Falling for Sustain+Ability
Read about the 2022 Oceans Cohort and New Opportunities!!
GSS Ocean Sustainability Projects Across the Globe.
Read below to learn about the 2022 Fellows and Scholars and where they traveled to participate in transdisciplinary and ocean sustainability projects.
2022 GSS Fellows:
Erin Holland
Erin is currently pursuing her M.S. in Environment and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.
Erin is interested in the intersection of environmental science and human activity, and the impact they have on one another. She hopes to develop sustainable practices so that all can participate and to ensure healthy humans and a healthy environment.
Erin worked with the SALT MINE team this summer at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research in Oslo, Norway.
Pheej Lor
Pheej will be pursuing his Masters's in Environmental Humanities at the University of Utah.
Pheej is motivated to uplift BIPOC community representation and contribution to sustainability and conservation efforts. He is embarking on an Environmental Humanities career studying at the University of Utah Fall 2022.
Pheej worked with the CoastCARD team at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Annapolis, Maryland.
Valeria Menendez
Valeria is pursuing her M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at Tufts University.
Valeria sees it as her responsibility as a future city planner to ensure that the transition to a more sustainable city is socially just. She is interested in the intersections of humans and the environment and believes that social and environmental issues are inextricably linked.
Valeria worked with the MARISCO team at the Helmholtz-Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, Germany this summer.
Olivia Won
Olivia is currently pursuing an M.S. in the Coastal Science and Policy Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Olivia is passionate about pursuing multi-benefit, nature-based climate change adaptation solutions in her home state. Her research focuses on assessing and advancing social equity considerations in restoration initiatives.
Olivia worked with the ARMSRestore project team in Toliara, Madagascar this summer.
Marilyn Smith
Marilyn is currently pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University.
Marilyn is interested in pursuing a career focused on environmental remediation, water quality, and sustainability where she can redefine environmental narratives and increase the overall quality of the planet.
Marilyn worked with the MARISCO team at the Helmholtz-Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg, Germany.
2022 GSS SCHOLARS:
Melissa Cervantes
Melissa is working towards Bachelor’s degrees in both Society & Environment and Conservation & Resource Studies at UC Berkeley.
Melissa’s passion for environmental conservation stems from her childhood experiences being outdoors. Today, she seeks to use environmental education as a way to connect people to local and global environments. Through art and accessible learning methods, she hopes to highlight interdisciplinary solutions for climate change.
Melissa worked with the OceanKAN team at the Future Earth Knowledge Action Network in Paris, France.
Paloma Wood-Assemian
Paloma is working towards B.S. in Environmental Science at Howard University.
Paloma feels a connection to the earth due to her understanding of their shared colonization. It is because of this common understanding that she has devoted her life to decolonization efforts, both mentally and physically. To her, the practice of sustainability is her own form of self-healing, and she wants to show others that they can heal in a similar way.
Paloma worked with the OceanKAN team at the Future Earth Knowledge Action Network in Paris, France.
Sonya Carrizales
Sonya is pursuing her B.A. in Environmental Studies at Mount Holyoke College.
Striving for sustainable policy solutions, Sonya seeks to address environmental injustices by centering marginalized communities in ocean resource management decisions, as well as larger environmental policy debates. She is excited to learn more about stakeholder engagement while promoting equity and inclusion within ocean resource governance processes.
Sonya worked this summer with the NoCrises team at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in association with the Belmont Forum this summer.
Kaitlyn Cooper
Kaitlyn is a junior at George Mason University in the Environmental Science and Policy program getting her concentration in Human and Ecosystem Response to Climate Change.
Kaitlyn is hoping to research ocean-based solutions to climate mitigation with a focus on linkages between marine and terrestrial. In her spare time, she loves to explore the musical arts with a particular interest in singing and dance.
Kaitlyn worked with the OceanKAN team at the Future Earth Knowledge Action Network in Paris, France.
Lawren Caldwell
Lawren is pursuing her Bachelor’s in Agricultural and Environmental Systems at North Carolina A&T University.
Being raised on the coast of South Carolina, Lawren understands the significance of waterways and the economic and societal contributions they provide. By participating in the Global Sustainability Scholars Program, she plans to hone her skills as a champion for environmental quality in accordance with coastal and ocean sustainability.
Lawren Worked with the CoastCARD team at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Annapolis, Maryland.
Anna Calderon-Cleland
Anna is a third-year double Geoscience and Anthropology major at Wellesley College.
Anna is interested in finding avenues to explore equitable, sustainable solutions to changing oceans in light of climate change.
Anna worked with the CoastCARD team at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science in Annapolis, Maryland.
Sydney Tolliver
Sydney is pursuing her Bachelors in Agricultural and Environmental Systems at North Carolina A&T University.
Sydney’s interest in ocean sustainability was first sparked on a dive trip to assist the Coral Reef Foundation with coral reef restoration. It was this experience that shifted her fascination with other environmental topics and solidified her interest and enthusiasm for ocean conservation, specifically coral restoration.
Sydney worked this summer with the ARMSRestore project team in Toliara, Madagascar.
Maya Sze
Maya is working towards a Bachelor’s degrees in both Environmental Studies and Geology at Tuft’s University.
Maya believes that there are many areas in ocean sustainability that need our help, from plastic pollution to overfishing. Through this program, she hopes to learn more about how we can contribute to the movement on both an individual and global scale, while also incorporating equity and inclusiveness.
Maya worked with the OceanKAN team at the Future Earth Knowledge Action Network in Paris, France.
Reflecting on the Summer Experiences of the 2022 GSS Fellows and Scholars
Learn about the 2022 Fellows and Scholars and where they traveled to participate in transdisciplinary and ocean sustainability projects.
"I was lucky enough to see interdisciplinarity at work, an eye-opening opportunity as it is admittedly hard to change mentalities, perspectives, and ways of thinking. The work ideally starts at the root of education, but alas, better late than never."
Picture above - 2022 GSS Fellow, Valeria Menendez, at the Helmholtz Institute of Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB).
Read about Valeria Menendez's summer at the HIFMB - in this blog post.
2022 Scholar Sydney Tolliver, ARMSRestore Project
2022 GSS Fellow Pheej Lor, CoastCARD Project
Who’s next?
Be sure to check in to find the next opportunities to work on sustainability issues and expand your international network! Interested in applying? If you want to do research with international teams focused on sustainability issues, be a mentor, or be an active member of the GSS Network, look to our website for more information.
Support GSS Scholars
All donations directly support Global Sustainability Scholars and Fellows. We are committed to providing GSS participants with the research and networks needed to launch their careers. Our response to COVID - 19 has meant a drastic shift in our programming.