Meet Our Rachel Carson National Environmental Leadership Fellows

Rachel Carson National Environment Leadership Fellows (NELF) are competitively selected nationwide. RCC NELF Fellows carry out educational, organizing, and communications projects that support RCC’s mission from their campus into the community and beyond.

This year’s class of RCC Fellows (2025-2026) was chosen from our most talented and diverse group of applicants ever.

Claire Reisberg – Haverford College

Claire (she/her) is a junior at Haverford College pursuing a major in English with minors in Comparative Literature and Growth and Structure of Cities and a concentration in Peace, Justice, and Human Rights. Her interest in food justice and the environment began when she started working for and leading classes at Haverford’s student-run farm (“Haverfarm”). Claire’s passions for storytelling and environmental justice were combined when she created a comprehensive history of the Haverfarm and agriculture on Haverford’s campus through oral history interviews, long-form articles, a website, and an exhibition in Haverford’s Visual Culture, Arts, and Media Center. Outside of her role as a farm worker and Co-President of the Haverford Garden Club, Claire works as a writing tutor and is involved in various social justice organizations around campus. She loves reading, swimming, hiking, and spending time with her cat, dog, and tortoise.

RCC Fellowship Project: For the 2025-2026 school year, Claire has restarted ehaus (originally known as the Environmental House), a community housing cooperative dedicated to food justice and sustainable living at Haverford College, founded in 1990. She will work with the eleven other students in her house to plan campus-wide meals, lead workshops and events on environmental issues, and build partnerships with the Haverfarm and campus food pantry. Claire is excited not only to lead ehaus at Haverford but also to create curriculum for and build relationships with environmental justice-focused housing cooperatives on other campuses. She hopes the RCC Fellowship will help her achieve her dream of an ehaus at every college.

Makenna Morrison Gary – Rollins College

Originally from a small town outside of Seattle, Makenna is a senior at Rollins College in Florida, double majoring in Biology and Environmental Studies. Her research and advocacy center on conservation biology, environmental toxicology, and justice. As a Collaborative Research Fellow at Rollins, she is conducting a meta-analysis on the movement ecology of anurans (frogs and toads) across North America. Last year in the Dominican Republic, she conducted freshwater turtle health assessments and assisted in using CRISPR to identify hybridization between endemic and invasive species. Back in Florida, she leads a long-term turtle monitoring program and is an undergraduate researcher in the Fokidis Laboratory. Furthermore, Makenna currently collaborates with Florida Fish and Wildlife to investigate the newly invasive Asian swamp eels and monitor mercury levels in freshwater fish. Her experiences interning with the Orange County Environmental Protection Division, writing and editing for The Nature Conservancy, and serving as a fellow with Acquaint have deepened her commitment to conservation, communication, and environmental advocacy. Makenna loves spending time outdoors, such as hiking and scuba diving, and is always excited to try a new café or food spot.

RCC Fellowship Project: Motivated by her own experience with heavy metal poisoning and a formative introduction to local injustices from farmworker families during her freshman year, Makenna’s RCC Fellowship project focuses on pesticide exposure and environmental justice in the Lake Apopka region of Central Florida. This historically Black and Latino farmworker community has been disproportionately impacted by decades of toxic agricultural runoff and chemical exposure. In collaboration with organizations like the Farmworker Association of Florida (FWAF), she will conduct oral history interviews with farmworkers, analyze community health data, and revive underutilized datasets to explore long-term toxicological effects, with a special focus on sex-specific outcomes related to reproductive health. Through a mix of meta-analysis, public storytelling, and grassroots outreach, the project will translate scientific findings into accessible materials. By examining not only the chemicals and environmental effects but also the lives of the people whose lives are shaped by them, this project seeks to honor Rachel Carson’s legacy by combining science, storytelling, and solidarity to advocate for the health and dignity of Florida’s farmworker communities.

Sabrina Kianni – Duke University

Sabrina Kianni is a returning RCC National Environmental Leadership Fellow, a recent graduate of Duke University with a B.S. in Psychology, and an incoming master’s student at Harvard Medical School, where she will pursue an M.S. in Media, Medicine, and Health. She is the Co-Founder and Senior Director of Climate Cardinals, the world’s largest youth-led climate nonprofit, which she helped scale to over 10,000 volunteers across 80+ countries. Under her leadership, Climate Cardinals has translated more than 1.5 million words of climate resources into 100+ languages for organizations including the United Nations, UNICEF, and the Environmental Justice Foundation, while securing over $500,000 in funding from partners like Google, National Geographic, and Ashoka. Sabrina’s interdisciplinary work bridges climate justice, public health, and science communication, with a focus on empowering marginalized communities disproportionately impacted by environmental degradation. She has held several influential positions, including serving as a Global Leader of Fairfax County, a Duke Stanback Fellow at Population Connection, and a research assistant in three Duke School of Medicine labs studying glioblastoma, neuroregeneration, and cultural neuroscience. Through her writing, organizing, and research, she uplifts underrepresented voices and promotes equitable solutions at the intersection of climate and health.

RCC Fellowship Project: As a returning RCC Presidential Fellow, Sabrina will continue contributing as a writer, educator, researcher, and advocate for the Rachel Carson Council. Rather than undertaking a traditional capstone, she will sustain her long-term engagement with RCC by producing original writing, conducting research, and leading outreach efforts focused on the health impacts of climate change on historically underserved communities. Drawing from her upcoming graduate studies at Harvard, her project will explore how media and medicine can be used as tools for climate resilience, specifically by advancing science-backed, culturally relevant communication to catalyze policy change and community action.

Bella Santos – Yale University

Bella Santos (she/her) is a Yale Conservation Scholar and incoming ASUC Eco Senator at UC Berkeley, where she studies Conservation and Resource Studies with a minor in Public Policy. Her work centers on environmental justice, climate education, and policy for community-led transformation. Bella co-leads UC Berkeley’s Fossil Free Research campaign and co-authored Under the Surface, a student-led report exposing fossil fuel influence over academic research. She also helps lead the advancement of a campus-wide Green New Deal, coordinating efforts around fossil fuel dissociation, climate literacy, and clean energy. As part of UC Berkeley Housing and Dining Sustainability, she contributes to building-level energy analysis and supports the campus’s transition to all-electric kitchens. Previously, Bella supported the development of California’s climate justice curriculum through Ten Strands and interned at Greenpeace USA, where she researched labor and environmental abuses in the seafood industry. She is committed to building just and accountable institutions grounded in frontline leadership and student empowerment.

RCC Fellowship Project: Bella’s Fossil-Free Futures project will establish organizing infrastructure to challenge the influence of fossil fuels over academic research at public universities. Building on her co-authorship of “Under the Surface”—a student-led report that exposed fossil fuel industry ties to UC Berkeley’s research institutions—Bella will expand campus education and advocacy through an investigative zine series, interactive teach-ins, and coalition-building events. The project is part of a broader effort to advance a student-led Green New Deal at UC Berkeley, connecting campaigns focused on fossil fuel divestment, climate justice education, sustainable food systems, clean energy, and student wellness. She will produce resources documenting the history of climate and environmental justice organizing at Berkeley to strengthen long-term organizing capacity. Designed as both an educational tool and a bridge between generations of student organizers, the resource will help institutionalize knowledge, lower barriers to entry into activism, and foster a more unified eco-community. Rooted in environmental justice and collective action, Bella’s project empowers students to reclaim their universities as engines for ethical research, public accountability, and just climate solutions.

Karina Samuel – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Karina Samuel is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Business and Statistics & Analytics. She has experience leading youth-driven environmental advocacy campaigns, conducting coastal brand audits to hold polluters accountable, and working with local governments to advance plastic reduction policies. At UNC, Karina continues her sustainability work through leadership roles with the Sustainable Business Club and the Environmental Finance Center. Growing up in a fenceline community in Florida impacted by environmental injustice, she is passionate about addressing systemic inequities through innovative, community-based solutions. She is also a Phillips Ambassador, combining her global experiences with a strong commitment to social equity and environmental stewardship.

RCC Fellowship Project: Karina’s project, Fresh Food for South Campus, addresses food insecurity among students living on UNC-Chapel Hill’s South Campus—an area with limited access to fresh, affordable food options. Through partnerships with UNC Dining Services, local farms, and student organizations, Karina will expand produce offerings at the campus convenience store and launch a mobile fresh food market. The project also includes an educational campaign focused on nutrition, food budgeting, and sustainable eating practices. Rooted in environmental justice, her initiative seeks to reduce health disparities, minimize packaging waste, and promote student wellness. Karina hopes to create a scalable model for food access that other universities can adopt, while empowering students to participate in a more equitable and sustainable campus food system.

Victoria Charles – Queens College

Victoria Charles is a senior at Queens College, majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Legal Studies. Her passion for environmental justice is grounded in hands-on work across New York City. As a NOAA Community Engaged Intern with New York Sea Grant and a Field Assistant with the Natural Areas Conservancy, she has led environmental education with public school students, surveyed salt marshes along the Long Island Sound, and contributed data to support shoreline restoration and state-level policy. Victoria is especially interested in how community voices and local knowledge shape environmental outcomes. Outside of her work, she enjoys caring for her plants and exploring urban green spaces.

RCC Fellowship Project: Victoria’s RCC Fellowship project builds on her previous fieldwork surveying salt marshes along the Long Island Sound with the Natural Areas Conservancy and New York Sea Grant. Her original work included shoreline slope assessments, plant identification, and interviews with ecologists and community leaders to understand the role of nature-based shoreline protections. As an RCC Fellow, Victoria will expand this work by turning her findings into a resource that highlights how salt marsh restoration supports both environmental justice and climate resilience. Her project will center frontline community perspectives and advocate for more equitable approaches to shoreline planning. By grounding science in real-world experience, she hopes to inform restoration policy and strengthen local outreach efforts.

Maiya Roelen – University of Montana

Maiya Roelen (she/her) is a senior honors student at the University of Montana pursuing a major in Wildlife Biology with a minor in Climate Change Studies and dual certificates in Global Leadership and Nonprofit Administration. She is a dedicated climate activist striving to amplify young voices in the environmental movement by centering her efforts on youth service and leadership as an avenue for changemaking. As a Max S. Baucus Climate Scholar, Founder’s Journey Fellow with Youth Advocates for Change, and former intern at The Climate Reality Project, Maiya has experience at the intersection of nonprofit work, public service, and climate change science. She is the founder of Watch Our Step, an online platform dedicated to uplifting youth climate action and connecting young people to environmental leadership opportunities and resources. Maiya has also served as a Youth Action 101 speaker and moderator for the Montana Youth Climate Resiliency series with Families for a Livable Climate. She is committed to ensuring all voices are heard and included in the climate change conversation to secure a just and equitable future for people and the planet.

RCC Fellowship Project: Maiya’s RCC Fellowship project, Youth ReWild, will empower young people to act on climate change at the intersection of direct action and storytelling. Utilizing her background in wildlife biology, climate change, and ecology, she will implement a rewilding project in her neighborhood to establish a certified wildlife habitat that supports healthy native plants, pollinators, and animal diversity, while effectively connecting adjacent green spaces. During her fellowship, Maiya will conduct research on restoration ecology, native plant reintroduction, and the importance of reconnecting fragmented wildlife habitat. Through media, storytelling, and community engagement, she will document the rewilding process and compile her work into a reproducible toolkit and guide for other young people to implement in their own communities. The project will also inspire and invite youth to share their individual advocacy and rewilding stories through Watch Our Step. Maiya’s aim is to increase accessible information on rewilding, spur youth outdoor engagement, and build momentum around youth leadership for climate change mitigation efforts on a local and national level.

Colin Street – West Virginia University

Colin Street (He/Him) is a junior at West Virginia University majoring in Political Science, Environmental & Energy Resources Management, and Multidisciplinary Studies (Rural Community Development, Data Science, History). He dove straight into energy transition research, starting his freshman year, by first investigating the applications of the Inflation Reduction Act for historically coal-dependent communities through WVU’s Land Use and Sustainable Development Law Clinic. Later, he developed policy recommendations for publicly funded community solar policy with the Roosevelt Network. During the summer of 2025, Colin will intern at Appalachian Voices’ Solar Finance Fund, where he’ll help Appalachian schools, churches, and libraries integrate solar panels into their facilities and regular programming. In his downtime, Colin can be found taking care of his pet turtle, hammocking with a book, and gardening (mostly strawberries and herbs). Ultimately, as a native West Virginian, Colin’s passionate about using data-backed policy and community engagement to facilitate a just energy transition in America’s rural communities.

RCC Fellowship Project: During his RCC Fellowship Experience, Colin will be implementing WVU’s Solar Action Plan. During his two terms as a senator in WVU’s Student Government Association, Colin founded Mountaineers for Solar, a group of students, faculty, staff, and alumni advocating for the adoption of solar energy at the university. His sophomore year, Colin led the group in writing and passing WVU’s Solar Action Plan through Student Government, Faculty Senate, and Staff Council. The plan consists of establishing an on-campus demonstrative solar array, performing an institution-wide solar feasibility study, and developing a student intern program at WVU’s Office of Sustainability. This three-pronged approach strives not only to promote sustainable practices at WVU, but to provide students unique experiential learning opportunities while reducing the university’s long-term costs. Now, with the backing of the RCC Fellowship and as WVU’s 112th Student Body President, Colin hopes to make this plan a reality.

Josette Chun – Middlebury College

Josette is a senior at Middlebury College majoring in Environmental Policy. She is rooted in public speaking and storytelling to share environmental narratives. Josette is a Climate Action Fellow at Middlebury and serves on the Environmental Council, where she works on a wide array of campus sustainability initiatives. She is a Board Leader on TEDxMiddlebury and a public speaking coach for Oratory Now, where she aims to create platforms for environmental changemakers. Previously, Josette has worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Peter Welch, developing a project on USDA rural workforce development and addressing energy efficiency. Under a federal judge in the U.S. District Courts of Massachusetts, she has observed litigation around energy and land use. Much of her future aspirations are in environmental & energy litigation and policymaking. Additionally, Josette is interested in sustainable food systems and enjoys volunteering on organic farms. In her free time, Josette enjoys playing tennis, reading, running, and growing her pottery skills.

RCC Fellowship Project: After researching the human health impacts of PFAS across Lake Champlain in Vermont last summer, Josette was inspired to do more on-the-ground climate work. Josette’s project with the Vermont River Conservancy and the Climate Action Program at Middlebury College focuses on developing and executing outreach for conservation plans of Vermont rivers and basins. Josette will play an integral role in developing a storymap to make the conservation plan more accessible to local Vermonters and New England residents. Additionally, Josette will coordinate town teach-ins and educational events for Vermonters to learn about river biodiversity, conservation strategies, and climate resiliency. Lastly, Josette will aid in press work for the Vermont River Conservancy, contributing to creative blog posts highlighting diverse community stories about connections to their local rivers. Much of Josette’s work this year will be rooted in community engagement and environmental education. She is excited to grow her skills with the Rachel Carson Council and the Vermont River Conservancy this academic year.

Khushi Desai – University of Maryland, College Park

Khushi Desai (they/them) is a sophomore studying Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), with a minor in Science, Technology, Ethics, and Policy. They are a member of the Honors College, serving as an Honors Ambassador for the program. They are also a part of the UMD Federal Fellows program, where they take specialized coursework on environmental and energy policy and will complete an internship in the field. At UMD, Khushi is the outreach coordinator for 17 for Peace and Justice, an environmental justice organization. Within this organization, they’ve worked on a campaign pressuring the University System of Maryland (USM) , the institution in control over UMD’s endowment, to divest from the fossil fuel industry.

RCC Fellowship Project: Khushi’s project focuses on expanding the aforementioned campaign across other colleges in Maryland. The USM handles the endowments of many public universities in Maryland. Independently, many of these universities have passed divestment bills through their respective student governments. Despite this collective demand across multiple campuses, the USM has yet to divest. Khushi aims to create a coalition of organizations across Maryland universities that focuses on pressuring the USM to divest. This will be done by the USM signing onto the United Nations’ Principles of Responsible Investment (PRI). This was accomplished in 2016, when the USM signed onto the PRI and signified their commitment to sustainable investment; however, they pulled out of the agreement in 2021 without announcement. By uniting organizations across Maryland that share a singular demand, the USM will increase the intensity of pressure, forcing the USM to acknowledge its student body.

Renée Lutterbach – Columbia University

Renée Lutterbach is a Master of International Affairs candidate at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, concentrating in Economic and Political Development with a specialization in Technology, Media, and Communications. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Anthropology from Purdue University. Her academic journey includes international study at the National University of Singapore, where she deepened her interest in Southeast Asian sustainability and cross-border environmental governance. Renée’s professional experience spans municipal government, nonprofit development, and environmental research. In her hometown in Indiana, she led digital strategy initiatives to enhance public access to municipal services. Renée is particularly interested in how digital tools and community-driven research can support more equitable, sustainable food systems, and climate resilience. Outside of work, she enjoys language learning and cooking recipes inspired by the places she hopes to visit.

RCC Fellowship Project: Renée’s project, Sustainable Insights: From Palm Oil to Local Action, explores the environmental parallels between palm oil production in Southeast Asia and industrial agriculture in the U.S. Midwest. She seeks to connect global agricultural systems that are often viewed in isolation. Through cross-regional research and stakeholder engagement, this project will document sustainable farming practices and generate policy recommendations to address shared challenges like water pollution, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss. Collaborating with cooperatives, researchers, and student groups, Renée will host workshops and develop educational toolkits. Rooted in environmental justice, the project advocates for globally informed but locally grounded sustainability strategies.

Jae-Hee Bae – Yale University

Jae-Hee Bae (she/her) is a senior at Yale University who hails from Dayton, Ohio, where she is pursuing a 4-year B.S./M.S. degree in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry. Jae-Hee is a huge fan of environmental advocacy, food systems, and science-based (& intersectional!) climate solutions. On campus, she derives immense joy working with the dining policy team of Plant Forward Yalies to bring yummy plant-based options to Yale dining, scheming as a creative producer of The Solarfest during Earth Week (ask her about this! And Solarpunk!), serving as an Undergraduate Learning Assistant for her favorite-course-ever MB&B 365/565 or “Biochemistry and Our Changing Climate” with Dr. Karla Neugebauer and her colleague Isabel. Beyond these things, she is a proud editor of the Yale Environmentalist, a member of Students 4 Carbon Dividends, and founder of Yale’s Alternative Protein Project. In the past, Jae-Hee has spearheaded an international campaign towards rainforest protection of the Congo Basin and interned with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. In the summer of 2025, she will research with the Sustainable Food Processing Lab at ETH Zürich. Jae-Hee sources a lot of inspiration from Porter Robinson’s album “Nurture”, the animated works of Studio Ghibli, and loves spending time outdoors. She is committed to working towards public health and environmental health through the lens of optimism and imagination, as their fates are assuredly intertwined.

RCC Fellowship Project: Jae-Hee’s project is the Science and Civics Fellowship, which she co-founded with her colleague, Isabel Rancu. This 6-week Science and Civics Fellowship is advised by Yale’s Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MB&B) R. Selden Rose Professor Karla Neugebauer and Civics Unplugged’s Chief Program Officer and Co-Founder, Nick Delis. Civics Unplugged (CU) is a 501(c)3 organization that has graduated 5,000 high school fellows from both its virtual and in-person programs that train high schoolers to become civic innovators. Since its founding in 2020, CU has distributed over $250,000 directly to its alumni, supporting them to launch civic projects in their communities, give global TED Talks, and serve on school boards and as ambassadors to the UN. Twelve high school students who graduate from the CU fellowship are invited to apply for the Science and Civics Fellowship, whose core learning objectives are to 1) gain a general understanding of the mechanics behind climate change and how it affects living systems at the biochemical level; 2) research how policy, economics, and cultural systems affect how we address and respond to climate change. In fulfilling these objectives, the fellowship will provide the preliminary motivation for students to build interdisciplinary literacy, a skill they can carry throughout the rest of their educational and professional careers. Jae-Hee also hopes to seed a personal sense of curiosity, empathy, and moral imagination in each student to channel into environmental work and beyond.

Miles Levesque – Drexel University

Miles Levesque (he/him) is a first-year Environmental Studies and Sustainability student at Drexel University, committed to advancing local environmental policy and education through his studies, academic projects, and local advocacy. Currently, he is working as a research assistant in the Climate Pedagogy Incubator, an experimental learning community primarily composed of Drexel University professors dedicated to implementing various pedagogical techniques to teach climate justice across all fields. This same experimental approach to climate is applied in his creation of an environmental art workshop series at his university, titled “The Earth: Our Home.” This ongoing project invites participants to engage with and create visual and written work centered around various themes related to the climate, while also building relationships and discussing climate change from a personal perspective, rather than focusing on a series of data points. Always aiming to extend his commitment to climate action beyond his university, Miles grounds his work in his city through his involvement in the Sunrise Movement. This national movement of youth for climate justice has a chapter in Philadelphia, where Miles has worked in various roles since moving to the city, with a recent focus on the organization’s mutual aid side.

RCC Fellowship Project: Miles’ RCC project combines his passions for environmental policy, education, and community engagement through the development of a climate literacy core competency requirement at his university. He began working on the Sustainable and Just Future project as a fellow, hired by two graduating students, and is now transitioning to a leadership role, along with several others in his initial cohort. Together, they are working to ensure that students’ passion for environmental action is heard by Drexel, pushing the school to adapt as the world changes around it and better prepare students for careers and lives shaped by climate change. Miles and his team recognize that this adaptation must extend beyond introductory ecology classes, which often leave students feeling powerless and disengaged. Instead, Miles and the rest of the SJF fellowship at Drexel University are crafting these classes to be interdisciplinary, solutions-focused, and justice-minded. Furthermore, outside of developing and proposing a curriculum to meet these goals, SJF is working directly with professors to implement lessons centered on climate literacy in various colleges. They’re also focused on building a larger community around climate justice at Drexel to both form supportive relationships between peers and strengthen their individual efforts to advance climate solutions.

Nam Thanh Nguyen – University of California, San Diego

Nam Thanh Nguyen (he/him) is a senior at the University of California, San Diego, and a native in the region, where he is currently pursuing a B.S. degree in Human Biology and intends to earn an M.D./Ph.D. focusing on environmental health. Nam is a council member on the California Environmental Justice Advisory Council, working with both the Department of Toxic Substances Control and Board of Environmental Safety. He is also a United Nations Local Pathways Fellow and Yale Path Scholar, where he focuses his efforts on issues relating to the Tijuana Sewage Valley. On the campus-wide issues, Nam served as both a Senior News Editor for the UCSD Guardian and as an Associated Students college senator, reporting and working on sustainability efforts. On his research front, Nam has investigated how herbivores impact wildfires in California and the impacts of certain hospital practices on carbon footprint. He has also helped spearhead the annual Heat and Human Health Summit at the UCSD School of Medicine. In his free time, Nam loves to hike, surf, play pickleball, and watch new movies. More importantly, Nam is an individual committed to furthering the environmental justice lens in California, while also ensuring that communities are not adversely impacted by poor environmental health.

RCC Fellowship Project: Nam will lead a youth-driven campaign to confront the Tijuana River sewage crisis by combining community storytelling, empirical research, and legislative advocacy. He will partner with San Diego Pediatricians for Clean Air to train student advocates, collect first-hand testimonies, and map pollution data to illustrate health and ecological impacts in frontline neighborhoods. Through coordinated listening sessions and interviews with affected families and medical professionals, he will produce a publicly accessible digital platform that centralizes stories, data visualizations, and policy briefs. For community engagement, Nam will help co-organize the third Human Health and Heat Summit at UC San Diego, convening students, healthcare professionals, and climate experts to explore how extreme heat exacerbates public health risks in vulnerable communities.

Garrett Ordonez – University of Southern California

Garrett Ordonez is a rising junior at the University of Southern California, studying environmental studies and international relations. He currently serves as an undergraduate researcher in the Cnidarian Evolutionary Ecology (CEE) Lab, where he studies cnidarian genomics to evaluate their resilience. This summer, he will conduct terrestrial ecology research in Colorado, followed by an internship in South Africa. In his free time, Garrett enjoys hiking, rock climbing, running, swimming, and visiting new places. Ask him about Hike for Habitats!

RCC Fellowship Project: Garrett is an advocate for science communication and aims to create a podcast and storytelling platform exploring the intersection of molecular biology, biodiversity loss, and environmental ethics. This series will illuminate issues in conservation science while advocating for the integration of justice and community voices into that transformation. He hopes to open the podcast with an introduction to conservation genomics, setting the foundation for how genetics is reshaping our approach to biodiversity. From there, the series will delve into deeper questions: Who owns genetic material? What are the political and ethical implications of collecting and storing DNA? Should humans intervene genetically in the “natural” world? Each episode will feature conversations with scientists, Indigenous leaders, ethicists, and policymakers to explore topics at the frontier.

Tiffany Barker-Edwards – Clemson University

Tiffany Barker-Edwards is a first-year master’s student at Clemson University working to obtain her Master of Science in Hydrogeology. She is a member of the People and Places lab, a collaborative space for her to focus on scientific research and science education. She received her Bachelor of Science in Geosciences with a concentration in Earth System and Climate from the University of Texas at San Antonio. During her time in undergrad, Tiffany participated in various NSF-funded internships with organizations such as the Keck Geology Consortium, reconstructing paleoenvironments, and NC State University, understanding the similarities between naturally occurring sandstones and microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation. These opportunities furthered her passion for earth & environmental research while demonstrating the importance of effectively communicating scientific information. For her master’s thesis, she will be investigating plastic pollution and microplastic contamination in Upstate South Carolina. Tiffany is dedicated to addressing environmental issues and hopes to continue this through public education and advocacy.

RCC Fellowship Project: Tiffany’s project is focused on the global issue of plastic pollution, which can persist in the environment for thousands of years. The content will build on her graduate research, characterizing and analyzing microplastic concentrations within fluvial systems in Upstate South Carolina. She plans to collaborate with South Carolina State Parks to curate two educational forms of scientific media to engage the public and share her research on a broader scale. Through this project, Tiffany hopes to spark conversations about plastic pollution and the effects it can have on various aspects of the environment and human health. Additionally, she hopes this project can motivate the public to take steps towards limiting plastic use, seeking out plastic alternatives, and overall reducing plastic consumption.

Belle Li – Pepperdine University

Belle Li (she/her/hers) is a senior Posse Scholar at Pepperdine University, double majoring in Sustainability and Hispanic Studies while pursuing a Certification in Conflict Management at Pepperdine’s Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Caruso School of Law. She is passionate about the impact of education and community on climate justice. Having the opportunity to embrace her passion by working as an environmental activity counselor at a summer camp for kids, Belle is excited to continue working in this intersectionality. At Pepperdine, she is the President of the Food Recovery Network, saving food from going to waste to instead feed the community and educating the student body and staff about the intersectionality between food, social justice, and climate justice. Furthermore, Belle is the Lead Ambassador for Pepperdine’s International Programs; she has studied abroad for a full academic year in Buenos Aires, Argentina and for a summer in Madrid, Spain. Often, you can find Belle roller skating, crocheting, hiking, or a combination of those, and she is always looking to learn something new!

RCC Fellowship Project: Belle’s NELF project will increase awareness among the Pepperdine community on the ways they can engage in climate action on campus. She will work closely with students and organizations involved in sustainability on campus. She will also collaborate with various departments at her university to create a sustainability newsletter that helps all students understand the connection between their educational, professional, and personal lives and sustainability. This is increasingly important as the university’s community has and will continue to suffer life-threatening fires. Not only that, they are surrounded by various other ecological subjects. However, the average student is often unaware of the issues that impact them and ways to address the issues. This project will focus on education while also highlighting actionable steps for the student body. Belle hopes that this project will connect students and faculty to local work and knowledge, which can inspire more work in sustainability at her university.

Zoe Farris – Duke University

Zoe Farris is a sophomore at Duke University studying Marine Science & Conservation and Spanish. She is passionate about grassroots environmental activism and has served as a Project Manager for Duke Climate Coalition, Duke’s largest undergraduate environmental advocacy group, through which she organizes and runs events and actions encouraging Duke to divest from fossil fuel companies and serve as a climate leader. She also conducts research on temperate corals in North Carolina and is passionate about environmental justice and biodiversity conservation as it relates to rural, coastal communities and marine ecosystems. She spent the summer after her freshman year at the Duke University Marine Lab as a DukeEngage volunteer intern, where she implemented coastal restoration and community resilience strategies by collaborating with various local organizations. Her work included planting living shorelines, designing museum plaques, developing learning curricula, and conducting fieldwork. She looks forward to returning to the Marine Lab for the spring semester of her junior year, where she will take classes and continue to conduct research.

RCC Fellowship Project: Zoe’s RCC project, Rebuilding Resilience, combines poetry and community voices to convey the profound impacts of sea level rise on the coastal, rural community of Carteret County, North Carolina. This project aims to raise awareness about how the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable communities worldwide are threatened by sea level rise and the resilience that these communities demonstrate in response. The focus on resilience is intended to foster optimism and encourage collective grassroots action to address these issues. Rebuilding Resilience will explore the interconnected themes of environmental justice, community voices, established power structures, shared values, and collective strength. For this project, community members of varied demographics and lived experiences will be interviewed regarding personal beliefs about and experiences with sea level rise, as well as to obtain an anecdotal history of the area. These interviews will then serve as the basis for poems that will be displayed at the local Core Sound and Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center.

Sofia Trigueros Ufford – University of California at Santa Cruz

Sofia Trigueros Ufford (she/her) is a senior at the University of California at Santa Cruz, double majoring in Latin American Studies and Agroecology. She has the New York State Seal of Biliteracy in English and Spanish. Sofia is passionate about intersectional environmentalism and is involved in many related programs at UCSC and the greater community. She has been a part of the Venom Lab at UCSC for two years, where she has created an online database, researched archives of antivenom records, and analyzed medical records. During the past academic yea,r Sofia was working on an independent study, Exploración de Herpetología: Para la Educación de Todos, which was a project working towards providing better wildlife education for public schools in the United States and Costa Rica. She also studied abroad in Costa Rica and Mexico, where she gained hands-on experience with sustainable agriculture and opportunities. In her hometown in New York, she volunteers at the Cornell Farmworkers Program and the local food pantry. This coming summer, she will be interning for UCSC’s Labor Summer program, working alongside a union and advocating for their needs. Following that, Sofia plans to attend law school with a focus on labor law. Sofia plans to dedicate her life’s work to improving working conditions for farmworkers everywhere.

RCC Fellowship Project: Sofia’s project will address the pressing issue of the current state of agriculture and farmworkers in the US, presenting a diverse range of ideas and arguments on how respective communities can contribute to improving these conditions. Interviews will be conducted with farmworkers, farmowners, and labor union organizers. Throughout this fellowship, Sofia will collaborate with the Center for Farmworker Families, the Cornell Farmworkers Program, farms in the greater Watsonville area, and the United Auto Workers Union. A curated collection of journalistic entries, such as articles (reports, investigative pieces, stories), photography, and audio pieces, will be produced to exhibit the present conditions of agricultural laborers. The aim of her project is to highlight the conditions and struggles of farm workers in their pursuit of labor rights, while expanding the public’s awareness of agricultural injustices and methods to improve our food systems in the US.

Avery Sands – Trinity College

Avery Sands (she/her) is a senior at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in Legal Studies. She has experience working with environmental nonprofits, including an internship with the North and South Rivers Watershed Association on the South Shore of Massachusetts. At Trinity, Avery has worked as an undergraduate research assistant studying how trace metal concentrations affect urban pond ecosystems and assessing the water quality of streams flowing into the Connecticut River. Her involvement in environmental justice advocacy stems from her work in Trinity’s Liberal Arts Action Lab, where she collaborated with the Center for Leadership and Justice on a community-based research project to understand the social and health impacts of a waste incinerator on Hartford’s South End neighborhood. Additionally, Avery is a Marcuss Fellow, a student representative on Trinity’s Sustainability Committee, and a mentor for the Venture Women’s Leadership Program. In her free time, she enjoys reading and exploring new coffee shops.

RCC Fellowship Project: Inspired by her undergraduate research work and involvement in Trinity’s Liberal Arts Action Lab, Avery’s RCC Fellowship project seeks to understand if the emissions from a waste incinerator located in Hartford’s South End neighborhood contributed to mercury concentrations in local urban ponds. In the field, she will sample sediment in ten urban ponds around Hartford County to identify if there is a correlation between mercury levels and proximity to the waste incinerator, using standard methods developed by the EPA. Since Hartford is recognized as an environmental justice community, excluded from sustainability initiatives and disproportionately affected by environmentally harmful situations, Avery’s project will also involve local community outreach. This outreach, hosted both on and off campus with community organizations, aims to facilitate conversations about urban environmentalism across all generations and emphasize key information about the urban environment. Her research and outreach advocate for urban areas to be included in the narrative, acknowledging that no community can be left behind in this collective move toward environmental justice.

Isha Raheja – Pomona College

Isha Raheja (she/her) is a junior at Pomona College pursuing a degree in Public Policy Analysis with a concentration in Environmental Analysis. Isha’s environmental interests range from sustainable fashion and waste management to native plant ecology. Isha currently serves as the coordinator of Pomona College’s Free Room, a campus center dedicated to promoting sustainability and accessibility by providing free, secondhand clothing, shoes, bedding, school supplies, and books to students and community members. Under her leadership, the Free Room diverted over 3,000 pounds of clothing from the landfill in a single year. Through this position, she also enjoys hosting fashion shows, mending workshops, and trips to flea markets using public transportation. She was recently awarded an honorable mention by the Udall Foundation for her commitment to sustainable fashion.

She also serves as an EcoRep for Pomona’s Sustainability Office, where she has piloted institutional initiatives for campus composting, native plant re-landscaping, public transit promotion, reusable café mugs, and a cross-campus Earth Month calendar, which featured 35+ events across 5 colleges and 25+ organizations. She will continue her work with the office this upcoming summer as an intern researching how close Pomona College is to achieving 2030 sustainability goals across various key sectors like waste, water, and food.

RCC Fellowship Project: As a former beekeeper, Isha is deeply committed to protecting pollinators and promoting sustainable land management practices on her college campus. After pesticide use by a neighboring school led to the collapse of her beehive, she began exploring alternative, bee-friendly approaches to pest control.

Building on her current collaboration with Pomona College’s Groundskeeping Department, Isha’s RCC project focuses on replacing non-native plots with California native plant species. This transition not only supports local biodiversity but also significantly reduces the need for harmful herbicides and pesticides. Her initiative will advocate for changes in campus pesticide policy, especially in areas still dominated by non-native landscaping, in order for pollinators to thrive.

A key component of her project will include the construction of a campus apiary on the student-run farm, where she plans to have both California native and European honey bee hives. In partnership with the farm and the Biology and Groundskeeping Departments, Isha hopes to create educational opportunities for students to care for these hives and learn about the reciprocal relationship between plants, bees, and people.

Andy Zhang – University of Connecticut

Andy Zhang (he/him) is a junior at the University of Connecticut studying Environmental Sciences and Economics. He works at the intersection of plant-based food systems, climate justice, and institutional change. Andy has held sustainability and policy roles with the UConn Office of Sustainability, the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, and Friends of the Earth, where he contributed to research on federal food procurement and Scope 3 emissions. He is the founder of Plant Futures UConn, a student-led initiative advancing plant-based dining reforms and food justice through advocacy, research, and institutional partnerships. Whether shaping procurement policy or working across academic and legal spaces, Andy is passionate about building more just, transparent, and sustainable food systems.

RCC Fellowship Project: Andy’s RCC project, Fixing the Blueprint, addresses critical gaps in UConn’s 2024 Sustainability Action Plan by producing a student-authored supplement focused on Scope 3 emissions, climate-friendly food procurement, and inclusive climate governance. The project grew out of Andy’s advocacy for plant-based dining reforms, which revealed how siloed food sustainability efforts often fail without structural alignment in university policy. That realization led him to focus not just on changing what institutions serve, but how they plan, measure, and prioritize sustainability goals.

The final product will include seven sections—climate action, food systems, energy, equity, research, curriculum, and accountability—each with actionable recommendations, implementation timelines, and responsible stakeholders. Andy will also develop a public-facing summary and a toolkit to help students at other universities replicate the process. Grounded in environmental justice and participatory policy, this project seeks to reframe campus sustainability planning as a democratic, systems-level effort—one where food justice is not an afterthought, but a foundational pillar.

Carina Walter – University of Miami

Carina Walter is a rising junior and Presidential Scholar at the University of Miami, studying marine biology and ecology, with minors in Fine Arts and Ecosystem Science and Policy. She is particularly interested in studying genetic disease caused by anthropogenic stressors in various aquatic animals, and hopes to integrate these topics within her research. Currently, Carina works as a volunteer undergraduate research assistant in the Conservation Ecology Laboratory, and this summer will join the Experimental Hatchery and Aquaculture Laboratory and the Cnidarian Immunity Laboratory as well. When she’s not in the lab or studying with friends, she loves to spend her time at the ceramics studio, both as a teaching assistant and as a student. This year, she was also appointed as the Panhellenic Delegate for her sorority, Pi Beta Phi. Whenever she has free time, you can find her working on her ceramics skills, running, cooking, volunteering through Pi Phi, or lounging by the pool!

Fellowship Project: Carina’s project will work to integrate her laboratory experiences and connections to researchers around campus with students and others in her community. Through outreach efforts to student organizations, such as presentations and volunteer opportunities, she aims to increase student involvement in research on campus. She also aims to increase knowledge about genetic disease impacting local South Florida species through laboratory research this summer, which she hopes to present through an informative website, which will be made available to students at the University of Miami and beyond. Additionally, she plans to interview other researchers and students around campus to build a well-informed and diverse array of information available on her website. In the spring, Carina will be studying in Australia and hopes to continue her research while abroad, while also incorporating international ideas about environmental advocacy in her project.

Margaret Young – Vanderbilt University

Margaret Young (she/her) is an incoming sophomore at Vanderbilt University, double majoring in Human & Organizational Development and Climate Studies, and minoring in French Studies. She is passionate about environmental justice, advocacy, environmental science, and studying the human-centered aspect of climate science. She enjoys working with Vanderbilt’s SPEAR (Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and Responsibility) Club to get involved in environmentally focused initiatives and sustainability efforts around campus, as well as local river cleanups and weekend hikes. Additionally, she attends alumni lectures with Vanderbilt’s Energy Transition Society and discussing current environmental policy issues, renewable energy technologies, and company sustainability initiatives from professionals. She also enjoyed being a part of Red Sand Project, a non-profit organization that raises awareness for human trafficking through participatory art installations. As the organization’s inaugural National Student Ambassador, she conducted extensive research on human trafficking and organized events at her school and local community. Outside of school, Margaret is often found running, reading, trying new coffee shops, or spending time with friends outdoors. Margaret is excited about her fellowship project and looks forward to becoming further involved with the important work of the Rachel Carson Council.

RCC Fellow Project: Margaret’s project will combine interdisciplinary research, local outreach, and environmental advocacy to address the landfill crisis in Nashville, TN, and target just and sustainable solutions that protect the environment and local communities. Nashville’s landfills are set to reach capacity in the next few years, and with continued population growth, the city is struggling to determine a solution for the ever-increasing municipal waste. Many have urged for landfill expansion, but there has been extreme pushback from local communities due to the determined presence of forever chemicals from the landfills that have leached into nearby water sources. Margaret’s project involves a comparative research study between Nashville and five other US cities to analyze successful waste management and recycling practices nationwide, and recommend improved solutions to this pressing issue. Within this phase of her project, she will seek to gain a deeper understanding of Nashville’s landfill crisis by connecting with city officials, local sustainability leaders, community stakeholders, and municipal waste management companies. She will dive into the environmental justice component of this issue by researching the reports on PFAS in local water sources and connecting with organizations that have completed these tests. Lastly, she will synthesize her new findings into an informative podcast that holds interviews with residents, leaders, and officials who are involved with this issue, and suggest new strategies for addressing Nashville’s landfill crisis that protect the health of local communities and preserve the environment.

Renee Dansker – Queens College

Renee Dansker is a senior at Queens College, double majoring in Neuroscience and Environmental Studies. She’s passionate about understanding environmental injustice and how it affects mental health, especially in communities that are often overlooked. Renee currently serves as a research assistant in the Stress in Pregnancy Lab, a longitudinal study investigating the impacts of Superstorm Sandy on maternal stress and child neurodevelopment. Through this work, she’s had a firsthand understanding of how climate-driven disasters and environmental stress disproportionately affect marginalized families. Aside from her studies, Renee is a swim instructor who believes strongly in expanding access to enriching resources. From equitable access to green spaces to learning skills that foster social mobility, she is passionate about fighting against systemic injustices.

RCC Fellowship Project: Renee’s RCC Fellowship project, explores the connections between chronic environmental stress, mental health, and urban green inequities in Southside Jamaica, Queens. Her project aims to fight green gentrification through community organization efforts, as well as highlighting community voices. Renee will connect her work in the Stress in Pregnancy Lab to her project, highlighting the direct impacts of environmental stressors on the mental health of low-income communities such as Jamaica. Jamaica, along with other historically marginalized neighborhoods, often endure detrimental environmental conditions due to systemic neglect. But allowing green infrastructure to be introduced by city agencies without community input leads to a spike in property values and displacement. Renee’s project seeks to flip that model by centering community power. Through interviews and story collection, she plans to document the lived experiences of residents navigating environmental stress, pollution, and lack of green space. On top of story collecting, Renee will work to implement community requested green spaces. Science merged with highlighting historically silenced communities are essential to disrupt oppressive systems. This restores power to the community, aiding in their resistance against green gentrification and affirms the rights of long-term residents.

Fisher Mallon – Duke University

Fisher is a Robertson Scholar and Climate Scholar at Duke University, double majoring in Environmental Sciences & Policy and Economics. As co-president of the Duke Climate Coalition, he leads projects in North Carolina focused on expanding solar energy and holding Duke Energy accountable to their climate goals. He has spent his college summers in Whitesburg, Kentucky, building houses and installing solar panels; in Nepal, researching how climate change affects health; and in London, England, researching the economic impacts of the net zero transition with the Energy Transitions Commission. Fisher has witnessed the ability of low-carbon technologies to improve people’s lives today while mitigating dangerous future climate impacts. He firmly believes that by accelerating and implementing climate solutions, we will build a future that is more prosperous, healthful, and just.

RCC Fellowship Project: Fisher will expand upon a research project he worked on during the 2024-2025 academic year that sought to quantify the financed emissions associated with Duke University’s $12 billion endowment. He will build upon this work by conducting research in two complementary areas: 1) data analysis– using natural language processing to estimate the financed emissions associated with private holdings, and 2) peer analysis– conducting interviews with peer university endowment managers to understand challenges and opportunities for collaboration on net zero investing. This research aims to advance the body of knowledge on net zero investing –a critical and emergent component of climate change mitigation and managing financial risk– thereby facilitating the work of institutional investors that seek to minimize the emissions impact of their portfolios.

Fisher will also encourage Duke University to implement a 2050 net zero target for their $12 billion endowment.

Laila Gad – Columbia University

Laila Gad is a Master of Public Health candidate at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, specializing in Environmental Health Sciences with a certificate in the Health of an Aging Society. Her work centers on the intersection of climate change and aging, with a particular focus on how rising temperatures disproportionately affect older adults in urban environments like New York City. Laila combines public health research with community advocacy to raise awareness of climate-related risks facing older adults by hosting climate safety workshops in older adult centers. Last year, as an intern at Weill Cornell, she published one of the first literature reviews on the impacts of extreme weather events on nursing home residents through JAMDA. This summer, she was selected as a Columbia Aging Center Longevity Fellow to continue her work in hosting climate workshops in OACs across the city in Arabic, English, and Spanish. She aspires to become a geriatrician who serves not only as a clinician but also as a social anchor, climate educator, and medical advocate. Outside of her academic work, Laila is a passionate reader with a special love for horror fiction.

RCC Fellowship Project: Laila’s project addresses the urgent need for heat preparedness in Arizona’s long-term care (LTC) facilities due to their large older adult patient population, which is one of the most vulnerable groups to extreme heat. In the past five years, over a dozen older adults have succumbed to extreme heat due to wandering, highlighting the insufficient emergency protocols and critical gaps in preparedness, particularly in rural LTCs facing staffing shortages and limited resources. In collaboration with the Arizona Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response (AzCHER) and the Arizona Department of Health Services, this project will deploy a statewide survey to assess LTCs’ existing heat policies, structural barriers, leadership perceptions, and staff training needs. Findings will inform a public report, infographic recommendations, and a heat preparedness toolkit to support climate-sensitive care for aging populations. While focused on Arizona, the project’s insights will be broadly applicable as heat seasons intensify nationwide.

Symone Franks – University of Colorado Boudler

Symone is a first-year Master’s student at the University of Colorado Boulder where she is a member of the Equal Water Lab conducting research at the intersection of environmental justice, water quality, and emerging contaminants. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Earth and Environmental Science with a minor in Sustainability from the University of Missouri Kansas City. As an undergraduate, she was recognized as Honors Student of the Year for her graduating class and was awarded both the Marion Bloch Scholar and KC Scholar distinctions for her academic excellence and leadership. Symone interned with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Region 7 where she authored published Permit Quality Review reports for the EPA’s website and contributed to federal environmental compliance efforts. She also served as a mentor in an NSF-funded program designed to introduce environmental hazards and science career pathways to inner-city middle and high school students, a role that deepened her commitment to equity in environmental education. Her recent research on the geographic distribution of PFAS in local water systems, conducted in collaboration with the Kansas City Water Department, has been presented in both poster and paper formats and highlights the disproportionate impact of PFAS contamination on marginalized communities. Symone is passionate about community-centered research that prioritizes the voices and needs of Black and Brown residents and through education, mapping, and collaboration, she aims to empower historically underrepresented communities to advocate for cleaner, safer, and more just environmental futures.

RCC Fellowship Project: This project focuses on addressing PFAS contamination in Black and Brown communities through a combination of education, community engagement, and geographic mapping. PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are persistent environmental pollutants linked to serious health risks and are disproportionately found in lower-income and historically marginalized neighborhoods located near industrial sites, landfills, and military bases. The project will begin with educational outreach that helps residents identify sources of PFAS in everyday products and learn how to reduce exposure. Surveys and interviews will inform targeted outreach efforts and ensure that educational materials reflect the lived experiences of the communities involved. The second phase will involve creating an interactive GIS map that highlights contamination hotspots and potential PFAS sources, using both existing data and new information gathered in collaboration with local stakeholders. The project aims to equip residents with knowledge and tools to advocate for policy change and environmental protections, while also creating a replicable model for community-driven research and environmental justice advocacy.

Dee Wieczorek – Villanova University

Dee Wieczorek (she/her/hers) is a graduate student at Villanova University pursuing her master’s in Environmental Science with special attention on environmental GIS spatial analysis. After twenty successful years working as an office administrative professional, Dee graduated cum laude with her BA in Public Administration from Villanova in 2023 and expects to graduate with her MS degree in 2026. Her work centers at the intersection of public policy, sustainability and environmental justice. At Villanova, she helped to organize Villanova’s annual “Day Of Service” community project and is a peer reviewer for the graduate student interdisciplinary journal, “Concept”. She is also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Sigma Lambda academic honor societies. Dee is a volunteer member of the Natural Lands conservation group and in her spare time enjoys knitting, cooking, enjoying lots of music, and vintage British comedies.

RCC Fellowship Project: Dee will use interdisciplinary and GIS techniques to review and document the effects of suburban and exurban sprawl on the collar counties and first-ring suburbs of Philadelphia. With this information, Dee will identify vulnerable areas where the communities and local ecosystems are most at-risk for environmental degradation from planned and newly built environments. Her project will also include community engagement and educational activities to help residents address the loss of biodiversity and opportunities for environmental restoration activities in their communities.

Espia Dunkley – University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Espia Dunkley (she/her) is a fourth-year student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sustainability with a concentration in equity, development, and ethics, along with a double minor in International and Global Studies and Spanish. Her work and primary interests center on environmental equity and justice, climate resilience, and data analytics, with a strong emphasis on advocacy. Espia brings experience in fellowships, project management with a global environmental waste company, and coursework that has strengthened her skills in international relations, data analytics, and intercultural communication. She has held multiple leadership roles at UNCG, serving as the vice president of student organizations that advocate for homeless dignity and inclusion, and as the events coordinator for her African dance team. Espia hopes to pursue a future career in environmental politics, data analytics, and/or nonprofit work, and is committed to building just, sustainable systems and solutions that reflect the leadership and priorities of frontline communities.

RCC Fellowship Project: Espia’s EcoEmpowerment project aims to bridge the gap between homelessness and sustainability by providing essential resources, such as clothing, food, and housing support, while also creating opportunities for community engagement and education. Her project centers on environmental justice and collective student action, offering workshops, local “field trips,” volunteer opportunities, and large-scale events designed to empower both students and community members. By integrating sustainability education into direct service work, EcoEmpowerment will help individuals in the homeless community explore practical ways to reduce their carbon footprint and live more sustainably, even in challenging circumstances. Espia will collaborate with peers and local organizations to amplify marginalized voices and create inclusive spaces for learning and advocacy. Through this work, she hopes to foster lasting change in institutional policy, promote climate literacy, and build intergenerational organizing networks that help transform Greensboro into a more equitable and sustainable community, one area at a time.

Ewan Dignon – Duke University

Ewan Dignon is an undergraduate at Duke University studying Public Policy (B.A.) and Economics (B.A.) with a minor in Environmental Sciences and Policy. Born in San Francisco, he grew up along the Connecticut shoreline. Before going to Duke, Ewan worked in local and congressional political campaigns, fostering a passion for advocacy and policy work. At Duke, he worked on a research team studying the formation of ghost forests along the North Carolina coast, examining the economic cause-and-effect relationship between development and environmental change. In the future, he hopes to work in economic policy analysis and advocacy. Currently, Ewan also works as a Stanback Fellow at RCC in D.C. for the summer. In Ewan’s spare time, he enjoys hiking, watching soccer, and reading in a hammock.

RCC Fellowship Project: For Ewan’s project, he will be continuing to produce writing for the Rachel Carson Council’s website and newsletters. Ewan will keep RCC membership aware of current issues and developments, primarily with the Coasts and Oceans program. Through new blog posts, letters, and email blasts, Ewan will research the present state of ocean conservation and the most important impacts RCC members can make through action alerts and awareness campaigns. With experience gathering information for research projects and writing for RCC, Ewan will continue to work during the academic year.

Benjamin Trost – Georgia State University

Ben is first-year Master of Geosciences student at Georgia State University. He received a BS in Biology and a BA in Environmental Studies and Storytelling from the University of Alabama in 2025. Ben is an interdisciplinary human geographer, combining data science, qualitative research, and journalism to examine environmental issues in the South. His master’s work will explore the social and political dimensions of water quality inequities in Metro Atlanta. From 2024–2025, he was a RCC National Environmental Leadership Fellow. His project used expert interviews to assess Alabama’s water policy framework. His passion for research has led him to collaborate with NGOs on water quality advocacy projects, publish on the politics of plant conservation, and in 2024 he received a Udall scholarship. Ben loves to hike, (overly-confidently) identify plants, and explore the connections between Southern history, queer identity, and the environment with creative writing.

Ava Kocher – Duke University

Ava Kocher is an undergraduate student at Duke University studying Biology and Marine Biology. From Massachusetts, Ava’s childhood spent exploring the woods and Charles River sparked her passion for environmental stewardship. She channels this through taking care of animals and ecosystems. At Duke, she works at the Duke Lemur Center and does research on sea urchins under climate stress. She also leads trips in the outdoors to foster connections between Duke students and the natural world. She intends to channel her passions for writing, teaching, and research by becoming a professor and sharing her love of the natural world with future generations.

RCC Fellowship Project: Ava’s project will center around science journalism that combines scientific grounding with artistic creativity to produce pieces that connect readers to the issue beyond the headline. She will use her training as a painter, photographer, and poet to compliment her articles on environmental topics. Producing both short form reflective pieces and diving into comprehensive subject analyses, Ava will write and illustrate articles for the RCC Newsletter.

Lydia Samuels – Columbia University

Lydia Samuels is a first-year Master of Public Health student at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, where she is pursuing a concentration in Population and Family Health with a certificate in Climate and Health. She recently completed her undergraduate studies at New York University, where she earned a joint B.A. in Global Public Health and Global Liberal Studies with honors, including induction into Phi Beta Kappa and Delta Omega. Lydia’s academic and professional trajectory centers on the nexus of climate change, health equity, and environmental justice, particularly in the Caribbean and West Africa. As a researcher in NYU’s ISEE Lab, she has co-authored manuscripts on syndemics and healthcare access for individuals with Sickle Cell Disease, and her global health work spans scoping reviews, policy evaluation, and field research in Ghana. Lydia has also contributed to maternal and infant health equity initiatives through positions with the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Bronx Health Link, where she developed a comprehensive WIC/food access directory to address service gaps in NYC.

Selected as a CDC John R. Lewis Scholar, she designed and presented original research on the health impacts of climate change in the Caribbean. She is currently a Youth Ambassador for the Archipelagic and Island States Forum and serves as a Youth Representative for the World Youth for Climate Change’s Caribbean Front, where she advocates for more equitable climate adaptation pathways in small island states. A storyteller at heart, Lydia co-directed the short documentary Upcycled Canvas, which explores how Ghanaian artists transform plastic waste into powerful art. In her free time, she writes poetry inspired by environmental memory and the diasporic imagination.

RCC Fellowship Project: Lydia’s Exposome Diaries project aims to reimagine environmental health education through storytelling, zine-making, and community-based research. Centering the lived experiences of women and frontline communities in the Caribbean and its diaspora, the project will serve as a creative platform for documenting how climate change, toxic exposure, and structural inequality shape bodies and environments over time. Inspired by the exposome—a concept that captures the totality of environmental exposures across a lifetime—Exposome Diaries will invite youth, students, and community members to co-create visual and written narratives that reflect their ecological realities. Lydia hopes this project will not only make environmental data more personal and accessible but also challenge dominant narratives about who gets to produce knowledge about environmental harm. By weaving together science, art, and justice, Exposome Diaries will cultivate a new generation of environmental leaders who see their bodies and stories as part of a broader ecological struggle—and transformation.

MacEva Wright – Duke University

MacEva Wright is a second-year graduate student at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. There, she is working towards earning a Master of Environmental Management degree with an emphasis on Coastal and Marine Systems and Environmental Justice. Having spent her early childhood in Brooklyn, NY, MacEva and her family relocated to Atlanta, GA, where she spent most of her formative years. After earning her B.S. in Biology from the University of North Georgia in December of 2022, MacEva went on to serve as a Rare Species Research Assistant for Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) via the National Park Service and the Latino Heritage Internship Program. It was through this experience that her passion for strengthening environmental stewardship, advocacy, and scientific literacy outside of the scientific community blossomed. As a continuation of these passions, MacEva has fully immersed herself in courses like Ocean Law and Policy and the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic to better understand the relationships between science, policy, and justice. As a current Presidential Rachel Carson Council (RCC) Stanback Fellow, she hopes to grow in her ability to share stories that connect science, justice, and community. When time allows, she enjoys reading, crafting, and giggling with anyone who loves a good laugh.

RCC Fellowship Project: Building on her experience in research and writing for RCC, MacEva will continue contributing written content for the Rachel Carson Council’s website and newsletters throughout the academic year. Her focus will be on keeping RCC members informed about key issues and developments, particularly within the Coasts and Oceans program. Through blog posts, letters, and email updates, MacEva will research the current state of ocean conservation and emphasize the most impactful actions RCC members can take, including participating in action alerts and campaigns.