Grace DiazPronouns: She, her, hers
Major: Environmental Studies Minor: Landscape Architecture Hometown: Clarksville, TN Why I joined ELP: I joined ELP to do hands-on environmental work that benefited my community and to gain professional leadership experience. Hobbies: Cooking, taking care of my houseplants, and yoga Outdoor activities: Skateboarding, hiking, riding bikes What's next?! I plan on traveling! |
Nikos SkoufosPronouns: He, Him, His
Major: Environmental Studies Minor: Business Administration Hometown: Bend, OR Why I joined ELP: I joined ELP because if offered an unmatched, hands-on learning experience in a field I am very passionate about. I want to turn my passion into a career. This experience has allowed me to explore this passion with like minded individuals that creates positive change in out local communities. Hobbies: Reading, cooking, going on adventures with my dog Outdoor activities: Skateboarding (I try to do it everyday despite the pesky rain), fishing, camping What's next?! After graduation, I am looking to pursue an internship with local agriculture or with the department of fish and wildlife. It is a dream of mine to be a local resource manager and work to protect our priceless environmental resources. |
Hannah BuckinghamPronouns: She, her, hers
Major: Environmental Studies Minors: Chemistry, Business Certificate: Outdoor Pursuits Program Hometown: Austin, TX Why I joined ELP: I joined ELP in order to gain professional experience, work in a team setting with outdoor enthusiasts, and pursue meaningful work that would impact my community positively Hobbies: Cooking, watercolor painting, reading Outdoor activities: Skiing, hunting, backpacking/hiking, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking & rafting, fly-fishing What's next?! After graduation, I will be attending the University of Texas at Austin in pursuit of Pre-Med coursework requirements. Upon completing these credits, I will take the MCAT and apply to medical school. I am currently deciding between working in the environmental field and pursuing medical school. Long-term, I want to make a positive impact on my community through either environmental or medical work. |
Spencer Palanuk Pronouns: He, him, his
Major: Environmental Studies Minor: N/A Certificate: Outdoor Pursuits Program Hometown: Portland, OR Why I joined ELP: It's a really cool way to get involved in the outdoors while earning class credits. Hobbies: Basketball, ping pong, and getting outdoors Outdoor activities: Backpacking, kayaking, and rock climbing What's next?! One more year at U of O! I think I will want to go into watershed science of some sort. |
Alli GerhardtPronouns: She, her, hers
Major: Political Science, Spanish Minor: Environmental Studies Hometown: Katy, TX Why I joined ELP: I joined ELP because it seemed like an amazing way to connect with a team of like-minded individuals who cared greatly about the outdoors and improving our community. It's been an amazing opportunity to gain professional experience while making a meaningful impact to ultimately get more people outside. Hobbies: Reading, writing, cooking, and making art (especially ceramics and painting) Outdoor activities: I have been hiking, camping, and backpacking since I was a child. More recently, I have been getting into rock climbing and paddle boarding. What's next?! I still have two more years at U of O before I graduate. I plan to take this time to continue to explore my interests and passions. I know that whatever I do will involve my love for the outdoors and being a positive force in my community. |
Ethan BaherPronouns: He, him, his
Major: Environmental Studies Minor: Planning, Public Policy, and Management Hometown: Madison, WI Why I joined ELP: I was excited to be in a program with like-minded individuals that allowed me to simultaneously build on my passion for the outdoors, as well as make a positive difference in the community. Hobbies: Anything outdoors, cooking, listening to music Outdoor activities: Rock climbing, riding bikes, hiking, camping, fly-fishing, kayaking What's next?! After I graduate in June 2020 I plan on pursuing a job in the city planning field. I'm passionate about sustainable urban design and I'm aspiring to turn that passion into a career where I can make communities more environmentally friendly, equitable, and pleasant to live in! |
Tenley OngPronouns: She, her, hers
Major: Environmental Studies Minors: Planning, Public Policy and Management, Sustainable Business Certificate: Outdoor Pursuits Program Hometown: Sacramento, CA Why I joined ELP: I wanted to gain a hands-on learning experience while sharing my love of the outdoors with other people. I want to inspire others to love and protect our natural spaces. Hobbies: Photography, video editing, painting, walking my alpacas Outdoor activities: Cycling, snowboarding, running, rock climbing, backpacking/hiking What's next?! I'm graduating from U of O in June 2020 and moving home to Sac to work with my mom's company doing Ecommerce and photography. Then off to learn to surf, ski, and travel the world! Down the road, I want to found an organization in which people can take classes, obtain the gear they need for adventures, and establish connections with other people in the outdoor industry. |
Alexa Foor (GE)Pronouns: She, her, hers
Major: Environmental Studies and English PhD student Hometown: Bay City, Michigan Why I chose to help teach ELP: The ELP is unique in that it allows me to step back and allow my students more freedom of expression than in a traditional classroom. I think that the ELP program tests me as an instructor because it challenges me to allow my students their own room for error and growth. The program also allows for teaching in “real world” scenarios that bring the classroom outside, which makes the pedagogy that goes into teaching feel more applied. Hobbies: Rollerskating, longboarding, reading and writing poetry Outdoor activities: Bouldering, swimming, hiking, snowboarding What's next?! It feels as though I’ll be in graduate school for the rest of my life, but really it’ll be the next four years. During that time I will continue my work in the environmental humanities and will hopefully continue to teach students as brilliant as this team. |
Katie Lynch (Professor)Pronouns: She, her, hers
Education:
Hobbies/outdoor activities: Yoga, gardening, yoga, hiking, camping My work: A member of the UO faculty since 2005, I am an environmental anthropologist and have worked in Peru, Ecuador, Indonesia and the United States examining issues of community-based natural resource management. My research interests include tropical conservation, gender and natural resource issues, ethnobotany and the cultural uses of wild plants, ecofeminism, critical pedagogy and engaged environmental education. I currently teach environmental education in theory & practice (ENVS 425/525) and direct a wide variety of community-based learning projects as part of the Environmental Leadership Program (ENVS 429). I am committed to participatory, collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches and am completely inspired by the truly spectacular landscapes found all over Oregon. |