Our GEOS spotlight for October 2024 shines on Water Sciences M.S. student Thérèse Kelly. Thérèse is one of the department's NSF-funded Community-Soil-Air-Water Initiative graduate fellows, working on applying her knowledge and skills in water sciences to community-led environmental projects in Atlanta. Learn more about Thérèse in our Q&A below!
Where are you from originally?
I grew up in the Bronx, New York.
Where did you go to school before coming to GSU?
I graduated from Manhattan College in 2017 with a bachelor's degree in biology.
What year in school are you?
I’m a second year Master’s student.
What’s your major/concentration?
I’m doing a M.S. in Geosciences with a Water Sciences concentration.
Which class has been your favorite to take in the Department of Geosciences?
I really enjoyed Urban Political Ecology with Dr. Freshour, as it was my first geography course and completely shifted how I understand environmental issues. I was fascinated to learn that there is an entire discipline that studies how nature and society shape each other, and I wish that I had discovered geography years ago! We read a lot of literature from scholars spanning from mid 20th century to modern day, and the emphasis on place-based arguments helped me understand theory with supportive context. The class prompted me to become more critical of the sociopolitical factors that produce the local water quality issues that I am researching in Atlanta, and this insight has really enhanced my technical understanding of these problems that I have gained through my water science concentration.
What is your favorite thing about being a GEOS major at GSU?
The sense of community and supportive learning environment within the Geosciences Department have been amazing. The professors in the Geosciences Department are so passionate about the work that they do and how they can situate their work within local Atlanta communities. Their examples have been inspiring as I’ve developed my own research ideas for my thesis. My advisor, Dr. Ledford, has always made time for weekly check-ins to talk about my ideas and interests, and she’s always encouraged me to take time to explore my interests while also looking ahead to future post-graduation plans.
Tell us a bit about your research and what you’ve been working on while you’ve been here at GSU…
The theme of my research is urban water quality in Atlanta, with a specific focus on E. coli sediment-binding in the South River during storms. When I first began conducting water sampling on the River last fall, I connected with Dr. Jackie Echols at the South River Watershed Alliance. That relationship has inspired some of my GIS projects that I’ve completed as part of my GIS Certificate, including a dashboard that I created to show E. coli standard exceedance rates across the watershed. Over the past year I’ve been researching the Georgia water quality rules that shape water regulation, while integrating geography theory to critique the impact of these policies on Atlanta water quality issues. My thesis will include field-based hydrology research as well as analyses of water regulations situated within a political ecology framework.
What are you planning to do after GSU and how do you think your GEOS degree has prepared you for that?
Following graduation, I would like to continue my relationships with CSAW partners by working with the South River Watershed Alliance or another local Atlanta nonprofit. My experience in CSAW has shown me how I can apply my skills and talents in service to local environmental initiatives, which are often constrained by time and resources within communities. I am interested in grant opportunities that would fund a position that would give me and the nonprofit the flexibility to identify projects that would serve priority issues. I am developing my GIS skills through the certificate program, and I’ve started working on small projects that relate to my water quality sampling in the Upper South River Watershed. My relationships with CSAW community fellows, nonprofit partners, and Geosciences faculty have strengthened my sense of connection to Atlanta as well as an understanding of local environmental policy. My water science studies, GIS training, and relationships with local environmental justice leaders have helped me envision a career that is rooted in community environmental work.
