Introducing New Faculty in the Department of Geography

Submitted by Nell Gross on
Professor Kessie Alexandre

This fall, the Department of Geography welcomes Dr. Kessie Alexandre in her new role as assistant professor. In her first couple of months in Seattle, Dr. Alexandre is getting to know colleagues and students virtually while planning for teaching in the quarters to come.

Dr. Alexandre earned her Ph.D. in Anthropology with a Certificate in African American Studies from Princeton University in 2020. Her research organizes around questions of public health risk and ethics; environmental racism; climate justice and the social implications of climate change adaptation; Black geographies and diaspora; and the politics and ethics of infrastructure. Alexandre’s research has been supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the American Council for Learned Societies, the Wenner-Gren Foundation, and the Princeton Environmental Institute and Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. She published recent work in Geoforum and Current Anthropology. Professor and Chair Sarah Elwood notes that Dr. Alexandre's research "poses urgent questions about infrastructure disrepair, urban water insecurity, justice and equity," and looks forward to "the intersections of health geographies, environmental politics and Black geographies that she is making!" In winter quarter, Dr. Alexandre will teach a graduate seminar about Black geographies as well as GEOG 495 Water & Social Power.

Dr. Alexandre shares her excitement "to teach new courses this year and grow with students as we learn about water equity, Black studies, and public health. I’m also looking forward to thinking out loud and growing with my new colleagues!”

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