Rachel Lamb earned her PhD in Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland College Park in Spring 2021. Her research centers on the applications of NASA Carbon Monitoring System forest carbon science to advance strategic climate mitigation planning with co-benefits for biodiversity and human livelihoods. Since 2020, she has lead the Campus Forest Carbon project, helping the University of Maryland better incorporate forest carbon science into their Climate Action Plan and Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Over the past decade, Rachel has worked for numerous agencies and organizations, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, A Rocha Peru, National Socio-Ecological Synthesis Research Center (SESYNC), Society for Conservation Biology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During the summers, she teaches Environmental Law and Policy and Land Resources Policy at the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies in Michigan as an Associate Professor. Rachel also supports several faith-based NGOs, including as Senior Advisor to YECA and as a member of the A Rocha USA Board of Directors.
In 2015, Rachel was named a White House Champion of Change for her efforts in protecting our environment and communities from the effects of climate change. In 2016, Rachel was named a University of Maryland Flagship Fellow and in 2018, she was also awarded a Harvey Fellowship from the Mustard Seed Foundation.
Areas of Interest
- coupled human-natural systems
- climate change policy
- conservation and development
- forest carbon monitoring
- strategic reforestation
Degrees
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Degree DetailsPh.D. Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park
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Degree DetailsM.S. Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology, University of Maryland, College Park
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Degree DetailsM.P.P. Public Policy, University of Maryland, College Park
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Degree DetailsB.A. International Relations, Wheaton College (IL)
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Degree DetailsB.S. Environmental Studies, Wheaton College (IL)
Awards
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2021-02-10Outstanding Student Presentation Award, American Geophysical Union (AGU)
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2020-12-14Sustainability Fund Grant (Year 2 Renewal), University of Maryland, College Park
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2020-05-13Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Geographical Sciences
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2020-02-12Science for Public Good Fund Grant, Union of Concerned Scientists
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2020-01-27Sustainability Fund Grant, University of Maryland, College Park
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2019-05-10O.E. Baker Award for Outstanding Academic and Service Performance, Department of Geographical Sciences
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2019-05-10Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Geographical Sciences
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2018-05-08Outstanding Graduate Student Government Assembly Member Award, University of Maryland, College Park
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2018-05-03Enlightening Talk Competition, 1st place, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS), University of Maryland, College Park
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2018-04-13Best Student Presentation Award, 1st Place, Landscape Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers
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2018-02-13Harvey Fellowship, Mustard Seed Foundation
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2017-09-05SESYNC Graduate Student Research Fellowship (supported Graduate Pursuit 2017-2019)
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2016-08-28Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean's Fellowship, University of Maryland, College Park
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2016-08-28University of Maryland Flagship Fellowship
Conferences
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Annual Meeting - Poster Presentation
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American Geophysical Union (AGU), Annual Meeting - Poster Presentations
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American Geophysical Union (AGU), Annual Meeting - Oral Presentation
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NASA Terrestrial Ecology Science Team Meeting - Poster Presentation
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American Association of Geographers (AAG), Annual Meeting - Oral Presentation, SESYNC Graduate Pursuit Research
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Annual Meeting - Poster Presentation
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American Geophysical Union (AGU), Annual Meeting - Paper Presentation
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Association for Forest Spatial Analysis Technologies (ForestSAT), Annual Meeting - Paper Presentation
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Sunbelt Conference of the International Network for Social Network Analysis - Paper Presentation, SESYNC Graduate Pursuit Research Team
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International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR), Annual Conference - Paper Presentation, SESYNC Graduate Pursuit Research Team
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American Association of Geographers (AAG), Annual Meeting - Paper Presentation
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American Association of Geographers (AAG), Middle Atlantic Division Meeting - Paper Presentation
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National Socio-Enviornmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), Graduate Student Workshop on Socio-Environmental Synthesis - Participant
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Annual Meeting - Poster Presentation
| Course Name | Course Title | Semester | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEOG130 | Developing Countries | Fall 2019 | |
| GEOG330 | As the World Turns: Society and Sustainability in a Time of Great Change | Winter 2020 | |
| GEOG330 | As the World Turns: Society and Sustainability in a Time of Great Change | Summer 2019 |
Research Topics
- Carbon, Vegetation Dynamics and Landscape-Scale Processes
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CampusFounding Member and Officer, Graduate Science Policy at UMD (2019-2021)
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CampusGraduate Student Representative, Student Honor Council, Student Judiciary (2017-2020)
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CampusMember, Society of Flagship Fellows and McNair Fellows (2016-2021)
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CampusVice President of Government Affairs, Graduate Student Government (2018-2020)
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CampusChair, Academic Affairs Committee, Graduate Student Government (2017-2018)
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CampusDepartmental Representative, Graduate Student Government (2016-2018)
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StateEx Officio Member, University System of Maryland Student Council (2018-2020)
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NationalBoard Member, A Rocha USA (2020-Present)
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NationalWorking Group Co-Chair, Research Funding and Funding Policy Committee, SAGE Coalition (2019-2020)
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NationalSenior Editor, FERNS: The Graduate Journal on Environmental Stewardship (2017-2019)
