2021 GSS Fellows Selected
Ten graduate students join the GSS Family!
We had an amazing applicant pool that represented the talent across the U.S. Y’all made our decisions hard! In the end, we feel confident that we matched graduate students with complementary research projects that will expand their expertise and these student will provide meaningful contributions to the research. Below we introduce the Fellows and the projects they will be working with. Because most countries are not allowing visitors now, the students will start by working remotely with their teams. Not ideal, but this is what research looks like right now, all over the world. PLUS, it’s got a much lower carbon footprint!
Gabrielle Rivera
Enrolled in a Master’s program in Agriculture, Food and Environment (AFE) program at Tufts University.
Gabrielle’s vision for the future prioritizes nutritious and dignified food as a fundamental human right. She is committed to building health and environmental justice throughout the food system.
During her GSS experience, Gabrielle will be working with the CITYFOOD team in Seattle, Washington.
Joyah Watkins
Working toward a Master of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan.
At the intersection of marine ecology and environmental toxicology, Joyah is working to address sustainable solutions and practices for water consumption and aquatic life. She is committed to applied ecology and using science as a tool for a better world.
Joyah will be embedded in the Norwegian team working in the Belmont-funded project, Salt-Mine.
Nelsha Athauda
Working toward a Master’s in Public Health with a focus on Environmental Health at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
Uniting public health and environmental science, Nelsha is working on interventions that can mitigate climate change while improving population health.
Nelsha will be working with the FUSE team at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany.
Erin Mercado
Erin is working towards a Master’s degree in Environmental Management at Western Colorado University.
Erin seeks to reimagine systems and strengthen relationships to achieve healthy and equitable communities that coexist harmoniously with the environment.
This summer she will be embedded in the University of Delaware team with in the Belmont Forum project, Creating Interfaces.
Martha Kamara
Working towards an M.A. program at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, with a focus on global environmental and energy policy.
Martha strives to unify the arts, literacy, and sustainability by drawing upon her extensive experience as a creative researcher, educator, and environmentalist.
During this summer, Martha will be embedded with the MULTI-FRAME team based in Norway.
Sydney Dale Walker
Sydney is working toward her Master’s in Environmental Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder.
As an environmental engineer and a GIS professional, Sydney is passionate about using her expertise to build a sustainable world for future generations.
Sydney will be working on an assessment framework for the successful development of viable ocean multi-use systems, MULTI-FRAME Submariner lead by the University of Rhode Island researchers.
Kim Magalona
Kim has a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy at George Mason University.
Kim Magalona is interested in making sure that policy incorporates marine science for healthier oceans.
She will be working with Surface Ocean – Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS), a Future Earth project, based in China and Germany.
Gabriel Gadsden
Gabe is working toward his Master’s of Science at the University of Michigan School for the Environment and Sustainability.
Grounded in the belief science should be interdisciplinary, Gabe uses the foundations of environmental justice and ecology to understand human-wildlife interactions and what that means for a sustainable world.
During the summer Gabe will be embedded in the Belmont Forum project Marine Research and Innovation for a Sustainable Management of Coasts and Oceans (MARISCO).
Niza Contreras
Niza will be joining the incoming cohort of Master’s students in the Coastal Science and Policy Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Niza is determined to use her education and experience to advance interdisciplinary science, elevate traditional ecological knowledge, and support community-based conservation of marine resources.
Niza will be working with the Negotiating Ocean Conflicts among Rivals for Sustainable and Equitable Solutions (NO CRISES) at East Carolina University.
Amina Ly
Amina is working toward a Ph.D. at Stanford University focused on Earth systems science and the impacts of extreme weather on human systems.
Amina’s currently focused on answering how extreme temperatures have interacted with mobility in the COVID-19 era, and the overall mortality response in these new environments. Amina is also a Udall Scholar and EDGE Fellow.
Amina will be working with the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment (a project of Future Earth) embedded in the Swiss team at the University of Bern.
Join us in celebrating our scholars as they embark on new paths!
Darryl Acker-Carter graduates from George Mason University on May 11! He has accepted a fully funded and paid position as an ICARE Master’s student at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, in the Marine and Estuarine Studies Program. This competitive NSF-funded fellowship gives Darryl the freedom to focus on community-engaged scholarship and continue to build interdisciplinary professional networks. This summer, Darryl will continue doing research with GSS and the CITYFOOD project at the University of Washington. Congratulations Darryl!
Aishah-Netya Brown will be working with GSS and the Creating Interfaces team this summer. Want to learn more? Read her interview on the Alliance for Climate Education.
Epongue Ekille graduates from Yale University on May 22th! She has been accepted to the Master of Environmental Management program at Yale. In her studies, she will focus on People, Equity, and Environment. During this summer, Epongue will continue her research with GSS and Creating Interfaces. Well done!
Anthony Erebor graduates from the University of Michigan and finishes his LEED Green Associate Certificate at the end of May. Anthony will be working with GSS and the Green 2.0 project this summer. Kudos Anthony!
Mya Wells graduates from Howard University on May 8th! She will be studying for the MCAT this summer. Congratulations and way to follow your dreams!
Alena Zhang graduates from Colombia University on April 30th! She will be working with GSS and the FUSE project this Summer. Congratulations Alena!!
GSS Network News
GSS Scholar, Mya Wells, organized and moderated a virtual Environmental Justice Panel hosted by Howard University Climate change club. Part of this EJ panel included folks from our GSS network, like GSS Scholar Vanessa Villanueva from University of Hawaii at Manova and Dr. Makyba Charles-Ayinde, who is the GSS Advisory Board Chair. Mya was also interviewed by Howard University’s monthly newsletter - read it here.
Opportunty for Early Career Ocean Professionals
In collaboration with the Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOP), we are organizing a two-part workshop at SRI 2021 for Early Career Researchers focused on Sustainable Oceans. The Future Oceans workshop seeks to build a diverse and interdisciplinary cohort of researchers interested in solutions that contribute to a sustainable ocean. This workshop is the start of a longer conversation that we hope will grow to include working groups that will focus on initiatives that build their networks, create productive collaborations, and generate impactful outcomes. We hope that by the end of the series, participants will write a publication for one of our partnering academic journals or outreach outlets to share their learnings, ideas, and perspectives.
Session #1 will be on June 13th, during the SRI Conference.
Session #2 will be held at the end of June, exact dates to be determined by participants.
Organizers include: Alfredo Giron, André Hoffmann Fellow with the Center for Ocean Solutions at Stanford University; Darryl Acker-Carter GSS Scholar; and Adrienne Hampton 2018 GSS Fellow.
For more information and the application click here. Applications are due May 30th.
To apply for funding to attend the SRI congress click here. Applications are due APRIL 30th.
Support our students! All donations directly support Global Sustainability Scholars and Fellows. We are committed to providing our scholars with the research and networks needed to launch their careers. Our response to COVID - 19 has meant a drastic shift in our programming.