Elizabeth Van Dolah

Elizabeth Van Dolah is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research seeks to understand how cultural heritage can be used as a tool for enhancing community engagement in policy decisions about adapting to climate change. She is exploring this topic in the context of the Deal Island Project, which is focused on Deal Island on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. This effort is a collaborative partnership bringing together researchers and residents of Deal Island to enhance the resilience of coastal communities to coastal flooding and erosion impacts. She hopes to contribute to understanding of the cultural influences shaping adaptation and social resilience. Elizabeth received a master’s degree in applied anthropology from the University of Maryland in 2012 and bachelor’s degrees in environmental studies and art from Winthrop University in 2006. In her spare time, she enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and sailing.

Blog Posts

See Elizabeth's posts to Fellowship Experiences, Maryland Sea Grant's blog written by and about graduate fellows and their research:

"How Understanding Culture Can Help Us Respond to Environmental Change"

"Understanding Methodist Heritage Can Inform Planning Climate Futures"

"How to Check that Last Box and Write Your Dissertation"