People

The environmental community at OU is huge, encompassing students, faculty, and staff from nearly every college, in nearly every corner of campus.

This section of our website is devoted to the people directly involved in the Environmental Studies program.

Director

Zev Trachtenberg
Ph.D., Columbia University

Professor of Philosophy
Office: Dale Hall Tower 627
Email: ztrachtenberg@ou.edu

I have been director of Environmental Studies since fall, 2019, and I was involved in the formation of its predecessor program, Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Environment, in the 1990’s. I am also a professor in OU’s Philosophy Department; in addition to Environmental Ethics (an Environmental Studies elective), I teach courses on social and political philosophy. My research focuses on the topic of human beings’ transformations of the physical environment. To learn more about my research and teaching, please visit my Philosophy Department webpage.

Faculty

Emily Remmel
J.D., Vermont Law School

Lecturer
Office: Physical Sciences Center 511
Email: emilyremmel@ou.edu

Since 2016, I have taught numerous Environmental Studies courses related to water law and environmental law. In addition to teaching, I am the Director of Regulatory Affairs for the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) in Washington, D.C., helping municipal wastewater and stormwater utilities navigate the Clean Water Act and other federal laws and regulations. I am a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and hold both a Bachelor’s and a Master's degree in Zoology and a Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law School.

Rebecca A. Sherry
Ph.D., University of California, Riverside

Lecturer
Office: Physical Sciences Center 436
Email: rsherry@ou.edu

I am a botanist with a broad and varied background. I have worked for an environmental consulting firm in California, determined the mechanism of flower movement in solar-tracking buttercups in the Rocky Mountains, and studied the effects of climate warming on the tallgrass prairie ecosystem here in Oklahoma. I've taught with the Environmental Studies Program since 2011, becoming full-time in 2018. Among my current interests are plant community change and agricultural systems.

Advisor

Bart Hanna
M.S.W., University of Kentucky

ENST Academic Counselor
Office: Ellison Hall 124
Email: barthanna@ou.edu
Phone: (405) 325-4411

I am a recent transplant to the state of Oklahoma, having relocated here approximately nine years ago along with my spouse. My educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology obtained from Transylvania University and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Kentucky. During my down time, I love to explore National Parks and embarking on journeys throughout the United States.

Please note: During peak advising, my appointments fill up quickly. To schedule an appointment with me, please check my iAdvise calendar or call 405-325-4411 as close to 9:00 am on Mondays as possible. I open new appointments every week at that time for the following week.

Administrative Assistant

Cait Davanzo

Administrative Assistant - ENST and PHCH
Office: Physical Science Center 511
Email: caitlinanderson@ou.edu
Phone: (405) 325-0595

I am the administrative assistant for the Environmental Studies and Public & Community Health programs. I graduated from OU in 2019 with my B.A. in Interdisciplinary Perspectives on the Environment – the program that eventually evolved into Environmental Studies. My office is in Physical Science Center, room 511, and I’m available during OU business hours to answer any questions you may have about the program. In my free time I enjoy reading, art, hiking, and spending time with my two kids.