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Faculty Profiles: Reiter, Michael

This guide provides information on Bethune-Cookman University faculty, including their research interests, accomplishments and activities, and brief biographical details.

Dr. Michael Reiter

Dr .Michael Reiter

Position Title Professor, Director, and Chair, Integrated Environmental Science

Office Location: Science Building, Nicholson Annex #4

Office Phone x2695

Email: reiterm@cookman.edu

Links to social media

List of degrees:

  • Ph.D. Environmental Sciences (Ecology), 1988: The University of Virginia, Charlottesville. 
  • MS Biology (Ecology), 1983: Kent State University, Kent, OH. 
  • BS Biology, 1981:  Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio.

Grants

  • Co-Investigator for Advancing Data Analytics Program through Environmental Intelligence 
  • (ADAPT-EI). FY 2022-2027 BCU Title III B grant. $2.4 million in YR 1. Oct 1, 2022 – Sept 30, 2023. $361,389.38 in Year 2  up to 5 years.

Current Research/Service Projects

  • Development of the Halifax River Urban Watershed Project,
  • Continuing work on the recommendations of the Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems Roundtable.

Student Mentees & Project Names

Past mentor for 2 postdocs (both now faculty members), 9 MS students (committee member for 11 more), 23 BS students, 3 interns, and 1 field technician.

Courses Taught at B-CU

ES110 & 111 – IES Freshmen Seminar I & II

ES130 - Introduction to Environmental Science (general education)

ES211 – IES Sophomore Seminar

ES241 & 241L - Principles of Environmental Science (and Lab; Gateway Course for majors/minors)

ES244 – Environmental and Ecological Economics

ES311 – IES Junior Seminar

ES330 – Environmental Regulations

ES334 & 344L - Microclimatology (and Lab)

ES345 & 345L – Freshwater Aquatic Systems (and Lab)

ES430/ES530 - Environmental Policy and Risk Management (ug/grad)

ES450/ES550 – Ecosystems/Ecosystem Management (ug Capstone Course/grad)

ES501 – Environmental Seminar I

ES510 - Organization of Human Systems

ES511 - Organization of Natural Systems

ES614 – Coastal Environmental Science

ES620 – Advanced Environmental Economics

ES641 - Toxicology and Risk Assessment

ES699 - Thesis

BI131 & 131L - General Biology and Lab

BI150 & 151L - General Biology Honors and Lab

BI437 & 437L - General Ecology and Lab

Service, Outreach Activities, Community Partnerships (primary since 2020)

  • 2023. Requested by the B-CU Provost to submit a proposal for the academic restructuring of the B-CU Honors Program.
  • 2016-2023. Elected national Councilor for the At-Large division of the Council on Undergraduate Research, and Secretary of the Task Force on Outreach to International Organizations and Institutions, with a goal of attracting new international members to CUR. Re-elected to a second term, 2022, and appointed lead for the Collaborations and Connections division subproject. Voted Vice-Chair of the At-Large division of the Council on Undergraduate Research 2020-2023. 
  • 2022. Journal of Sustainability Research (Hapres; Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief) accepted for inclusion in Scopus
  • 2018-2021. Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Sustainability Research, Hapres.

Brief Biographical Sketch

Dr. Michael Reiter is Professor of Environmental Science, Chair of the Department of Integrated Environmental Science (IES), and Director of its graduate program, where he specializes in stakeholder-based resource management and integrated environmental science.

Dr. Reiter is past President of the Interdisciplinary Environmental Association, a Founding Co-Chair for the Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems Roundtable, and Founding Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Sustainability Research. He has received university and national awards for his teaching and research, has been approved for candidacy as a Fulbright Senior Specialist in Environmental Science/Education, and has been invited to speak and deliver workshops on interdisciplinary environmental and resource management issues in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, South America, and Africa.

His primary interest is the interdisciplinary study of ecological and environmental problems, and emphasizing the importance of making scientifically informed, broadly based decisions concerning present and future sustainability concerns.

Research Interests

Integrated assessment, stakeholder-based resource management, interdisciplinary and higher-order environmental and sustainability education, aquatic ecology

Presentations (since 2020)

St. Augustine FL 2024. 2024. The Historic Influence of Landscape and Environment on Development in the Halifax River Watershed, Florida: The Importance of Physical Geography and Access. Annual Meeting of the Florida Society of Geographers, Reiter, MA and HJ Cho. Feb. 16-17.

Shreveport, LA. 2023. 28th International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment (virtual): “The Historic Influence of Landscape and Environment on Development in the Halifax River Watershed, Florida: The Importance of Physical Geography and Access.” Reiter, M.A. and H.J. Cho. Oct. 20.

Fort Pierce, FL. 2023. 2023 Indian River Lagoon Symposium: “The Halifax River Urban Watershed Project: A Holistic Approach to Coastal Urban Sustainability.” Reiter, M.A. and H.J. Cho. Feb. 17.

Fort Meyers, FL (virtual). 2023. Fort Myers - Lee County Garden Council, Inc., NGC Environmental Course 3 - Air and Related Issues: “Indoor Air Pollution.” Nov. 16.

Bangkok, Thailand. 2022. 16th International Conference on Sustainable Development 2022: “The Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems Approach to Sustainability Education: Foundational Principles, Pedagogical Strategies, and Administrative Considerations.” With P. Barresi and R. Smardon. Nov. 15-16.

Birmingham, AL (virtual). 2022. 27th International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment: “Defining the Natural State Using STEAM: Fundamentalism, Sustainability and Change.” With Kimberly Reiter, Oct. 7.

Ormond Beach, FL. 2022. 2022 Florida Association of Geographers Annual Meeting: “The Halifax River Urban Watershed Initiative: A Place-Based Sustainability Initiative on Central Florida’s Atlantic Coast.” Virtual presentation, with HJ Cho, Feb. 12.

Albany, NY (virtual). 2022. Federated Garden Clubs of New York State Environmental School: “Indoor Air Pollution.” Feb. 4.

Ormond Beach, FL. 2022. Ormand Regional Library “Night with a Scientist”: “The Halifax River Urban Watershed Initiative: A Place-Based Sustainability Initiative on Central Florida’s Atlantic Coast.” Feb. 15.

Mexico City (virtual). 2021. 26th International Interdisciplinary Conference on the Environment, workshop: Transcending Disciplinary Approaches to Education for Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems: Foundational Principles, Pedagogy, Administration, and Certification. Interdisciplinary Environmental Association and Laboratorio Nacional de Ciencias de la Sostenibilidad-IE, UNAM, with R. Smardon and P. Barresi, Oct. 8.

Daytona Beach, FL. 2021. Examples of Collaborative Experiential Learning at B-CU: “Designing Courses to Introduce Interdisciplinary Engagement Using Systemic Resolution and Systemic Synthesis: The Early English Landscapes.” Virtual presentation, April 21.

Tampa, FL. 2021. Opportunities for engineers in integrated environmental science and the MSIES program. National Association of Engineering Student Councils (NAESC) conference. University of South Florida, Nov 5, 2021.

Washington, DC. (virtual). 2021. The 2021 Sustainability Curriculum Colloquium, Roundtable: “Looking ahead: A roundtable discussion on options for accreditation and certification.” Jun. 18.

Coral Springs, FL (virtual). 2021. Garden Club of Coral Springs Zoom Environmental School: “Indoor Air Pollution.” Feb. 17.

Bethesda, MD (virtual). 2021. Sustainability Curriculum Consortium: “Roundtable on the National Academy of Science’s Sustainability Education Standards.” Jan. 26.

New Smyrna Beach, FL (virtual). 2020. New Smyrna Garden Club Environmental School: “Sustainability as a Concept and a Practice.” Nov. 6.

Athens, GA (virtual). 2020. Conservation Seminar Series of the Odum School of Ecology: “The Role of Societal Values in an Integrated Framework for Informing Ecosystem Management Decisions.” With Michael Humphreys, Sept. 23.

New Smyrna Beach, FL. 2020. New Smyrna Beach Garden Club Environmental School: “Pedagogy for Sustainability.” Apr. 7.

Washington DC. 2020. Council on Undergraduate Research, Posters on the Hill: “Using a Bayesian Conditional Probabilistic Model to Identify Efficient Environmental Indicators of Harmful Algal Blooms within the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA.” Poster: M. C. White and M. A. Reiter. April 20-21.

Daytona Beach, FL. 2020. Florida Academy of Sciences: “A collaborative course redesign approach for non-major Environmental Science incorporating Open Educational Resources (OER).” Krejci, S., R. Isokpehi, S. Ramroop-Butts, M. Reiter, A. George, Y. Kim, A. Ho, H. Torres and A. McSwain, Mar. 20.

Charleston, SC. 2020. Sustainability Literacy Symposium: Faculty, Staff, and Students as Agents of Change: “Transcending Disciplinary Approaches to Sustainability Education in the Classroom: Classes, Courses, and Programs.” Panel, M. A. Reiter, P. A. Barresi, R. C. Smardon, K. D. Reiter, I. Feldman. Feb. 12-13.

Maitland, FL. 2020. The World Conference of Mayors/Historic Black Towns and Settlements Alliance, 2020 Orange County/Orlando/Eatonville Collaboration Conference: “Sustainability as a City Branding: The Halifax River Urban Watershed Sustainability Initiative.” Cho, H.J., M.A. Reiter, R. Isokpehi. Jan. 27-Feb. 2.

Daytona Beach, FL. 2020. 2020 BCU Spring Faculty & Staff Institute: “A Collaborative Course Redesign Approach for Non-Major Environmental Science Incorporating Open Educational Resources (OER).” S. Krejci, R. Isokpehi, S. Ramroop-Butts, M. Reiter, A. George, Y. Kim, A. Ho, H. Torres, A. McSwain. Jan. 8.

Publications (since 2020)

Reiter, M. A. P. A. Barresi, and R. C. Smardon. In review. “The Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems (SHES) approach to sustainability education and practice: Foundational thematic principles.” Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development.

Barresi, P.A., M. A. Reiter, and R. C. Smardon. In review. “Educating for Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems (SHES): Some Pedagogical Strategies.” Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development.

Reiter, M. A., R. C. Smardon, and P. A. Barresi. In review. “Reimagining colleges and universities as Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems (SHES)–-friendly institutions: The administrative challenge.” Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development.

Smardon, R. C., P. A. Barresi, and M. A. Reiter. In review. “Education for Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems from the classroom to the workplace.” Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development.

Cho, H.J. and M.A. Reiter, eds. Summer 2023. Special Issue: The Halifax River Urban Watershed. The Florida Geographer 54(54). Halifax Urban Watershed Project publication #2, nine articles. https://journals.flvc.org/flgeog/issue/view/6208.

  • Cho, H.J. and M.A. Reiter. 2023. The trails, roads, paths, and waterways of the Halifax River Urban Watershed: Drivers and reflections of a changing landscape. pp 1-8.

  • Cho. H.J., M. A. Reiter, B. Tanner, K. Reiter, C. Jacoby, Z. Zacharies, J. Mainali, C. deBosco, and M. Humphreys. 2023. Photo essay: People and landscape in the Halifax River Urban Watershed. pp 9-35.

  • Reiter, M.A. 2023. Epilogue: Transportation, development, and the landscape of the Halifax region. pp 140-143.

Barresi, P. A., M. A. Reiter, and R. C. Smardon. 2022. The Sustainable Human and Environmental Systems approach to sustainability education: Foundational principles, pedagogical strategies, and administrative considerations. OIDA Intl. J. Sustain. Dev. 15(1):11-22 (The Journal of the Ontario International Development Agency). ISSN 1923-6662, http://www.ssrn.com/link/OIDA-Intl-Journal-Sustainable-Dev.html.

Reiter, M. A. and K. D. Reiter. 2022. Approaches to Undergraduate Research in Sustainability. In: Mieg, H., E. Ambos, A. Brew, D. Galli, J. Lehmann, eds. The Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research (Cambridge Handbooks in Education); Ch 45, pp 423-430. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108869508, ISBN 978-1108869508.

Reiter, M. A. 2020. Experts Weigh In On Current Job Market Trends: Environmental Specialists. https://www.zippia.com/environmental-specialist-jobs/trends/ (last accessed Jan. 8, 2021).

Cho, H., M. A. Reiter, C. Jacoby eds. 2020. The Halifax River Urban Watershed: A Holistic Approach to Sustainability. Bethune-Cookman University Press, Daytona Beach, FL.  134 pp.

  • Reiter, M. A. and H. J. Cho. 2020. A Systems Approach to Sustainability in the Halifax River Urban Watershed. In: Cho, H., M. A. Reiter, C. Jacoby eds. 2020. The Halifax River Urban Watershed: A Holistic Approach to Sustainability. Bethune-Cookman University Press, Daytona Beach, FL Chapter 1.

Awards and News

Hapres, 2018-2021 (continued into 2022). Appointed as Founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Sustainability Research. Journal approved for Scopus listing 2022

Council on Undergraduate Research, 2016-2023. Elected as a national Councilor for the At-Large division (re-elected 2022)

  • Internationalization Task Force 2016-2020

  • Elected Secretary of the At-Large Division and Vice-Chair of the Internationalization Task Force 2018-2020

  • Elected Co-Vice Chair of the Division and Lead, Collaborations and Connections Task Group, 2021-2023

U.S. Dept. of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and World Learning, 2019-2022 (extended to 2024 due to COVID). Awarded placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster in environmental science.

Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 2016. President’s Recognition Award for Educational and Environmental Collaboration and Excellence, for the design and implementation of the supradisciplinary international field course series “The Early English Landscapes” (with K. D. Reiter).

Selected to present at the World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities (WSSD-U-2012), a parallel session to the Rio+20 Conference, Rio de Janiero, Brazil, June 2012.

Bethune-Cookman University, 2011. Winner of the BCU Excellence in Research Award.

Board of Trustees of Delaware State University, 2006. Citation of Honor for contributions to the university.

National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, and the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (Academic Programs Section) 2005. National Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences, $5,000. https://www.teach-usda.cals.vt.edu/best_practice/exemp_teach/pages/reiter_teach.html.

Delaware State University, 2004. Winner of the DSU Excellence in Teaching award.

Delaware State University, 2003. Winner of the DSU Excellence in Research and Creative Activity award.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization, 1997. Invitation to participate as an environmental education specialist in the Advanced Research Workshop on Conversion and Ecology, Dniepropetrovsk, Ukraine (one of three representatives from the United States). Formal presentation and moderator of the roundtable meeting on environmental education.