Geography & Environment Testimonials
In GW's Department of Geography and Environment, we pride ourselves on the success and groundbreaking work of our students. Our emphasis on applied research and internships equips our students with the skills needed to excel in their careers.
We hope you are inspired by the achievements of our alumni, students and faculty, and see the transformative impact a degree from GW Geography and Environment can have on your career and beyond. Join us and shape a sustainable future with your vision and our expertise.
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Alumni Testimonials
Career Highlight: Sarah Cassius
E-Mobility and Transport Research Associate
World Resources Institute
Sarah is a Research Associate at WRI's Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, specializing in the technical, economic and social aspects of bus fleet electrification in the Global South. During her time at GW she focused her thesis research on Business Improvement Districts and the privatization of public space in Washington, DC, and completed an internship at Institute for Transportation and Development Policy.
Career Highlight: Adane Bedada
Data Scientist: Computer Vision & Remote Sensing
Amazon Web Services
Adane Bedada has scaled his research started at GW, on computer vision with satellite and drone imagery, at Amazon Web Services, where he's pioneering the use of geospatial data in tech-driven landscapes. During his time at GW, he contributed to two significant journal publications with Professors Engstrom and Mann, focusing on the application of remote sensing to map poverty in Sri Lanka, Belize and Accra, Ghana.
Career Highlight: Katherine Landers
Geospatial Risk Analyst
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Since graduating, Katherine has been contributing to FEMA's National Risk Index, utilizing geospatial data to assess natural hazards and community risk factors, aiding communities in risk management. She loved her time at GW so much that she now also teaches GIS and Emergency Management in our department. During her time at GW she worked as a teaching assistant and she collaborated with Prof Streletskiy on assessing community risks associated with permafrost loss in the Arctic, resulting in a published academic article [3] and presentations at two international conferences.
Career Highlight: Sam Guilford
Senior Manager, Geography & Mapping
National Geographic Society
Sam has gone on to literally define how we view the world through his role at The National Geographic Society. He skillfully bridges the realms of science and art as a cartographer, enabling us to visualize complex geographical data in accessible and engaging ways. During his time at GW he worked as a Teaching Assistant and completed internships at USAID’s Geocenter and National Geographic.
International Student Testimonials
Career Highlight: Maxwell Owusu
Geospatial Data Analyst
Metrics for Management
Maxwell Owusu is a Geospatial Analyst and Global Health Research Analyst at Metrics for Management in Baltimore, Maryland. His work includes updating measurement tools like the EquityTool, conducting quantitative research with advanced analytical methods and designing web applications for contraceptive market estimates. While at GW he interned with the United Nations Development Programme and as a Research Assistant for YouthMappers - working on AI mapping of informal settlements. Based on his thesis work on informal settlement mapping with Prof Engstrom he went on to publish two academic papers and presented at international conferences.
Career Highlight: Sara Fatimah
GID Analyst
Alaska Department of Transportation
Sara continued her passion for the Arctic by relocating to Alaska after graduating. She now works with the Alaska Department of Transportation, managing diverse urban and transportation planning projects. Her interest in Arctic studies was sparked at GW, where she served as a Research Assistant for Professors Nyland and Kuklina, exploring the phenomenon of "zombie" wildfires in Russia—fires that smolder underground and reignite in the spring.
Faculty Highlight: Marie Price
Human Geography
Migration and Development
Marie Price, Professor and current President of the American Geographical Society, specializes in Latin American studies and migration. Her research focuses on migration's impacts on urban development and social change. She actively involves students in field studies along the US-Mexico border, investigating the complex social and political challenges migrants face as they enter the US. Her work, funded by the NSF, addresses migration and security in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, with publications and policy recommendations advocating for migrant inclusion and social equity.
Faculty Highlight: Dmitry Streletskiy
Physical Geography
Arctic and Climate Change
Dmitry Streletskiy, focuses his research on the profound impacts of climate change in the Arctic. His work with students involves hands-on field trips to locations like Alaska, Canada & Siberia, where they examine climate change effects on urban and indigenous communities. As the Past President of the United States Permafrost Association and Chair of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost, he integrates his expertise in geospatial techniques, physical geography and climate science into both his teaching and research.
Faculty Highlight: Aman Luthra
Human Geography
Ecology and Human Systems
Aman Luthra, specializes in environmental and economic geography. Educated at John Hopkins University and Syracuse University, Dr. Luthra is deeply involved in three main projects: one focusing on informal recycling economies in urban India, another focusing on the changing market structure of the waste industry in the U.S., and a third that uses citizen science to study pollinator diversity in apple orchards in India and the U.S. His significant contributions to geographical scholarship are supported by prestigious grants from Fulbright and the National Science Foundation, among others, and he publishes extensively in top-tier geography journals. One example of his work is an article on the uberization of recycling in urban India that he published in Geoforum along with two GW students.
