Bob Crimian, a student in the College of Charleston Master of Science in Environmental Studies (MES) program was selected as one of six Student Fellows to present his research at an international ecosystem conference. Crimian’s research focuses on the relationship between urban saltmarsh restoration and human well being.
Crimian was selected from more than 70 of the most qualified students in the world who are studying ecosystem services. He will attend the A Community on Ecosystem Services (ACES) and Ecosystem Markets 2012 conference from December 10 through 14.
“I’m really excited about this opportunity because I think sharing ideas with others in your field is a crucial part of helping the field grow and gain momentum with the public and private sectors,” Crimian says. “Plus, I will receive great feedback from professionals so I can improve my work and I will also be able to network with a variety of individuals, some of which could be potential employers. The ecosystem services section of environmental work is continuing to grow and I want to learn all I can, partly because of my own interests, but also to be prepared for the workforce. All of this I expect will help my future career.”
“We’re incredibly proud of Bob’s initiative and hard work on his project,” said Tim Callahan, director of the MES Program at the College. “His project is a model all our students strive for, an interdisciplinary approach that relies on direct information and knowledge, and then applies that knowledge to solve problems. Bob’s work at our partner agency, the Hollings Marine Lab at Fort Johnson will provide direct benefits to coastal communities on how to improve quality of life.”.
In addition to his thesis research (From Golf Course to Saltmarsh: Perceived changes in ecosystem services linked to human well-being from the Noisette Creek saltmarsh restoration in North Charleston, SC), Crimian is also working at Hollings Marine Lab with Susan Lovelace of NOAA to look at the social impacts of the Deep Horizon Industrial-Environmental disaster on the Gulf of Mexico coastal counties. The Hollings Lab is a consortium of agencies under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA)
“I am collecting information about changing ecosystem services and relating them to components of well-being including health, basic human needs, economic security, environmental condition and subjective well-being,” Crimian explains. “I am analyzing secondary (already collected) social, health, and environmental data with well-being “indicators” to monitor changes in the counties impacted by the Deepwater Horizon disaster related to ecosystem service change.”
For more information, Crimian can be reached at crimianrl@g.cofc.edu.
