Dr. Natasha Gownaris (Photo Allyson Frantz/The Gettysburgian)
By Cam D’Amica, Features Editor
Dr. Natasha Gownaris has joined the Environmental Studies Department. Gownaris grew up in Ridgewood, Queens and attended Gettysburg College for her undergraduate degree, graduating in 2009 with a degree in Environmental Studies and Biology. She received her PhD from Stony Brook and completed three-years of post-doctoral research at the University of Washington.
Gownaris has a long-standing passion for Environmental Studies.
“Despite growing up in an urban environment, my mom made every effort to give us experiences with nature. One of my favorite outdoor adventures as a kid was going to NY beaches and digging for sand crabs and coquina clams. I solidified my interest with the help of my undergraduate mentor, John Commito, and the other committed faculty I interacted with at Gettysburg,” she said.
Of her return to Gettysburg, she said, “I love that students work closely with faculty outside of the classroom, which was such an empowering experience for me as a young scientist. I think it’s wonderful that Gettysburg has programs like X-SIG that encourage student-faculty research.”
Gownaris is most excited to “bring students out in the field” and into nature.
