Charles R. Lampman

Charles serves as the Expedition Lead for the Drift South Expedition, where he combines academic training, field experience, and grassroots advocacy to advance environmental justice, science accessibility, and ecological resilience. With a B.S. in Biology and Marine Science from the University of Alabama and an A.S. from Marion Military Institute, Charles brings a strong scientific foundation to the team. He is currently expanding his expertise in ecological modeling through advanced coursework in mathematics at his local community college—preparing for future graduate study.

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Charles's journey into conservation leadership is rooted in both passion and personal disruption. After losing environmental science positions due to federal policy rollbacks and shrinking oversight, he pivoted toward direct action, supporting himself as a chimney sweep while continuing to speak out on climate issues. Rather than stepping away from his mission, he doubled down—building the Drift South Expedition from the ground up as a model for citizen science, public storytelling, and community-driven water advocacy.

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Charles brings years of wilderness travel and group leadership experience to the expedition. He has a sharp sense for logistics, a commitment to equity in environmental work, and a belief that science should be for and by the people. As Expedition Lead, he oversees operations, partner coordination, and long-range planning, while also helping collect water-quality data and tell the story of a changing Mississippi River from a human perspective.