Christie Klimas

Christie Klimas serves as Professor and Chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Studies within the College of Science and Health at DePaul University. As a full-time faculty member with a PhD, she teaches foundational courses including Introduction to Sustainability (ENV 151), Ecological and Social Economics (ENV 152), and Applied Ecology (ENV 250), alongside specialized study abroad courses in Peru focusing on forests, mining, and communities.

Her interdisciplinary research bridges ecology and economics to advance sustainable resource management in urban and tropical ecosystems. Key research domains include:

• Population ecology and demographic modeling
• Tropical forest conservation and management
• Ecosystem service valuation and resource economics
• Life cycle assessment methodologies
• Consumer willingness to pay for eco-labels

Dr. Klimas co-leads an EPA P3 Program-funded initiative training citizen scientists in urban soil quality assessment, creating educational pathways for undergraduates to engage communities and high school students in bioremediation techniques. She prioritizes undergraduate research mentorship to cultivate scientific proficiency for future careers.