Weinberg College welcomes Assistant Professor of Instruction Elsa Anderson to the Program in Environmental Sciences!
Anderson recently gave some insight into her background in environmental science and why she chose to teach urban ecology at Northwestern.
Where are you from? Where did you study?
I grew up in the west suburbs of Chicago and did my bachelors at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I then moved to the city and completed my Master’s degree at DePaul University and my PhD at the University of Illinois at Chicago in the Department of Biological Sciences
What inspired you to pursue your area of study?
I became interested in cities as environments when I was working as a crew leader for the Student Conservation Association in Chicago. In this job, I got to work with high schoolers from the City doing restoration work in the Forest Preserves, and I got a chance to learn about some of the environmental challenges and concerns they had while helping them connect with the amazing nature around Chicago. From that point, I knew I wanted to focus my career on how people affect and are affected by their environmental conditions to help promote sustainability, health, and environmental justice.
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
I love getting out to explore! I have two small kids and I take them camping, hiking, to museums, and on other adventures. I have a native plant garden that I like to work in, and collecting free garden plants is a hobby of mine.
What is most fulfilling to you about teaching?
I love having the opportunity to open students’ minds to the interdisciplinary and collaborative nature of science. I work at the intersection of ecology and social science, and interdisciplinarity is a major focus in my own research, but it’s often not taught in the classroom. I really like helping students see how big issues like climate change, systemic racism, biodiversity loss, and economic inequality are all related.
What accomplishments would you like to share?
One of my most formative experiences was participating in a Fulbright fellowship in Germany after finishing my PhD. I’m proud of that. I’m also proud how I’ve been able to navigate the challenges of having two small kids and finishing grad school and taking amazing professional opportunities. It’s been a team effort, and it’s worth celebrating!
What’s a fun fact that you want to share with the Northwestern community?
During COVID, I spent 4 months working remotely from an RV. At the time my kids were 3 years old and 4 months old. We travelled from NY down to Florida, and then spent time in Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. It’s a beautiful part of the country