As an interdisciplinary program, students interact with faculty from a variety of departments and colleges within the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Leading the program are the following dedicated faculty and staff.
The MS in Sustainability Science is led by Graduate Program Director, Britt Crow-Miller.
Dr. Britt Crow-Miller is a Senior Lecturer in the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Geosciences at UMass Amherst. Her academic research is focused on environmental politics, sustainability, global development, and water resource management in China and cities of the Western U.S. In 2018, Britt founded CityWild, a nonprofit organization with the mission of inspiring curiosity about nature through fun, exploration, and hands-on learning for kids and families, including those in underserved communities. The foundation of CityWild was laid in Portland, Oregon, and the organization relocated with Britt to New England in 2020. She received her Ph.D. in Geography from UCLA and holds an M.A. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Bard College.
Eric Thomas is the Assistant Graduate Program Director.
Dr. Eric Thomas is a Lecturer in the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Geosciences. Dr. Thomas is an environmental anthropologist whose research applies a critical development perspective to contemporary state and capitalist projects along remote resource frontiers. For the past five years, he has conducted ethnographic fieldwork on the coast of Chilean Patagonia, where a series of harmful algal blooms have resulted in the closure of fisheries and mass mortality events at local salmon farms. Conducted in the wake of these disasters, his work examines the relationship between industrial aquaculture and artisanal fishing in remote coastal communities as well as the long-term sustainability of these and other sectors of the coastal economy. His research methods include participant observation, career history surveys, participatory mapping, and semi-structured interviews. He is originally from mid-coast Maine and received his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Toni Cunningham is the MS in Sustainability Science Program Administrator.
Toni Cunningham has supported the MS3 program as the Program Administrative Assistant since 2017. Her work for the program includes handling prospective applicant queries, managing program communications, student documentation, admissions logistics, website content management, and event planning. Toni is originally from Ireland and lived in Portland, Oregon for 8 years where she worked as System Administrator for a global freight company before moving to the Pioneer Valley in 2012. She lives in Amherst with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
Meet our scholar-professionals who are gaining deep intellectual foundations and applied training in sustainability. Their diverse foci span ecology, business, communications, environmental science, urban design, and more. They combine passion and skills to be tomorrow’s changemakers. Click here to see a larger version of the poster pictured below, which includes all of the 2024-2025 students' bios.
In 2025, we celebrate our 14th cohort of Sustainability Science graduates. Since the founding of the program, more than 180 students have graduated from UMass with a Master of Science in Sustainability Science degree, commonly referred to as "MS3". Our alumni network is strong and continues to enrich the program and offer valuable connections for current students. Our graduates pursue rewarding careers with a wide range of organizations including AECOM, Trinity Solar, JLL, Ernst & Young, Marriott International, Enel Green Power, Generac, Kestrel Land Trust, World Bank Group, VHB, Franklin Land Trust, Farm to Institution New England, Better Earth, Palmetto, Solect Energy, Nexamp, MassDOT, Xodus, City of Cambridge, Mass DCR, Mass Water Resources Authority, UMass Amherst, US EPA, and the City of Northampton.
Here is a sample of MS3 alumni, including where they undertook their practicum and where they are working now.
Cassidy Hammecker
Cohort 13
Current Job Title: Squash Hunger Coordinator
Company: Capital Roots
Practicum: Environmental Educator & Social Justice Advocate - Hampden Hampshire Conservation District, YMCA Holyoke, & Arise for Social Justice Springfield
LinkedIn >
Meg Rzucidlo
Cohort 13
Current Job Title: Technician II
Company: Sublime Systems
Practicum: UNH Sustainability Fellow, Worthen Industries
LinkedIn >
Morgan Bowler
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Leading by Example Clean Energy and Sustainability Coordinator
Company: Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER)
Practicum: Intern, Leading by Example Division, DOER
LinkedIn >
Miguel Gothers-Reyes
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Residential Decarbonization Advisor
Company: Abode Energy Management
Practicum: UNH Sustainability Fellowship, Town of Amherst
Benjamin Hubbard
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Contractor Network Manager
Company: Abode Energy Management
Practicum: Sustainability Consultant, Envoys
LinkedIn >
Roisin Kirby
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Assistant Director & Garden Educator
Company: Hampshire College Farm and Garden Camp & South Church Amherst
Practicum: Assistant Director, Farm and Garden Camp
LinkedIn >
Joey Mannion
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Environmental Sustainability Planner
Company: VHB
Practicum: Intern, Leading by Example Division, DOER
LinkedIn >
Beatriz Olivieri
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: ESG Business Analyst
Company: Travel + Leisure
Practicum: UNH Sustainability Fellowship Program, Green Wave Electric Vehicles
LinkedIn >
Walter Poulsen
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Ph.D. Candidate, Geography
Company: Clark University
Practicum: UMass Clean Energy Extension, UMass Amherst
LinkedIn >
Lauren Wagner
Cohort 12
Current Job Title: Biology/Neuroscience Technician
Company: Amherst College
Practicum: Aquaculture Technician Intern, Great Falls Aquaculture
LinkedIn >
Cheyenne Ellis
Cohort 11
Current Job Title: Information Officer
Company: NEIWPCC
Practicum: NEIWPCC
LinkedIn >
Jennifer Nelson
Cohort 11
Current Job Title: Urban Planner
Company: VHB
Practicum: Southwest Regional Planning Commission
LinkedIn >
Kevin O'Brien
Cohort 11
Current Job Title: Financial & Energy Coach
Company: Southeastern Vermont Community Action
Practicum: Rich Earth Institute
LinkedIn >
Simon Pereira
Cohort 11
Current Job Title: Development Analyst
Company: Agilitas Energy
Practicum: Department of Energy Resources
LinkedIn >
Eric Sirkovich
Cohort 11
Current Job Title: Environmental Scientist
Company: VHB
Practicum: Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
LinkedIn >
Paula Uribe
Cohort 11
Current Job Title: GIS Service Forester
Company: Mass DCR
Practicum: City of Northampton
LinkedIn >
Monica Guzik
Cohort 10
Current Job Title: Sustainability Manager
Company: UMass Dining/Auxiliary Enterprises, UMass Amherst
Practicum: CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture)
LinkedIn >
Erica Light
Cohort 10
Current Job Title: PhD Student, Education
Company: UMass Amherst
Practicum: iCons, UMass Amherst
LinkedIn >
Liam Cregan
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Land Conservation Specialist
Company: Franklin Land Trust
Practicum: Pilot Farm Study Investigator, Franklin Land Trust & Baseline Documentation Report Author, East Quabbin Land Trust
LinkedIn >
Lee Halasz
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Land Conservation Manager
Company: Kestrel Land Trust
Practicum: Research Assistant, Dept of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, UMass Amherst
Claire Hutchinson
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Transportation Planner
Company: LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc.
Practicum: Community Action Works
LinkedIn >
Rachel Nadolny
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Client Engagement Analyst
Company: Asset Impact
Practicum: UNH Sustainability Fellowship Program, Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Exeter, NH
LinkedIn >
Alexia Perides
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Regulatory Policy Analyst
Company: Ampion, Inc.
Practicum: Ampion, Inc.
LinkedIn >
Kelsey Perry
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Community Liaison Officer at SouthCoast Wind
Company: OW Ocean Winds
Practicum: MassCEC intern at Cape and Islands Self-Reliance
LinkedIn >
Michael Persau
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Climate Change & Sustainability Consultant
Company: Ernst & Young
Practicum: Environmental Consulting Intern at Langan, CA
LinkedIn >
Justin Taylor
Cohort 9
Current Job Title: Sustainability Manager, Global Design Strategies
Company: Marriott International
Practicum: United States Geological Survey: Northeast Climate Adaptation Center
LinkedIn >
Rachel Berggren
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Executive Director
Company: Franklin County Community Meals Program
Practicum: UMass Dining Sustainability Department, Food Systems Project Associate, Amherst MA
LinkedIn >
Mac Crispino
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Senior Director of Business Development
Company: Palmetto
Practicum: Business Development/Communications Intern, Solar Energy Business Association of New England
LinkedIn >
Courtney Crossgrove
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Food and Agriculture Program Manager
Company: FocusMaine
Practicum: Research and Policy Assistant for Rhode Island Food Strategy
LinkedIn >
Gabriella Fox
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Project Manager, Distributed Generation
Company: Eversource
Practicum: Energy Analyst Intern, Clean Energy Extension, UMass
LinkedIn >
Chaitrali Ketkale
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Sustainability Manager
Company: WAP Sustainability
Practicum: EDF Climate Corps Fellow, Cushman and Wakefield, NY
LinkedIn >
Ramcharan Khalsa
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Research Microbiologist
Company: FDA
Practicum: Clean Energy Extension, UMass Amherst
LinkedIn >
Charlie Misenti
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Inside Sales Representative
Company: Generac Clean Energy
Practicum: School of Earth and Sustainability Communications and Engagement Coordinator
LinkedIn >
Sophia Mitrokostas
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Account Manager and Onboarding Specialist
Company: Freight Farms
Practicum: Marketing & Outreach Intern for Rescuing Leftover Cuisine
LinkedIn >
Vaishnavi Nandi
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Senior PV Designer and Engineer
Company: Better Earth
Practicum: Clean Energy Extension, UMass Amherst
LinkedIn >
Heather Polson
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Graduate Education Recruitment Specialist
Company: Isenberg's Graduate and Professional Programs, UMass Amherst
Practicum: Municipal Services Program Assistant, Clean Energy Extension, UMass Amherst
LinkedIn >
Naomi Valentine
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Restoration Specialist/Assistant Project Manager
Company: SWCA Environmental Consultants
Practicum: SWCA Environmental Consultants, Ecological Resilience and Climate Adaptation Strategic Plan, Amherst, MA
LinkedIn >
Erin Wnorowski
Cohort 8
Current Job Title: Director, Service Design
Company: About Fresh
Practicum: Business Development / Communications Intern, Algorex Health Technologies
LinkedIn >
Varsha Suresh
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Climate Change Consultant
Company: World Bank Group
Practicum: World Resources Institute, D.C.
LinkedIn >
Michael Powers
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Senior Sustainability Consultant
Company: RE Tech Advisors
Practicum: City of Somerville Office of Sustainability and Environment
LinkedIn >
Erin Witham
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Land Protection Manager
Company: Frenchman Bay Conservancy
Practicum: Housatonic Valley Association
LinkedIn >
Emily Chiara
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Communications and Programs Coordinator
Company: Just Roots
Practicum: Just Roots & Farm to Institution New England (FINE)
LinkedIn >
Shannon Mulkern
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Manager
Company: Trader Joe's
Practicum: Taza Chocolate
LinkedIn >
Tom O'Neill
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Sustainability Planner
Company: City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Practicum: Resonant Energy: Community Outreach Fellow
LinkedIn >
Santoshi Nadimpalli
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Policy Fellow
Company: Stanford University Graduate School of Education
Practicum: UMass Medical School in Worcester, MA
LinkedIn >
Jeremy Price
Cohort 7
Current Job Title: Project Developer
Company: Renewable Properties
Practicum: UMass Clean Energy Extension
LinkedIn >
Kris Badertscher
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Communications Consultant + Multimedia Producer
Company: Sustainability Designer
Practicum: Pioneer Valley Planning Commission
Linkedin>
Christopher Copeland
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Greenhouse Horticultural Technologist
Company: Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Practicum: Wellspring Harvest Greenhouse
LinkedIn >
Lauren de la Parra
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Independent Consultant
Company: Climate Resilience and the Arts
Practicum: Office of Sustainability and Environment, City of Somerville
LinkedIn >
Jacquelyn Hynes
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Director of Marketing & Communications
Company: Crop One Holdings
Practicum: Nuestra Comida
Zachary Jenkins
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Clean Cities Coalition Program Director
Company: Mass DOER
Practicum: Senator Edward J. Markey’s Boston Office
LinkedIn >
Patrick Kelley
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Energy and Automation Tech II
Company: Northeastern University
Practicum: Northeastern University
LinkedIn >
Jesse Koyen
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Land Program Director
Company: Door County Land Trust
Practicum: Door County Land Trust
LinkedIn >
Hannah Leighton
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Director of Strategic Impact
Company: Farm to Institution New England (FINE)
Practicum: Farm Fresh Rhode Island
LinkedIn >
Brendan McGowan
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Senior Technical Asset Manager
Company: Solect Energy
Practicum: Solect Energy
LinkedIn >
Caroline Myran
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Food Systems Analyst & Research Lead
Company: New Venture Advisors LLC
Practicum: CISA
LinkedIn >
Leah Wang
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Research Analyst
Company: Prison Policy Initiative
Practicum: The New Garden Society
LinkedIn >
Matthew White
Cohort 6
Current Job Title: Manager, Execution
Company: Aspen Power
Practicum: Cape & Islands Self-Reliance
LinkedIn >
Julie Sullivan
Cohort 5
Current Job Title: Project Manager
Company: Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)
Practicum: Teacher at Biocitizen School of Environmental Philosophy
LinkedIn >
Jon Gray
Cohort 5
Current Job Title: Transportation Planner
Company: Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD)
Practicum: Green City Growers in Somerville, MA
LinkedIn >
Seth Engelbourg
Cohort 5
Current Job Title: Naturalist Educator and Program Manager
Company: Linda Loring Nature Foundation, Nantucket, MA
Practicum: Field Research and Education Assistant, Linda Loring Nature Foundation
LinkedIn >
Rebecca Bucciaglia (née Longvall)
Cohort 5
Current Job Title: Conservation Agent
Company: Town of Bolton
Practicum: Worcester Tree Initiative
LinkedIn >
Courtney Weiand (née Angen)
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Director of Sales, Marketing, & Customer Relations
Company: UMass Store, UMass Amherst
Practicum: PV potential analysis for Holyoke, MA using GIS for UMass Clean Energy Extension
LinkedIn >
Todd Beals
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Arborist/Urban Forester
Company: UMass Amherst
Practicum: ReGreen Springfield
LinkedIn >
Lauren Bullard
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: High School Science Teacher
Company: Nashoba Regional High School
Practicum: Regreen Springfield; Research Associate; Springfield, MA
LinkedIn >
Madison Burke
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Education and Outreach Manager
Company: RI Resource Recovery Corporation Center
LinkedIn >
Aimee Bushman
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Ocean Planning Outreach Manager
Company: Conservation Law Foundation
Practicum: Completed her practicum at the job she recieved directly after graduating
LinkedIn >
Max Dilthey
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Program Manager, UMass Offshore Wind Professional Certificate | Renewables Workforce Lead
Company: UMass, Amherst | Xodus Group
Practicum: UMass, Amherst, Environmental Conservation Program (Graduate Instructor)
LinkedIn >
Lindsay Gallant (née Kenney)
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Director of Engineering Team
Company: ReVision Energy
LinkedIn >
Justin Gilmore
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Right of Way Agent - Community Compliance
Company: MassDOT
Practicum: Amherst Together Project, UMass
LinkedIn >
Sarah Lang
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Program Specialist
Company: Northern Border Region Commission
Practicum: St. Clair Development
LinkedIn >
Arianna Moscone
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Zero Waste Outreach Coordinator
Company: CU Environmental Center
Practicum: UMass Office of Waste Management
LinkedIn >
Toni-Marie Trombley (née Powell)
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Senior Project Manager, Sustainability
Company: JLL
Practicum: Urban Sustainability with Green Infrastructure and High-Quality Urban Design in Commercial Real Estate, Silverstein Properties Inc, NYC
LinkedIn >
Sumedha Rao
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Executive Director
Company: Mayor's Office of Sustainability, Louisville, Kentucky
Practicum: Earthships Biotechture, New Mexico
LinkedIn >
Brittany Wagner (née Sims)
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Environmental Consultant
Company: Freelance
Practicum: UMass - Presence and accuracy of catch and release best practice guidelines found on recreational angling NGO websites.
LinkedIn >
Ryan Wicks
Cohort 4
Current Job Title: Research Adjunct, Adjunct Faculty
Company: UMass Amherst Transportation Center, UMass Amherst School of Public Policy
Practicum: Spirit Solar, Springfield MA.
LinkedIn >
Kaitlin Laabs (née Desmarais)
Cohort 3
Current Job Title: Hydrologic Technician
Company: US Geological Survey
Practicum: Hatfield Laboratory, laboratory technician
LinkedIn >
Laurie Simmons
Cohort 3
Current Job Title: Assistant Campus Sustainability Manager
Company: UMass Amherst
Practicum: Residential Academic Program (RAP), UMass
LinkedIn >
Stephen Treat
Cohort 3
Current Job Title: Manager, Business Development
Company: Nexamp
Practicum: Tighe & Bond, Inc; Renewable Energy Intern; Westfield, MA
LinkedIn >
Vanessa Bighinatti
Cohort 3
Current Job Title: Owner/ Health Coach
Company: Healing w. Ness
Practicum: A Better City- Sustainability Intern
LinkedIn >
Sarah Gill (née Hebert)
Cohort 2
Current Job Title: Director of Operations
Company: Trinity Solar
Practicum: Education and Outreach Ecofellow at the Center for EcoTechnology
LinkedIn >
Ryan O'Donnell
Cohort 2
Current Job Title: Water Quality Program Manager
Company: Connecticut River Conservancy
Practicum: VT ANR/Southeastern Vermont Watershed Alliance/Ottauquechee River group
LinkedIn >
Kirsten Bryan
Cohort 2
Current Job Title: Senior Project & Portfolio Manager
Company: ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School
LinkedIn >
Ryan Fahey
Cohort 1
Current Job Title: Senior Project Development Manager
Company: Ameresco
Practicum: Business development intern for Sungage Financial
LinkedIn >
Brian Pizzi
Cohort 1
Current Job Title: Senior SCADA/Network Solution Engineer
Company: Wärtsilä
Practicum: UMASS Facilities Management, UMASS Planning
LinkedIn >
** Alumni rated their overall MS3 experience 4.8 out of 5! **
** 100% would recommend this program to other students! **
* Data is from MS3 alumni survey responses.
MS3 Alumni - if you have updates that you would like made, or if you don't see yourself on this page and would like to be added, please contact us. Thank you!
3/6/25 MS3 Alum awarded NEWIEE's 2025 Rising Star Award
Kelsey Perry, MS3 graduate '20, has been awarded the New England Women in Energy and Environment (NEWIEE) 2025 Rising Star award! This award is to "honor a woman with less than ten years of industry experience who has demonstrated a commitment to, and positive impact on, her field; both professionally and in her personal endeavors". Very well deserved. Congratulations, Kelsey!
12/12/23 UMass Rose to #16 out of 210 colleges and universities in the United States in QS Sustainability Rankings
The University of Massachusetts Amherst rose to the top 20 among higher educational institutions in the nation for its social and environmental sustainability development efforts, education and practices, according to QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2024 edition. Read more here.
11/3/23 UMass Rises to #18 in the Princeton Review's Top Green Colleges
The University of Massachusetts Amherst rose to the top 20 among the nation’s most environmentally responsible higher educational institutions, according to The Princeton Review's 2024 Guide to Green Colleges.
UMass is now ranked higher than other regional institutions, including the University of Connecticut, the University of New Hampshire, Northeastern, and the University of Maine.
11/9/22 MS3 Alum Ryan Griffis Ryan Griffis instrumental in securing Bike Friendly University designation for UMass
UMass Amherst Named a Bike Friendly University by the League of American Bicyclists
"[MS3 and] Landscape architecture and regional planning major Ryan Griffis was instrumental in completing the university’s application, Small says.
UMass joins Harvard, MIT, UMass Lowell, Bentley University, Tufts University and Boston University’s Charles River and medical school campuses as bike-friendly universities. Since the program launched in 2011, BFU designations have been certified at 222 U.S. colleges and universities in 47 states."
8/17/22 MS3 alum Angie Gregory is the new Associate Director of the Energy Transition Institute
ETI News: New Staff Announcement — The Energy Transition Institute @ UMass Amherst
5/13/22 Commencement 2022
A record 29 MS3 students walked in Commencement 2022, earning an M.S. in Sustainability Science degree. With these graduates, the program will have more than 150 alumni. A wonderful celebration lunch was enjoyed by all in the brand new Cape Cod Lounge in the Student's Union building on May 13, 2022. Congratulations to all of the 2022 MS3 Grads!
5/4/22
MS3 students contribute to UMass both inside and outside the classroom. Congratulations to MS3 student Simon Pereira who was recognized amongst other educators for teaching the invaluable curriculum of the EDUC 391R Residential Education & Community Development class. Material covered in the class includes Communication, Leadership Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and how that relates to future student employees at UMass.
In addition to this award, Simon was recognized at the UMass Student Affairs and Campus Life Recognizing Excellence Dedication and Innovation ceremony for his work as a leader of tomorrow, commemorating his work as an Assistant Residence Director.
2/2/22
Erica Light, recent MS3 graduate and currently an adjunct lecturer in iCons, along with Martin Hunter, senior lecturer in biomedical engineering, is spearheading a new collaboration between the UMass Amherst iCons Program and the Biomedical Engineering Department (BME) in the College of Engineering to develop an innovative laboratory course open to both iCons and BME students. Light and Hunter will co-teach ICONS 390BH – Integrated Discovery Lab in Biomedicine – debuting in the spring 2022 semester.
https://www.umass.edu/news/article/umass-icons-program-and-biomedical-en...
9/9/21
UMASS AMHERST ONE OF THE NATION’S ‘COOLEST SCHOOLS’ ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, SAYS SIERRA CLUB
The Sierra Club’s national magazine, “Sierra Magazine,” recently announced that the University of Massachusetts Amherst is among the top-20 environmentally friendly institutions of higher learning in North America.
UMass, which ranked 18 out of 328, is among those that “have displayed a deep and thorough commitment to addressing climate change, protecting the natural world and encouraging environmental responsibility both through their campus operations and course curricula,” according to “Sierra Magazine.”
“Many transformative green projects at UMass were originally conceived of by a student,” says Darci Maresca, assistant director of the School of Earth and Sustainability. Take, for instance, the UMass Carbon Literacy Project (CLP), which trains students to become ambassadors to their peers for the cause of raising awareness about the costs and impacts of carbon emissions. CLP is a global program, and UMass Amherst is the first U.S. organizational partner to deliver it internally. Angie Gregory (pictured), a graduate student in sustainability science, spearheaded the effort to bring CLP to UMass and implement it.
UMass Amherst One of the Nation’s ‘Coolest Schools’ on Environmental Issues, Says Sierra Club
6/28/21
MS3 students Gretchen Siegchrist, Erica Light, Hannah McDonald and Alexia Perides were part of a 13-member multi-disciplinary team of graduate and undergraduate students from UMass Amherst who researched and wrote case studies of commons organizations in Massachusetts, published in a new release.
The “Massachusetts Catalog of Commoning” is now available for free download online, and highlights and showcases commoning efforts in Massachusetts. The 38-page publication was co-edited by Charlie Schweik, professor of environmental conservation and public policy at UMass Amherst, and Maxine Gunther-Segal, a student at Smith College.
Siegchrist penned the introduction and a case study on Mass Mesh in Boston, MA. Light’s study was of Wellspring Cooperative in Springfield, MA. McDonald wrote about LaunchSpace in Orange, MA, while Alexia Perides researched Valley Time Trade in the Pioneer Valley, MA.
Schweik hopes that the ‘Massachusetts Catalog of Commoning’ will be a model for other states to replicate, and will become a living document of sorts, highlighting and showcasing commoning efforts in Massachusetts, with each future volume updating existing stories and adding new stories.
3/29/21
At the 2021 EcoGSS Symposium on March 19th, MS3 student Emma K. Sylvia presented her research on the social, economic, and environmental impact of current mortuary practices and their natural alternatives, titled “Dust to Dust to CO2: A Comparison of Mortuary Practices & Natural Alternatives.”
After exploring the topic in depth last semester, Sylvia became interested in what she said is an overlooked aspect of sustainable practices. Audience polling earned her presentation first place, in the "Traditional Talk" category. Sylvia said the response is unprecedented and hopes her presentation will enable people to embrace sustainability in all aspects of life, even in the hereafter.
As an amateur genealogist, Sylvia said she is accustomed to visiting cemeteries and reading the accounts of those who have long since passed. It's fitting then when she says she hopes to continue her research into this newfound passion.
1/30/20
Justin Taylor (left), an MS3 student specializing in Renewable Energy and Climate Change, was one of four members of the winning team in a UMass beta test of the NASPAA-Batten Student Simulation Competition, hosted by the School of Public Policy.
In the annual international competition, sponsored by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, students use real-world data to solve hypothetical but realistic problems through policy development. The theme of the 2020 competition is sustainable cities, with a focus on transportation.
The winning team’s policies focused on reducing dependency on carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles by investing in electric buses and creating alternatives such as more rail service, bike lanes, and pedestrian walkways, among other strategies.
https://www.umass.edu/spp/news/school-public-policy-hosts-sustainability-competition
6/6/19
MS3 Student Chatrali Ketkale was interviewed about her Practicum as an Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellow in the New York City offices of Cushman & Wakefield, a global, multibillion-dollar commercial real estate firm.
https://www.cns.umass.edu/news-events/news/field-notes-sustainability-corporations-and-common-good
4/23/19
UMass Students Stress Resilience in Combating Climate Change
(Featuring Sustainability Science student Rachel Berggren and Director of the School of Earth and Sustainability, Dr. Curt Griffin)
AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – Hope and resilience were the themes of Wednesday’s Earth Day Celebration at the UMass School of Earth and Sustainability in Amherst.
Students told 22News that the stakes are high, but they’re working to find ways to cope with climate change.
“What happens to our food if climate change comes about,” graduate student Rachel Berggren said. “So that’s what we’re going to do to bring people together, using art as a tool for communication.”
In keeping with the theme of the day, the keynote speaker stressed the need to be hopeful. The head of the School of Earth and Sustainability, Dr. Curt Griffin, told 22News that he’s confident concerned young people will eventually find ways to protect our planet from pollution.
“Oftentimes, we worry about the future,” Dr. Griffin said. “But with this group of students, their enthusiasm, their knowledge, I feel we’re in very good hands.”
Advocates for change believe everyone can do their part to protect the place where we live. Individual action can begin with something as basic as taking a bus or a bicycle to get to work and leaving their car at home.
3/13/19
MS3 Student Wins Fellowship from Environmental Defense Fund
Chaitrali Ketkale, a graduate student in Sustainability Science, has won a summer fellowship from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), one of the world’s largest environmental advocacy groups. The EDF program trains and places fellows, chosen from 1,000 graduate-student applicants from leading universities.
Ketkale will work in the New York office of Cushman & Wakefield, a global, multibillion-dollar commercial real estate firm. She will focus on the company’s corporate social responsibility strategy, including carbon disclosure methods and reporting, and will help activate software to better track, manage, analyze and report energy consumption and patterns.
“I want to go into corporate sustainability, and this fellowship is one of the best in my field,” says Ketkale, who was supported by her advisor, Darci Maresca, assistant director of the School of Earth and Sustainability, and Alison Bates, the graduate program director.
Ketkale says she’s inspired to work in environmental conservation after seeing her hometown, Bangalore, India, grow increasingly polluted and suffer “an overall degradation in the standard of living, in spite of increasing riches. I believe in this cause,” she says.
She is set to graduate at the end of the year with a master of science degree in sustainability science, which is designed to create interdisciplinary problem-solvers and prepare students for sustainability-focused positions in industry, government or nonprofits.
Original article on Inside UMass.
9/18/18
Sustainability Science Program Director, Alison Bates, along with a team of scientists has been awarded an NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) Planning Grant to identify with industry partners the key priorities for offshore wind!
A team of scientists including Sustainability Science Graduate Program Director Alison Bates has been awarded an NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC) Planning Grant to identify with industry partners the key priorities for offshore wind. The project brings together those with relevant expertise in offshore wind energy from several engineering disciplines, fields of science, the national laboratories, state and federal resource management agencies, industrial stakeholders, and developers; as well as those from affected coastal communities. UMass has the potential to play a key role in setting national priorities for wind energy based on a data-driven, multi-disciplinary system-level framework to identify where advances are needed in science, engineering, and process in order to create a resilient infrastructure that enables responsible wind energy. This project will include two workshops at UMass Amherst this spring that will bring global experts to campus to discuss convergent research objectives and approaches. Bates will spearhead a workshop on social acceptance and ecological considerations relative to wind energy.
9/4/18
The Sierra Club's magazine has placed UMass Amherst at No. 7 in its 12th annual “Cool Schools” ranking of North America’s greenest colleges and universities. This marks a jump from No. 58 last year, out of 269 schools!
8/28/18
MS3 graduate's work published by Massachusetts Food System Collaborative
As part of her practicum, MS3 graduate Savannah McCarthy, conducted a survey for the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative that demonstrated fresh produce is usually less expensive when purchased directly from the Massachusetts farmers who grow it than it is at grocery stores. You can read about Savannah's work here. NPR Boston mentioned Savannah's work here. Savannah's MS3 concentration was Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems and she welcomes comments or questions from current or future MS3 students about her work.
8/7/18 MS3 candidate Varsha Suresh interning at World Resources Institute (WRI) in Washington D.C.
My name is Varsha Suresh. I am a currently enrolled in the Master of Science in Sustainability Science (MS3) program. I graduated with an engineering degree from Bangalore and moved to Amherst Massachusetts a year ago to complement my knowledge of technology with an understanding of policy to facilitate decision making in the realm of sustainability. My concentration within the program is Renewable Energy/Urban Sustainability. I am currently taking a semester break to intern at the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Washington D.C. My experience at WRI so far has been wonderful. The culture here is conducive to learning and there is an emphasis on networking and building connections with experts on various projects. As an intern, I am thrilled about the global exposure that I am receiving during my time here. My role as a Climate Data intern involves developing datasets on greenhouse gas emissions for a city level data portal whose audience will include citizens and local governments.
My journey to this opportunity has been one that involved a lot of course exploration during my first year of the MS3 program. The courses I took and the interactions I had with my processors have been
instrumental in shaping my decisions. The flexible nature of the MS3 program allowed me to explore my interests in the areas of sustainability and energy without any constraints. I look forward to return to the MS3 program at the end of this opportunity and take courses that will bridge gaps in my existing knowledge of climate and energy. At the end of my MS3 program, I hope to be associated with similar global organizations that facilitate decision making through technology and policies.
6/8/18
UMass Amherst Surges in Rankings for Sustainable Universities, Moving up to No. 9 in Nation!
http://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/umass-amherst-surges-rankings-su...
11/9/17
Our very own Caroline Myran, recent MS3 grad, got a mention in this Bloomberg News article. She plays an important role as a project manager for an innovative sustainable agriculture project with new technology.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-09/the-internet-of-tomatoes-is-coming-starting-with-boston-salads