Education Programming Coordinator: Shannon Erickson
My name is Shannon Erickson. I recently graduated from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University with my Master of Public Administration focused on environmental policy and administration. Prior to that, I earned my Bachelor of Science from Binghamton University, SUNY in environmental science with an ecosystems concentration. I am from Long Island, New York! Personally, I have always been interested in the environment, I love spending time outside with nature, having new experiences like traveling, photography, and seeing family and friends.
What are you working on, and why do you think it’s interesting/important?
Currently I am working on a paper for the Conference on Communication and Environment (COCE) 2023. The paper is about the treatment of female environmental activists, with a focus on Greta Thunberg and Rachel Carson. I think this is an important topic to undertake for gender equality and equality as it relates to intersectional identities like race, sexuality, disability, age, etc. Seeing how and why female environmental activists are attacked for speaking out about environmental issues can help bring light to this issue and add to the conversation on how they can be supported in their activism.
What drew you to Freshkills Park?
I love ecology and conservation, so getting a chance to work at Freshkills Park and learn more about its biodiversity was very exciting to me. Additionally, I think it is extremely important to get people connected with their outdoor environments for multiple reasons – environmental appreciation, education, advocacy, recreation, health, etc. Getting people outside and to learn about this park while doing fun activities like a nature walk helps people understand its importance and also helps people learn to be good stewards of their environment.
What is your favorite topic surrounding Freshkills Park and why?
My favorite topic at Freshkills Park is the land reclamation and ecological restoration. It is an ecological and community success story that shows how environmentally degraded land can be transformed into something good for people and the planet.
What is your favorite color?
Green!
