Directory
Sam Schurkamp
Title/s: Research Associate
Specialty Area: Wetland ecology, ecological restoration
Office #: SES 219
Phone: 773.508.2122
Email: sschurkamp@luc.edu
About
Sam Schurkamp began his career as an undergraduate at Loyola in 2013 and now works as a full-time researcher and lecturer within the School of Environmental Sustainability. His time camping throughout the state of Michigan as a child sparked a lifelong interest in exploring and protecting the environment. In addition to his research, Schurkamp is interested in science writing and photography to promote ecological knowledge to a broader audience.
Degrees
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MS, Environmental Science & Sustainability, Loyola University Chicago (2022)
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BS, Environmental Science, Loyola University Chicago (2017)
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BA, English and Creative Writing, Loyola University Chicago (2017)
Research Interests
Schurkamp has been involved with Dean Tuchman's wetland ecology lab, Team Typha, since 2020. Team Typha studies the impacts of the invasive cattail Typha × glauca on wetlands in the Great Lakes basin, as well as environmental restoration techniques that improve biodiversity. This work connects novel ecological insights with applied management to promote the conservation of valuable and sensitive habitats. He is also investigating the potential of a soil amendment known as biochar to mitigate salt and heavy metal pollution associated with roadways.
Courses Taught
Selected Publications
Schurkamp, S. (2022). Influence of biochar, Phragmites australis and Typha × glauca on salinity in simulated wetland systems. Master’s thesis, Loyola University Chicago School of Environmental Sustainability.