Phone: 914-654-5306

Faith Kostel-Hughes, Ph.D.
Director of Environmental Studies
Associate Professor of Biology

M.S., Ph.D., Fordham University
B.S., St. Francis College

Faith Kostel-Hughes received her Ph.D. from Fordham University, where she studied the impact of urbanization on forest regeneration. In her postdoctoral research at Rutgers University, Dr. Kostel-Hughes studied restoration ecology, looking at how to promote the establishment and growth of forests on degraded lands.
Dr. Kostel-Hughes’ most recent research has been on nonnative species, particularly the impact of nonnative earthworm species on forests in the Northeastern U.S.

Students have been greatly involved in this research as part of coursework, honors contracts, and the Student-Faculty Research Scholarship. See STUDENT RESEARCH.
Dr. Kostel-Hughes' interest in environmental education of young children has resulted in her collaboration with CNR's Education Department. She is working to develop an optional cognate program that will provide additional training in environmental science for students studying to be elementary school teachers. This has also included working with her son's class in the new greenhouse at the Barnard School for Early Childhood Education in New Rochelle.
Dr. Kostel-Hughes’ publications include articles in Forest Ecology and Management and the Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society and Urban Ecosystems. Her research has also been cited in The New York Times.
Dr. Kostel-Hughes is actively involved in local conservation issues and organizations, which includes being a board member of the Metro Forest Council, the Friends of Marshland Conservancy, and a member of the scientific advisory committee of the Native Plant Center.

She is also a member of the Environmental Consortium of Hudson Valley Colleges and Universities (http://environmentalconsortium.org), of which The College of New Rochelle is a charter member. This organization seeks to encourage collaboration among academic institutions in the Hudson Valley region on environmental education and research.
As advisor to WILDE (Women In Lasting Defense of the Environment, CNR's environmental club), Dr. Kostel-Hughes helps promote environmental awareness on campus through numerous club activities, especially the club’s signature event, The Earth Day Game Show.