Josh Nelson '23 (he/him/his)

Where do you call home?

St. Paul, Minnesota

What are your major(s) and minor(s)?

Environmental Studies major and Political Science minor

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Bird photography.

Why did you decide to major in Environmental Studies?

I spend as much time as I can outside and I want to give back to such a big part of my life.

What environmental issue are you most passionate about?

Green urban planning. Learning how to make major cities around the world more green and sustainable is very important for our future.

What is your favorite Environmental Studies class and why?

Earth System Science 175 with Troy Knight. The class also has a lab which focuses on learning trees! Super fun to be outside walking around the Arb learning how to identify trees.

What was the focus of your research for ENVR 320? What were your findings?

Rising sea levels on the East Coast. I found that in the near future the East Coast is going to have more frequent and deadlier flooding disasters. Race inequality will play a big part of who is going to be more vulnerable when the time comes.

What advice do you have for first year students and majors?

Take a range of environmental classes. It is a wide field and there are so many different paths you can take with the major. Exploring different options and finding what you enjoy the most will make all the difference. Do what you enjoy not what you think you should do!