Connecticut’s coastline became the backdrop for a recent “CT Live” segment highlighting how Southern is preparing students to address the environmental and human challenges facing coastal communities.
Dr. Miriah Russo Kelly, associate professor in the Department of the Environment, Geography and Marine Sciences, joined NBC Connecticut to discuss Southern’s M.S. in coastal resilience program and the hands-on research opportunities available to students.
Kelly explained that the program was created to help meet workforce needs across Connecticut and the region by preparing students with both environmental science expertise and an understanding of the human and social dimensions of coastal challenges.
“We’re bringing social and ecological elements into our curriculum to train students to actually meet the needs of the state and region,” Kelly said.
Students can participate in research through initiatives such as the Ocean Identity Initiative, which explores how people interact with oceans and coastal spaces and how those relationships shape human identity. Students also have opportunities to travel with faculty to international forums, including United Nations conferences, bringing global perspectives back to their research and classrooms at Southern.
“Watching students go from, ‘Hey, I might be interested in this topic,’ to actually getting a job in the field doing it is the most rewarding thing in the entire world,” she said.
The segment also highlighted Southern’s Carnegie R2 designation and the university’s expanding research opportunities for students. Kelly noted that Southern’s research activity is not only helping students pursue their interests, but creating meaningful impact close to home.
“We’re making a change, and we’re doing it right in Connecticut,” Kelly said.
