Fellowship Grant Recipients 2011
Sunday, June 5 2011 | by Lauren Hertel (2003)
University of Connecticut - Ph.D. - (Pathobiology and Veterinary Science)
Andrea is currently a research associate at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and a Ph.D candidate in the Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science at the University of Connecticut. Her research on disease and health, and the effects of environmental and anthropogenic stressors on marine mammals, has been supported by a NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative Graduate Fellowship (I-RICH). This support has allowed for the integration of her background in marine sciences with her interests in public health, immunology, virology and pathology. Learning the classical techniques of virology, as well as the molecular aspects of disease diagnostics, epidemiology and health sciences, she strives to be able to be an interpreter of “health” across disciplines. Prior to entering graduate school for her Ph.D, Andrea earned her B.S. and B.A. at UC Davis and her M.A. at Boston University. She then worked in several capacities with marine animals and disease, first as the necropsy coordinator for the Cape Cod Stranding Network, and then as a researcher at WHOI focusing on zoonotic diseases in marine vertebrates. She continues to work with marine mammal stranding networks, students and researchers in the northeast U.S. as well as abroad through her position with the Eastern Caribbean Cetacean Network. After completing her degree, she looks forward to working on multidisciplinary approaches to understand human and animal disease transmission and health in the marine environment. More importantly, she hopes to be able to communicate science in a way that reaches beyond the bench and into the everyday language of many disciplines.
Yale University - Ph.D. - (Forestry & Environmental Studies)
Laura Bozzi is a doctoral candidate at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. With grounding in institutional theory and public policy scholarship, her research focuses on the history of policy development surrounding mountaintop removal and surface mining for coal in central Appalachia. In all her work, she looks to uncover the historical drivers to environmental problems and to identify strategies for achieving durable solutions. Before returning for her Ph.D., Laura worked as a groundfish fishery policy analyst at the Pacific Fishery Management Council, and she staffed the NOAA Science Advisory Board as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow. Laura holds a B.S. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Yale College and a Master of Environmental Management from F&ES. Though she attended three high schools on three continents, Laura’s a New England native and is grateful to make New Haven her home.
UC Berkeley - Ph.D. - (Energy and Resources)
Christian’s research explores rural poverty and marginalization. Much of his work over the last seven years has focused on understanding how electrification using renewable energy sources can complement development goals in rural communities. His dissertation research is based on the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua, and he has been involved in various aspects of design, testing, and implementation of renewable energy systems in the United States, Central and South America, and Africa. Christian is also passionate about the role of education and innovative learning methods for empowering marginalized communities. Part of his dissertation research explores the efficacy of collaborative game playing with rural fishers and farmers as a means of strengthening local knowledge and exploring new decision making strategies. Christian has worked as an atmospheric and ocean research scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, and has served in the U.S. Peace Corps teaching math and science in rural Namibia. He has an environmental engineering degree from Harvard University, a master’s degree in applied mathematics from Johns Hopkins University, and is a doctoral candidate in the Energy and Resources Group at UC Berkeley.
UC Santa Cruz - Ph.D. - (Environmental Studies)
Tara Cornelisse is a Ph.D. candidate in the Environmental Studies Department at the University of California Santa Cruz. She is passionate about conservation biology and insects, and brings the two together in her dissertation research. She is investigating the habitat requirements and population viability of the endangered Ohlone tiger beetle (Cicindela ohlone), a species endemic to the unique coastal terrace grasslands in Santa Cruz County, California. Broadly, her work aims to bring much needed science to endangered species protection. Tara also strongly supports interdisciplinary research and is investigating the social aspect of conservation through surveying the recreational community that has a direct relationship with the Ohlone tiger beetle. She is also involved in community education through a program that allows her to bring aspects of her research and inquiry-based science into high school classrooms. Prior to her doctoral studies, Tara completed a M.S. in Conservation Biology at San Francisco State University comparing the breeding site preferences of two tiger beetles, one common and one a federal species of concern. When not studying the conservation needs of six-legged creatures, Tara spends time with her partner Laura and dog Lulu. She holds a B.A. in Ecology and Conservation from Boston University.
Yale University - MS - (Environmental Studies)
From village-level seed saving in India to urban gardens in low-income communities in the US, Shereen D’Souza works to support justice and equity in global and local food and farming systems. Shereen is a Master of Environmental Science student at Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Her research focuses on how best to increase benefits and reduce risks for poor farming communities participating in carbon finance initiatives in the Global South. This summer, Shereen’s research will take her to Kitale, Kenya. Before graduate school, Shereen spent ten years working as a food justice activist and advocate. She was Director of the state-wide California Food and Justice Coalition, Co-Director of Sustaining Ourselves Locally (Oakland), Council Member of the Oakland Food Policy Council and Board Member of Oakland Food Connection. Shereen also spent three years working as an agriculture volunteer with Peace Corps in Honduras. She holds a B.S. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a Certificate in Permaculture Design from Merritt College and a Certificate in Ecological Horticulture from the UC Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. In her free time, Shereen enjoys biking and gardening.
MIT/WHOI - Ph.D. - (Oceanography)
Rebecca is a Ph.D student in Physical Oceanography in the MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, where her research focuses on mixing in the deep ocean, and its importance for understanding the energetics of ocean circulation. Her research has taken her to sea on two research cruises, both of which featured hurricane-force winds. Outside of her research, she has a strong interest in climate and energy policy, and is one of the lead organizers of the 3000-member MIT Energy Club. She was the MIT student delegate to the UN climate convention meeting in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2010. She also loves to sail and has a black belt in Taekwon Do. In this photo, she is really excited to be standing next to Fridtjof Nansen at the bow of the Fram, the most famous ship in the history of physical oceanography.
UC Davis - Ph.D. - (Ecology)
Mark Elbroch is a PhD candidate in Ecology at the University of California, Davis. Within conservation, Mark focuses on four areas: 1) Re-establishing an appreciation for natural history training as the foundation for conservation efforts, 2) Improving observer reliability in field work utilizing sign counts, 3) Increasing the involvement of local communities in conservation work, especially those with expert knowledge relevant to projects, and 4) Mitigating human-carnivore conflict through research and education, with the goal of providing the data needed to fight old mythology that perpetuates fear of large carnivores. Mark’s dissertation work in Patagonia and new field research in Colorado focuses on exploring the ecological role of pumas (cougars, mountain lions) and mitigating human-puma/livestock-puma conflicts. Mark also collaborates with CyberTracker Conservation in South Africa to provide field evaluations for those with wildlife tracking skills, as a means of testing observer reliability, teaching and preserving tracking skills, and sifting out competent trackers for employment (http://wildlifetrackers.com/). Mark has authored and coauthored several field guides to wildlife tracking, animal skulls and mammal behavior.
UC Davis - Ph.D. - (Conservation Management)
Tavis Forrester’s projects include the community ecology of large mammal predator-prey interactions and citizen science in conservation, and he works to combine ecology theory and natural history to contribute to applied conservation. Tavis is a PhD candidate at the University of California, Davis, where he is also pursuing a degree certificate in Conservation Management. His dissertation research focuses on the interactions between habitat and predation in black-tailed deer, and integrates the effects of ecosystem processes, community ecology, and individual behavioral responses to predation risk. Tavis’ conservation research is focused on developing a local citizen science initiative with UC Davis and Audubon California to gather data on the conservation value of private working landscapes, focusing on blue oak woodlands, one of the richest habitats in California. Tavis enjoys using his knowledge of natural history and experience teaching outdoor education to engage people with nature and bridge the gap between theoretical ecology and applied conservation. In the future he hopes to continue research on large mammal community ecology and use citizen science as a tool to engage people with the natural world and inspire support for conservation.
Vermont Law School - JD - (Environmental Law)
Colin Hagan is completing his law degree at Vermont Law School, where he is an editor of the Vermont Law Review, a member of the National Environmental Law Moot Court Team and a Research Associate at the Institute for Energy and the Environment. After graduating from Furman University in South Carolina, he received a Compton Mentor Fellowship, through which he published a grassroots guide to local climate impacts in the state. Colin later helped to advance federal climate and energy policies as a Federal Policy Associate at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. He represented the organization before Members of Congress, helped organize congressional briefings and draft legislation, and authored numerous articles about the potential for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation in the Southeast. Colin also helped lead the organization’s response to the Tennessee Valley Authority’s 2008 coal ash spill. While in law school, Colin has worked on Clean Air Act litigation as a Summer Law Clerk with the Clean Air Task Force in Boston, MA, and researched constitutional issues related to federal environmental policy as a Research Assistant for the Environmental Tax Policy Institute at Vermont Law School. At the Institute for Energy and the Environment, Colin researches regulatory issues related to Smart Grid deployment for a project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy in addition to policies related to renewable energy integration into the electric grid. In 2011, Colin was selected to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of General Counsel’s Summer Honors Program, where he worked on issues related to climate change and air pollution in the Air and Radiation Law Office.
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara - MESM - (Coastal Marine Resource Management)
Born and raised on the shores of a small island town in Southeast Alaska, Kelsey’s passion for the ocean runs deep. She is currently a Masters student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management where she studies Coastal and Marine Resource Management. Kelsey’s primary interest is in marine spatial planning, a management approach that she believes will be essential for achieving both marine conservation and sustainable resource provision. Playing into this interest, her Masters research focuses on the potential ecological and socioeconomic impacts of expanding Chile’s salmon aquaculture industry into the sparsely populated, pristine fjord system found in the country’s southernmost Patagonian region. This project will provide the Regional Chilean Government with advice on best aquaculture practices and optimal zoning that strikes a balance between aquaculture, traditional coastal industries, and marine protected areas. Outside of her studies, Kelsey researches the job and economic impacts of marine sectors for the Ocean Health Index, a large collaborative project that will offer a new global standard for measuring the health of the oceans. When she’s not at work, Kelsey enjoys scuba diving, traveling, backcountry hiking, and creating miniature pencil drawings of sea creatures. In her career, she hopes to drive science-based policies that achieve marine conservation with the help of marine spatial planning.
UC Berkeley - Ph.D. - (Environmental Science, Policy & Management)
Kendra Klein is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California, Berkeley. Her work is located at the nexus of public health and sustainable agri-food systems. In collaboration with Health Care Without Harm’s Healthy Food in Health Care Campaign, she is researching the supply chain obstacles and opportunities for increasing hospital procurement of local, organic, fair trade and other sustainably-produced foods nationwide. Along with her research, she is involved in Health Care Without Harm's Food Matters campaign which educates health professionals on an ecological approach to nutrition and inspires them to advocate for a healthier, more sustainable food system within their health practices, communities, and at the federal level. Kendra is also a lecturer in the Geography Department at San Francisco State University. Kendra’s commitment to an ecological approach to food and health is rooted in her non-profit and academic work as well as farming experience. As a community organizer at Breast Cancer Action, she worked on a variety of environmental health campaigns including chemical policy reform, corporate accountability related to ‘pink ribbon’ fundraising, and Precautionary Principle implementation. She has apprenticed on organic farms in Hawaii and California and ran a Farm & Garden summer program at Children’s Day School in San Francisco. Kendra received her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Environmental Studies from Miami University of Ohio. Her career goal is to remain entrenched in food movements working to create ecologically resilient, economically viable, and socially just food systems, with a particular focus on the development of food hubs and mid-scale food system infrastructure that allows small and mid-sized farmers to reach institutional markets like hospitals and schools.
Stanford University - Meng - (Civil and Environmental Engineering)
Jeannette is currently pursuing a M.Eng. degree at Stanford University in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Her primary interests focus on the sustainability of the built environment and ecological sanitation in a developing country context. Her research at Stanford University focuses on how wastewater treatment systems with resource recovery and reuse capabilities can be effectively implemented in developing country communities in order to increase the long term sustainability of sanitation systems, thereby helping to alleviate the negative ecological impact that inadequate sanitation has on the environment. In particular, she is interested in the viability of biogas digesters to increase access to both sanitation and renewable forms of energy in developing communities of sub-Saharan Africa. Prior to beginning her studies at Stanford University, Jeannette spent over three years in Zambia, Africa, as a Project Manager for a local Zambian NGO through Volunteer Service Overseas (VSO). As Project Manager, she was responsible for overseeing and coordinating all aspects related to the design, site development, construction and set-up of a 20,000 square foot residential and educational center for over 250 children. She incorporated several environmentally responsible ideas into the design of the center such as energy efficient cooking stoves and a biogas and anaerobic digestion wastewater treatment system, which enabled the center to collect biogas for cooking energy and effectively treated all wastewater generated by the center to reuse for agriculture. Jeannette also has nearly four years of experience as a structural engineer consultant with Robert Silman Associates (RSA) in Washington, DC, a design firm with a dedicated history of sustainable building projects. She has a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Oregon State University.
Tufts University - MA - (Environmental Planning, Water Engineering)
Julia Ledewitz has been the Sustainability Coordinator for Massachusetts Institute of Technology since graduating from Bowdoin in 2008 with a B.A. in Environmental Science, History and a minor in Biology. She also is a founding board member of the US Green Building Council of Massachusetts. At MIT she is a member of the Energy team in the Department of Facilities Engineering, developing a cross-campus energy reduction program for the existing building infrastructure. In addition, she leads the LEED certification efforts on new buildings and retrofits for the campus. Last year, she decided to contextualize her work with a degree in Planning. She is currently a Master's candidate at Tufts' Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning department. Her thesis work will aim to analyze the link between on-going commissioning efforts in buildings and overall energy reductions. The outcome will hopefully shed light on effective energy management practices replicable for towns and campuses across the country. When she isn't working or writing papers, you can find her teaching spinning and competing in triathlons.
UC Santa Cruz - Ph.D. - (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology)
Erin is a Ph.D. candidate in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz. She studies the planning, implementation, and impact of global biodiversity conservation projects, with the goal of improving project effectiveness to make the best use of limited conservation resources. Currently, Erin is working on a global prioritization of islands for the eradication of introduced mammals and subsequent restoration of native island species and ecosystems. By integrating diverse factors such as biodiversity, economics, and politics into conservation decision making, she aims to improve conservation benefits for the many unique island species that are at risk of extinction. Prior to beginning her graduate studies, Erin spent three years at the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC), where she worked on conservation-themed exhibits and symposia, developed materials for international conservation education initiatives, and researched threatened species and ecosystems for several of the CBC’s international programs. Erin earned a bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Yale University and has studied ecology and conservation in the Appalachian Mountains, Hawaii, Alaska, Central America, Asia, and the tropical Pacific. Upon completion of her Ph.D., she plans to continue her work on integrating the biological and human aspects of conservation to ensure the best possible outcomes for both threatened wildlife and people.
Lesley University - MA - (Urban Environmental Leadership)
Kristen is currently studying Urban Environmental Leadership at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Kristen's thesis and final action research project focus on building relationships between grassroots environmentalists and local government. Aside from her graduate studies, Kristen is also a consultant to the Chicago Department of Environment's Chicago Conservation Corps, or C3. She coordinates the C3 Student Clubs Program, supporting more than 75 after-school conservation clubs in Chicago Public Schools, and develops curriculum and activity guides for the clubs. She also coordinates the City's Community Weatherization Action Teams, a volunteer-run, community-based home energy efficiency program. Kristen has a B.S. in Zoology from Michigan State University, with a concentration in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. She also specialized in Environmental Education and Community Engagement. She has extensive experience in qualitative and quantitative research on place-based education in youth, and in developing and implementing community-based youth programming. She was named a 2007 Udall Scholar in honor of her environmental education efforts, and is certified through the National Association of Interpretation as an Interpretive Guide.
UC Berkeley - Ph.D. - (Biology)
Jessica is a Ph.D. candidate in the Integrative Biology department at UC Berkeley. After completing her undergraduate studies at University of California Santa Cruz with a double major in Environmental Studies and Plant Sciences, she worked as a field crew leader for restoration companies and the Bureau of Land Management. Her current work focuses on the adaptive processes behind the evolution of self pollination. Her study species, the sky lupine (Lupinus nanus) and the miniature lupine (L. bicolor), are important plants in restoration. She works to understand the selection pressures acting on these species, which is critical for successful restoration. She is also dedicated to researching communication, environmental education, and social equity and inclusion in the sciences. She works with several organizations, such as Building Diversity in Science; Puente; the Biology Scholars Program; and Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity and Sustainability to mentor under-represented students in the sciences. She founded the Graduate Student Instructor Diversity Mentorship Program, which aims to instruct Graduate Students on inclusive teaching practices, and the Research Dissemination Collaborations, a graduate student group that uses art to communicate current scientific research to the public.
UC Berkeley School of Law - JD - (Law/Environmental Law)
Ryan Shaening Pokrasso is a J.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, where he is a member of Students for Economic and Environmental Justice and is an executive editor for the Ecology Law Quarterly journal. He is currently working with students, faculty, and legal practitioners to establish a student run Environmental Justice Clinic to provide pro bono legal services to communities disproportionately impacted by irresponsible business practices and to promote community-driven sustainable economic development in the Bay Area and California Central Valley. Prior to law school, Ryan was the Program Director for a non-profit organization in New Mexico focused on environmental justice issues on tribal lands, including successfully fighting the development of a fourth coal plant in the area. He organized with diverse communities including ranchers, local business owners, youth advocates, public health professionals, and environmental organizations to support New Mexico's cap on carbon emissions. In 2009, he helped author, lobby for, and pass the New Mexico Green Jobs Act to provide funding for training programs in sustainable industries for disadvantaged individuals and families. Ryan received a Bachelors of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz and participated in a conservation biology field project focused on eradicating invasive species from Rat Island in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.
Yale University - MA - (Environmental Management)
Sharon is an organizer and trainer active in social change movements for global justice, human rights, and environmental sustainability. She worked with student networks to achieve landmark environmental victories in the logging and finance sectors and has trained thousands of youth in advocacy for social change. As Program Advisor for the Brower Youth Awards at Earth Island Institute, Sharon supported hundreds of emerging environmental activists annually and co-produced Emmy award-winning films shown on The Sundance Channel and PBS. She is the author of the recent book, "The Young Activist's Guide to Building a Green Movement and Changing the World". She is currently completing her Master of Environmental Management at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.
Yale University - MSc - (Environmental Health Sciences)
Sarah Uhl is focused on improving the system for protecting people and the environment from toxic chemicals. As a master’s student at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, she is studying the health effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Her research explores the degree to which factors such individuals’ age, race, and socioeconomic status are associated with their susceptibility to the metabolic and reproductive health effects of phthalates and bisphenol-A. Previously, Sarah spent four years working for the non-profit organization Clean Water Action. During that time, she spearheaded the Coalition for a Safe & Healthy Connecticut, an alliance of citizens, health professionals, workers, environmental justice leaders, educators, scientists, and faith communities working to replace toxic chemicals in everyday products and industry with safer alternatives. Under Sarah’s leadership, the Coalition grew from 12 to 52 active, non-profit member organizations, and successfully campaigned for five pieces of groundbreaking state legislation. The legislation included modernized lead and asbestos standards for children’s products (2008), a first-in-the-nation phase-out of bisphenol-A from reusable food and beverage containers and infant formula and baby food cans and jars (2009), and the establishment of the Chemical Innovations Institute at the University of Connecticut Health Center (2010). Sarah had previously worked for Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund to coordinate the Connecticut Alliance Against Diesel Pollution. In 2007, the Alliance successfully advocated for $10 million in funding to retrofit all 3,400 polluting school buses in the state. Sarah earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College in Environmental & Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies.
University of New Hampshire - Ph.D. candidate - (Natural Resources and Earth System Science)
Matt Vadeboncoeur is a Ph.D. candidate in the Natural Resources and Earth Systems Science program at the University of New Hampshire, where he is advised by Dr. Erik Hobbie. His research focuses on understanding management- and disturbance-related changes to the cycling of nutrients in forest ecosystems. Currently he is using a detailed regional soil chemistry data set he collected with collaborators to characterize variation in the long-term sustainability of forest harvesting across the northern hardwood forest region. This question is highly relevant to current policy discussions about the potential to increase the use of local forest biomass for energy production in the northeast. Matt is particularly interested in investigating geochemical tracers of mineral weathering, the process by which most nutrients are ultimately derived from rocks and soils. Matt has spent several summers leading field crews in soil and vegetation sampling at the Hubbard Brook and Bartlett Experimental Forests in the White Mountain National Forest, and is also involved in tropical forest research in Taiwan and Malaysia. Matt has a Sc.B. with Honors in Environmental Science from Brown University.