2026 Student-Mentor Teams

Meet the members of our 2026 cohort.

2026 Scholar/Faculty Mentor Teams

We are very excited to share our 2026 cohort of students and faculty members! Our teams are approaching climate change in innovative ways to improve textile waste reduction; health of coral reefs; resilience in education systems; sustainable batteries; economics of renewable energy; circular economies; microbe engineering; public policy; climate history; community relocation; communications, public perceptions and community engagement; and extreme precipitation, supply chain resilience and carbon capture/sequestration in agriculture. The teams will work with their internship partners to develop solutions that mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change

Student Highlights: See what our Climate Leaders Program scholars are doing to help find viable solutions for climate change.

De’Asia Brodie and Dr. Zahra Saki

Undergraduate Student – 2028
Wilson College of Textiles
Dept. of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management

Climate Change Interests: Exploring strategies for climate change mitigation, including climate-conscious business models, water reduction, textile waste reduction, and nature-based solutions.

Mikayla Carrier and Dr. Del Bohnenstiehl

Ph.D. Student – 2028
College of Sciences
Dept. of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Climate Change Interests: Investigating how climate-driven coral reef degradation affects underwater soundscapes, biodiversity, and larval recruitment to inform restoration strategies and enhance ecosystem resilience.

Juan Carlos Chala and Dr. Ben Rachunok

Ph.D. Student – 2027
College of Engineering
Dept. of Industrial and System Engineering

Climate Change Interests: Using simulation methods to understand how floods affect education systems and to support decision-making on mitigation and continuity strategies.

Addison Copeland and Dr. Alan Franzluebbers

Undergraduate Student – 2028
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Engineering
Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Climate Change Interests: Carbon sequestration through regenerative agriculture systems and conversion of waste materials into value-added products.

Alan Ferris and Dr. Veronica Augustyn

Ph.D. Student – 2027
College of Engineering
Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering

Climate Change Interests: Developing sustainable battery materials for grid-level energy storage solutions necessary for increased energy resiliency.

Revy Godehn and Dr. Nathan Crook

Undergraduate Student – 2027
College of Engineering
Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Climate Change Interests: Exploring climate adaptation through bioengineering, such as microbe engineering for sustainable agriculture, and the intersection of science and community engagement.

Alyssa Griffin and Dr. Sarah Larson

Ph.D. Student – 2028
College of Sciences
Dept. of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Climate Change Interests: Changes in extreme precipitation frequency and magnitude, flood risk, mitigation and adaptation, and the intersection between climate change and food insecurity.

Toufiq Huq Sowrov and Dr. Christopher Galik

Ph.D. Student – 2028
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dept. Public Administration

Climate Change Interests: Transitioning fossil fuel generated electricity to renewable/environmentally friendly sources to meet net zero targets through sustainable economic development.

Bhavya Jain and Dr. Amay Bandodkar

Ph.D. Student – 2028
College of Engineering
Dept. Electrical and Computer Engineering

Climate Change Interests: Sustainable energy systems and agentic AI workflows for entrepreneurship-driven climate policy framing and advocacy.

Catie McKinney and Dr. Nora Haenn

Master’s Student – 2027
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology

Climate Change Interests: At-risk community perceptions of climate change, adaptation, and resilience; coastal and rural communities; climate change communication and education; and community-engaged approaches to climate solutions.

Laura Mora and Dr. Daniela Jones

Ph.D. Student – 2027
College of Engineering
Operations Research

Climate Change Interests: Utilizing optimization and data-driven models to enhance supply chain resilience and efficiency within the agricultural sector, promoting sustainable resource cycling.

Caroline Parker and Dr. Matthew Booker

Master’s Student – 2027
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dept of History

Climate Change Interests: Climate communication strategies, history of environmental justice movements, and exploring how communities interact with, understand, and respond to their changing environments.

Abby Studnek and Dr. Joe Sagues

Undergraduate Student – 2027
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and College of Engineering
Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Climate Change Interests: Developing sustainable bio-products that reduce waste and support a circular economy, with a focus in marine conservation.

Kenna Talhelm and Dr. Megan Lupek

Undergraduate Student – 2028
College of Natural Resources and College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Dept. of Forestry and Environmental Resources

Climate Change Interests: Human dimensions of climate change, including climate change communication, business circularity, and creating sustainable cities through urban design and environmental policy.

Kathryn Turner and Dr. Gavin Smith

Master’s Student – 2027
College of Design
Dept. of Landscape Architecture

Climate Change Interests: Exploring the role of design and policy in community-led relocation after major natural hazards and disasters, coastal resilience, and adaptive land-use planning.