Peyton Smalls

Peyton Smalls is an environmental anthropologist and doctoral student at the University of North Carolina, where she conducts research under the mentorship of Caela O’Connell. Building upon a foundational knowledge base with a Bachelor of Science in environmental science from the University of South Carolina, Smalls continually seeks to bridge the gap between scientific data and cultural experiences.

As a proud member of the Gullah Geechee Nation, Smalls’s academic pursuit is deeply personal. Her connection to the Lowcountry's waterways and cultural heritage serves as the primary inspiration for her doctoral focus within the disaster and hazards sector. Recognizing that environmental threats are rarely just physical, her work looks at the intersection of ecological degradation and cultural continuity.

Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, Smalls analyzes the ways water pollution disrupts traditional cultural practices. Her geographic focus centers on Charleston, South Carolina, and its historic Black settlement communities. These coastal areas face accelerating environmental vulnerabilities due to gentrification. By examining how contaminated waterways threaten everything from traditional fishing to community gathering, Smalls sheds light on the cultural cost of pollution. Ultimately, her work aims to amplify community voices, preserve Gullah Geechee heritage, and inform equitable environmental policies that protect both the land and its people.