Erin Hassett, Ph.D. Candidate

Ecological health has always been central to my career aspirations because it provides the framework for understanding how changing landscapes (driven by climate change and human activity) reshape ecosystems and, in turn, affect all forms of life. My interest in environmental science and ecology is grounded not only in academic training but also in a deep personal connection to natural systems. As an avid backpacker, cyclist, and nature artist, I spend much of my time immersed in natural landscapes, which has reinforced both my appreciation for ecological processes and my commitment to minimizing my environmental footprint. These experiences naturally led me to pursue formal training in environmental science, with coursework in forest ecology, entomology, aquatic ecosystem restoration, traditional ecological knowledge, and climate science.

 

Guided by this foundation, I have intentionally shaped my career around One Health principles and the recognition that environmental, human, and animal health are inseparable. Across diverse ecosystems and regions, my work has focused on understanding how ecological systems respond to anthropogenic and climatic pressures. In Missouri, I studied fish community responses to human-driven alterations in stream flow with the Department of Conservation. At the Tennessee Department of Health, I investigated mosquito-borne virus distribution at a statewide scale. In Delaware, I examined tick species distributions in public lands with the Department of Fish & Wildlife and conducted mosquito surveillance and management to reduce disease risk. More recently, in Upstate New York, I have focused on tick species ecology and the ecology of Powassan virus (a neuroinvasive tick-borne pathogen).

 

Together, these experiences have made clear that climate change is not a distant or abstract threat: it is already altering ecological interactions, species distributions, and ecosystem function. Observing these changes across taxa and landscapes has solidified my commitment to studying environmental health and understanding how climate-driven and human-mediated landscape changes cascade through ecosystems. For this reason, I am currently completing a Ph.D. (May 2026), examining how environmental drivers (i.e. plant composition and hydrology) are altering wetland carbon cycling function, with the broader goal of generating knowledge that can inform conservation, management, and public health decisions.​

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“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” 

–– Jane Goodall