EEGS and the Levine Scholars Program Explore Climate Change in Santander, Spain. 

August 23, 2025
Categories: News

This summer four students from Earth, Environmental and Geographical Sciences (Claire Casey, Ashana Sankar, Lily Witcher and Tori Teague) joined Dr. Heather Smith, faculty and students from the Levine Scholars Program as they explored climate change in Santander, Spain. In partnership with Departamento de Geografía, Urbanismo y Ordenación del Territorio and a team of interdisciplinary researchers from the University of Cantabria led by Dr. Cecilia Ribalaygua Batalla, the students explored the causes, consequences, mitigation strategies, projection approaches, adaptation plans and solutions to climate change in both the European and US contexts. Community service, independent research and multiple field excursions were all part of this extraordinary month-long study abroad experience for which students received 3 hours of ESCI and 3 hours of GEOG course credit. Students worked closely with faculty leads from the following Research Groups and Units: City, Infrastructure and Climate Change (CINCc); Group Study and Management of the Natural Environment (GIMENA); Biometeorology Group (GEOBIOMET); Human Evolution and Adaptations during Prehistory (EvoAdapta); Institute of Physics of Cantabria (IFCA); Instituto de Hidráulica Ambiental de la UC (IHCantabria); Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC) and the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.

Here are the four EEGS students who were on the trip: 

Lily Kate Witcher – Geography BA (Triple majoring with Political Sciences and International Studies). Lily is a Levine Scholar. 

Tori Teague – Earth and Environmental Sciences Minor (Communications Major) Tori is a Levine Scholar. 

Claire Casey – Earth and Environmental Sciences BS Major, Geology Minor 

Ashana Sankar – Environmental Studies BA Major, Public Health Minor 

EEGS Researchers (Ashana, Lily, Claire and Tori) present their independent projects to faculty and peers at the University of Cantabria. 
The group visits IHCantabria – Hydraulics and Sustainability Research Institute 
Claire and Ashana EEGS Majors in Pasiegos Valley 
EEGS students (Lily, Claire and Ashana) in Liérganes under the Puente Viejo, one of Cantabria’s oldest stone bridges
Environmental Studies BA Major Ashana Sankar and Claire Casey show others how to measure/identify urban heat islands 
Earth and Environmental Science BS Major/Geology Minor Claire Casey assists SEO BirdLife with bird tagging and release
 Lily Kate Witcher Geography BA Major with pre-historic bones in the Evoadapta Research Lab
ESCI Minor Tori Teague helps clear invasive pampas grass with community partner SEOBirdLife 
The group visits Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia (AEMET) to learn about weather forecasting and climate change prediction models

Cantabria coverage of the course: 

Summer in Santander

UTube Video