Soil Formation in Coastal Dunes
Careers Opportunities
Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences
Graduates’ knowledge of the fundamentals of soil, plant, and environmental sciences prepares them for careers ranging from integrated pest management to international development, from environmental regulation to biotechnological investigation, from cash cropping to city planning. Students find employment in agribusiness (e.g., agricultural sales and consulting), soils-related activities (such as soil conservation and land-use planning), other areas of environmental concern (e.g., biological control of pests and water-quality assessment/control), as well as crop production (to include turf maintenance and farm management).
Environmental Science
Many federal, state, and local agencies that deal with environmental issues hire environmental scientists. The Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the Army Corps of Engineers, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, and municipal planning commissions are a few examples of employers in the public sector. Many major industries, particularly those involved in extraction and manufacturing, employ environmental scientists to handle regulatory compliance, environmental monitoring, and public relations. Private consulting firms also offer a large employment opportunity for graduates. Many private firms deal with land-use planning and development, water-quality monitoring and protection, waste disposal, toxic-site remediation, government subcontracting, and policy analysis.
Contacts
Undergraduate Coordinators
CSES
Dr. James McKenna
ENSC
Dr. Matt Eick
Dr. David Parrish
Graduate Coordinator
All Degress
Dr. Charles Hagedorn
Smyth Hall