Help Solve Some of the Biggest Problems Facing Our Society with an Environmental Science Degree
Why is Keuka College the best place to study environmental science? A campus surrounded by freshwater lakes and forests. A wide range of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems open for you to explore. An expert faculty.
As an Environmental Science major, you'll be prepared for a future of finding responsible solutions to local and global environmental challenges.
Field Period® Helped Me Define My Goals — and My Career
My Field Period® experience confirmed that I would like to pursue research and that advocacy and education is not my thing. The greatest benefit I got from my Field Period® was getting experience in my field, and being able to work with such amazing animals.
Program Overview
The program provides you with the option to focus on the physical or biological science of the environment by training in the fundamentals of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science.
Research Opportunities
Keuka College makes hands-on research easy, on campus and off. Undergraduates dive into projects that test pesticide effects on eggshell thickness, restore nature trails threatened by invasives, catalog benthic diatoms in Keuka Lake, track small-mammal diversity at a nearby preserve, and link amphibian health to water quality. Many students publish alongside faculty – and present their discoveries at regional and national conferences – before they even graduate.
Learn More About Environmental Science
The Jephson Science Center is one of the College’s most recently-renovated buildings. A highlight of the center is that the laboratories weren’t simply designed by architects, but by the professors who use and teach in them. That means the labs you’ll use at Keuka College mimic real-world laboratories, and include much of the same equipment.
The equipment in our laboratory includes:
High-Pressure Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)
Our HPLC separates, identifies, purifies, and quantifies every molecule in a mixture. Samples move through a precision column, then a UV/Vis detector captures each component – delivering crisp, reliable data for your experiments.
Gas Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)
The GC/MS vaporizes a mixture, isolates each compound, and fingerprints it by mass. An autosampler handles up to 108 vials, while integrated software matches spectra against a vast digital library – turning raw data into answers in seconds.
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer (FTIR)
A diamond ATR crystal channels infrared light through solid samples, and the FTIR records their absorbance. The resulting spectrum reveals molecular fingerprints – pinpointing functional groups and confirming identity fast.
Ultraviolet-Visible Spectrophotometer
Our UV/Vis instruments track how solutions absorb ultraviolet and visible light. The readings can verify compound identity or calculate precise concentrations – essential for kinetics, quality checks, and calibration labs.
At Keuka College, you’re able to work with world-class scientists every day. Here, your professors are eager to teach, work on research projects with you, and share their knowledge. All of Keuka College’s natural science professors hold doctoral degrees from top-tier institutions, including Yale and MIT.
Dr. Catherine Abbott
Professor of Mathematics
Academic Credentials
- University of North Texas
- Ph.D.
- University of North Texas
- M.A.
- University of Texas at Tyler
- B.S.
Kristin Burch
Instructor of Mathematics
Barbara Demjanec
Laboratory Coordinator
Academic Credentials
- University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign
- M.S.
- Montana State University
- B.S.
Dr. Andrew Geragotelis
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Academic Credentials
- Siena College
- B.S. in Chemistry
- University of California Irvine
- M.S. in Chemistry
- University of California Irvine
- Ph.D. in Chemistry
Biography
Dr. Andrew Geragotelis joined the faculty at Keuka College in 2023, teaching chemistry and additional courses. He actively pursues research in the field of computational chemistry, using computer simulations and molecular modeling methods to study how biomolecules interact with one another and how properties of their dynamics can be better understood. He is also interested in chemistry and physics education research.
Jessica Katolik
Instructor of Biology
Academic Credentials
- University of Rochester
- M.S. in Pharmacology and Physiology
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- B.S. in Biotechnology
Dr. Michael Keck
Chair of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Professor of Chemistry
Academic Credentials
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Ph.D.
- University of California at Berkeley
- B.S.
Biography
Dr. Keck joined the faculty at Keuka College in 2008 after 13 years teaching at Emporia State University (Kansas). He teaches chemistry and biochemistry, and has also taught analytical chemistry and inorganic chemistry. His primary area of expertise is nucleic acids biochemistry. He loves teaching, and he is also eager to work with students on research projects. He and his students are presently collaborating with colleagues at RIT to design and evaluate compounds that have potential as photodynamic therapy agents.
Gylla MacGregor
Instructor of Biology
Academic Credentials
- Lehigh University
- M.S. in Microbiology with Integrative Biology Emphasis
- Clarion University of Pennsylvania
- M.S. in Biology with Ecology Emphasis
- The College of New Jersey
- B.S. in Biology
- Mercer County Community College
- A.S. in Chemistry
Biography
Gylla A. MacGregor has been with Keuka College since 2017. Prior to that, she was a Conservation Ecologist and GIS Project Director for New Jersey Audubon. While she considers herself a behavioral ecologist, her training and background are broad, as evidenced by the wide range of courses she loves and enjoys teaching, in both biology and environmental science. She’s particularly drawn to fieldwork and has engaged in research studies on timber rattlesnakes, bog turtles, grassland birds, deer and forest health, small mammals, and the regal fritillary butterfly, to name a few. She’s a strong believer in undergraduate research, which provides both hands-on learning and the development of critical skills that can be carried to graduate school or the professional market. Habitat restoration, geospatial mapping of wildlife habitat, problem-solving in raccoons, diatoms as an indicator of water quality, bait preference in small mammals, amphibians and water quality, and habitat preference of isopods are some examples of projects that students have engaged in. She encourages students to visit her office, check things out, and Believe in What We Can Do Together!
Professional Interests
Behavioral Ecology and Restoration Ecology.
Corey Palmer
Assistant Professor of Environmental Science
Dr. Luciana Parent
Associate Professor of Biology
Academic Credentials
- University of Sao Paulo/Cornell University (Sandwich Program)
- Ph.D.
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG)
- M.S.
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG)
- B.S.
Dr. Andrew Robak
Professor of Chemistry
Academic Credentials
- University of Oregon
- Ph.D.
- University of Oregon
- M.S. in Chemistry
- Rochester Institute of Technology
- B.S. in Environmental Chemistry
Biography
Dr. Robak started teaching at Keuka College in the Fall of 2007 and is the primary instructor for organic chemistry at Keuka.
He is the adviser for Keuka's chemistry club and also directs a number of undergraduate research projects. Active research projects include: Exploring click chemistry for organic synthesis, developing new surfboard coatings from polyurethanes, designing chemistry experiments for home-schooled children at the high school level and a project using chemistry and photography to promote both art and science.
Other research interests are: designing more environmentally friendly lab experiments
Professional Interests
chemistry, organic chemistry, science based medicine, green chemistry, science in popular culture, science as art, polymers/plastics, science education, explosive chemistry demonstrations, inorganic chemistry
Melissa Ruszczyk
Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology
Jack Westbrook
Instructor of Mathematics
Academic Credentials
- SUNY Geneseo
- M.S.
- SUNY Geneseo
- B.S.
Contact Information
Dr. Michael Keck
Chair of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Professor of Chemistry
