Michelle Ritchie, PhD
Assistant Professor
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Dr. Michelle Ritchie is an assistant professor at the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Institute for Disaster Management. She received her dual-title PhD in Geography and Climate Science from Penn State. She also has an MA in Geography specializing in natural resource management from Binghamton University. Dr. Ritchie attended Connecticut State University for her undergrad.
At IDM, Dr. Ritchie coordinates the undergraduate program, with an emphasis on the minor. She teaches a multitude of undergraduate and graduate courses, including but not limited to, FYOS 1001: A Field Guide to Resilience, DMAN 3750: How to Survive the Apocalypse, and DMAN 7450: Disasters and GIS. She also runs the Ritchie Research Lab where she mentors students through research projects, establishing funding, presenting at conferences, and attending workshops.
Dr. Ritchie’s dissertation research modeled the social-ecological processes that supported the implementation of adaptation action within Arctic households in response to rapid environmental change. This research model included processes of sense of place, risk perception, and the valuation of ecosystem services and built on her prior research published in Applied Geography, which reviewed the early indicators of climate change impacts in the Arctic.
Her current projects include:
- “Collaborative Research: NNA Research: Arctic, Climate, and Earthquakes (ACE): Seismic Resilience and Adaptation of Arctic Infrastructure and Social Systems amid Changing Climate” National Science Foundation (NSF) Navigating the New Arctic (NNA)
- “The Athens Community Climate Resilience Project through Technology and Transportation Innovation” Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, Georgia Tech
- “Understanding Local Stakeholder Perceptions and Needs to Improve Rural Ecologies and Economies in SW Georgia” Rural Engagement Seed Grant, UGA
- “Bloom and Doom: Is Increasing Risk of Harmful Algal Blooms an Inevitable Consequence of Global Change? Assessing Risk and Exploring Strategies in Georgia from Biological and Social Perspectives” 2021 Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program, UGA
- “Developing New Storm Design Criteria for Natural Hazards Planning Research and Practice” 2021 Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grant Program, UGA
- Numerous unfunded projects as well, including (1) research on social-ecological systems in Iceland to understand what motivates/enables households to adapt to rapid environmental changes, (2) research on disability inclusion on campus using photovoice, and (3) student-led research projects
Dr. Ritchie was awarded the 2023 Special Collections Libraries Teaching Fellowship, as well as the 2023 First Year Odyssey Seminar Teaching Award. She holds numerous certifications, including (1) Part 107 Unmanned Aircraft Remote Pilot Certification, (2) Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE), (3) Stop the Bleed, (4) FEMA IS-100.b, IS-317.a, and IS-700.b (5) CPR and AED Certification (6) Basic First Aid, and (7) Wildland Search and Rescue.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys spending time with her dog, Dottie, and her cat, Clarence, as well as with family and friends. She can often be found gardening, reading, listening to music, or playing pool.
