Our Team
Sciences for Sustainable Earth was founded by a PhD-trained environmental public health expert with deep experience in transdisciplinary research, community collaboration, and science-policy translation. With roots in both academic research and on-the-ground implementation, our approach combines analytical insight with practical, people-centered solutions.
Whether navigating climate adaptation, environmental justice, or public health risks, we work across sectors to empower decision-makers, uplift communities, and make science matter.
Katya Altman, Ph.D.
Katya Altman, Ph.D., Director, Sciences for Sustainable Earth. Dr. Altman’s work focuses on long-term coastal sustainability and solving complex environmental issues by engaging and meaningfully involving diverse communities. Dr. Altman is the Principal Investigator for the Tour de Coasts initiative with the Future Earth Coasts and the Director of an environmental consulting group, Sciences for Sustainable Earth. She completed her Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences at the Arnold School of Public Health in 2023 and her Master of Earth and Environmental Resources Management in 2013 at the University of South Carolina.
Dwayne E. Porter, Ph.D.
Dwayne E. Porter, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health. He also directs the Geographic Information Processing Lab at the Baruch Institute. Additionally, Dr. Porter leads the NOAA Estuarine Research Reserves System’s Data Management Office and the Community Engagement Core for the NIEHS Oceans and Human Health and Climate Change Center. He is a faculty member in the Environment and Sustainability Program in the School of the Earth, Ocean, and Environment.