معرفی
Kristi S. Lekies serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources at The Ohio State University's School of Environment and Natural Resources. Her research examines place-based experiences across the lifespan with emphasis on youth-environment interactions.
Her primary research areas include:
- Childhood nature experiences and their long-term impact on environmental attitudes
- Community attachment processes in rural youth development
- Nature-based interventions for vulnerable populations
- Transdisciplinary approaches to environmental stewardship
Her 15 most recent publications demonstrate consistent focus on environmental psychology, youth development, and rural sociology. Key trends include examining nature collecting behaviors in childhood, evaluating urban/rural nature access disparities, and developing frameworks for nature-based youth interventions. Her work spans environmental education, therapeutic landscapes, and community engagement.
Scientific recognition includes:
- Academic Enrichment Grant award
As an evaluation specialist, she measures impacts of environmental education programs and climate change initiatives. Her outreach includes the 13-year Youth Beat Radio project (2009-2022) producing 160 episodes focused on youth leadership and rural culture, plus youth environmental summits and community garden initiatives. She currently evaluates the Regional Integrated Modeling of Farmer Adaptations project.
Lekies directs community engagement through the Youth Environmental Education Outreach Initiative, training students in informal education while developing programs for high school environmental leadership. Her current projects examine long-term outdoor adventure program benefits and nature-based interventions for vulnerable youth.
