of the Sustainable Committee at Spelman College. She was chair of the Department of Political Science from 2012 to August 2021. She served as a member (2012-2018) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Environmental Justice Advisory Council (NEJAC), the Federal Advisory Committee that advises the EPA on environmental justice issues.
She is a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (ACE) Environmental Advisory Board (EAB), a permanent subcommittee of the U.S. Army Science Board. She is also the Co-founder and Co-Leader of the Greater Atlanta Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) which the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) acknowledged as sixth in the U.S. and 164th in the world on Education for Sustainable Development.
Environmental and Health Sciences Department
350 Spelman Lane, S.W., Atlanta, Georgia 30314
Maria Loftin, Administrative Assistant
Phone: 404-270-6013 | marialoftin@spelman.edu
On Campus Location
Albro-Falconer-Manley Science Center, Rooms 342 and 344
Iesha Baldwin, C'2019, is the inaugural sustainability coordinator at Spelman College and oversees campus-wide sustainability initiatives. With expertise in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, she collaborates with stakeholders to integrate sustainable practices into campus culture and operations. As a student, she was a Sustainable Spelman Intern and a member of the Environmental Task Force. She has a deep passion to protect the environment and to create ways to effectively solve environmental issues. Her experience working and volunteering has given her a well-rounded skill set to create solutions and to have a positive impact on low income communities.
The Dublin, Georgia native started the #RefillNotLandfill project at Spelman College to spread awareness about plastic pollution and the danger it has on marine wildlife, wild animals, and human beings. This project came to fruition when she received a $1,000 grant from the Pollination Project. The goal of her project was to provide students and faculty of Spelman College with an alternative option to consume safe drinking water without the usage of plastic water bottles.
While planning #RefillNotLandfill at Spelman, Baldwin began to work with the West Atlanta Watershed Alliance where she volunteered for a year. During her time there,she educated youth from the Tuskegee Airmen Academy about conservation, watersheds, the importance of turning off water while brushing one’s teeth, taking short showers, and the water cycle. Baldwin has helped protect the environment by using her experiences to spark others to discuss environmental issues and help minority groups know that what happens in the environment has a huge impact on their life.
