Christopher Oates

2024 – 2025 Global Change Research Fellow

Statement of purpose:

I seek to integrate social vulnerability and environmental justice into water resource management through my research. My work probes into how climate change, urbanization, and systemic issues impact equity in the management and conservation of water resources. These research interests are not solely academic but are also realities that affect my home community, as environmental challenges are commonplace and often overlooked in many rural communities in North Carolina. This personal connection to the region and its environmental and socioeconomic challenges fuels my passion for supporting people in underrepresented and under-resourced rural communities. I will dedicate my career to humanizing and advocating for equity in engineering by bridging gaps between technical innovation and societal needs. I aim to develop sustainable and equitable solutions to rectify past environmental missteps. My long-term goal is to be a professor or federal research scientist so I can continue advancing public interest causes.

Description of research:

My research explores the nexus of water resource management, social vulnerability, and environmental justice, focusing on how disparities in water quality monitoring disproportionately affect marginalized communities in the South Atlantic-Gulf Region. By advocating for equitable water quality standards that integrate social dimensions and considerations, I aim to bridge gaps in environmental data availability and accessibility. My work seeks to address the broader impacts of water quality on human health and well-being by highlighting the need for inclusive monitoring practices that ensure all communities can thrive in a changing environmental landscape, particularly those who live in the most vulnerable communities.

Contact Information:

Email: ccoates2@ncsu.edu

Faculty Advisor:

Dr. Natalie Nelson (Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering) and Dr. Khara Grieger (Applied Ecology)