Pamela Martin, Ph.D., professor of politics and international relations at Coastal Carolina University, has been named the second Distinguished Honors Faculty Fellow of the HTC Honors College and Center for Interdisciplinary Studies. In this role, she will develop innovative new interdisciplinary courses, create honors initiatives, offer students unique honors experiences, and participate in and cultivate the growth of the Honors College.

"The HTC Honors College and its interdisciplinary focus is very well placed to create a top-notch sustainability program," said Martin. "I look forward to developing the new major in sustainability and coastal resilience. CCU has every potential to be a leader in this field given the expertise of our professors all over campus and the support of the HTC Honors College."

During her two-year appointment, which begins in August 2021, Martin will work to bridge the gap between honors students and sustainability and coastal resilience majors. She wants to give students the opportunity to address the issues of rising sea levels and flooding, attempting to develop environmental policy. Additionally, Martin will work with the HTC Honors College to help grow the Solar Ambassador program. She plans to create a new program that includes a partnership with the South Carolina Technical College System in solar installation and solar energy certification training.

"The search committee was most impressed with Dr. Martin's work to support student internships and to develop unique community engagement and experiential learning opportunities for her students through Georgetown RISE and the Solar Ambassador program," said Sara Hottinger, dean of the HTC Honors College and Center for Interdisciplinary Studies.

Martin, who earned a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, College Park, began teaching at CCU in 1999. Her research focuses on global environmental politics, energy, sustainable development, and international relations and policy.

During her tenure at the University, Martin received the HTC Distinguished Teacher-Scholar Lecturer award in 2015; and in 2008, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to conduct research and teach in Ecuador in 2009. Martin also serves as the founder and executive director of Georgetown RISE - a United Nations Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development housed at CCU in partnership with the National Estuarine Research Reserve. In addition, she is coauthoring a new book, Rights of Nature in Practice: Laws and Governance for Sustainable Development, which is forthcoming from MIT Press this fall.