Dr. Deja Perkins
Birds, Community, and Environmental Change

I am a birder, scientist, educator, and science communicator.

 

I advocate for equitable access to nature and promote exploring neighborhood nature. Nature can be found everywhere, not only in the amazing national and state parks that we see on TV, but even close to home. I believe that everyone should have equal access to natural spaces and a clean environment, especially within the city, but research has shown that societal policies and systemic structures have created a legacy of inequitable nature distribution in urban areas.

 

Originally from Chicago, I have seen firsthand how access to nature and exposure to wildlife and environmental programs can differ across parts of the city, especially in minority neighborhoods. I believe that by exposing people, especially Black youth and young adults, to the natural sciences and the wonders of the outdoors, it will encourage them to pursue natural science careers, enjoy outdoor activities, and become stewards of the environment.

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I leverage my role as a forestry professor at Tuskegee University to teach how to manage and monitor the quality of our forests, green spaces and natural areas. My background is in urban ecology, ornithology, and GIS/Geospatial analytics. I use mapping and open-source geospatial tools to investigate environmental inequity in urban & rural areas. You can learn more about my research and my lab's work under the RLEC tab.