Environmental Studies Summer 2024 Fellows

Kappa Psi Upsilon Maine Based Environmental Studies Fellowships

Issie Gale '25 - Town of Topsham Planning and Development

Issie spent the summer with the Topsham Office of Planning and Development working on a range of projects. She learned that the Topsham Transfer Station seamlessly blends municipal components and public recreation and put her Geographic Information System (GIS) skills to use performing maintenance on the Topsham zoning map, updating it with current data. She also created a database documenting Topsham's GIS layers and those from 15 other Maine municipalities as a comparative reference for future expansion. Her ‘passion project’ involved researching alternative land use options for Topsham’s capped former landfill sites, settling on a pollinator garden to bolster biodiversity.

“During my fellowship with the Topsham Planning Department, I formed a fundamental understanding of how a municipal planning department functions. I learned how to read subdivision and site plans, participated in the staff development review process, and read memorandums submitted by developers. Additionally, I worked with the Planning Board, the Energy Committee, and the Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee (CPIC). Outside my projects, I attended meetings discussing everything from traffic calming techniques to sidewalk engineering.

Chase Lenk '26 - Town of Gorham Planning Division

Working with the Town of Gorham Planning Division Chase completed a variety of projects. He aided with the digitization of the land use code and helped complete a historic walking tour Story Map by working with the Gorham Historical Society. For Public Works, he helped monitor the town’s stormwater outfalls. To help the Town Council Ordinance Committee consider how to change the zoning code to shape redevelopment in the Gorham Village, Chase created a series of maps analyzing how the zoning code relates to village parcels and buildings.

“My supervisors invited me to any meeting where I would learn and answered every question I had about municipal governance, planning, economic development, architecture, public works, stormwater, affordable housing and transportation. My overall project evaluated the current conditions for multifamily housing construction in Gorham. My analysis drafted some recommended changes to the zoning code to enable more multifamily construction, which the towns needs as it plans for the construction of a highway spur and rapid transit routes that will strengthen its connection to the Greater Portland region. My research included reading most of the town’s plans and listening to dozens of public meeting recordings to understand the politics that may impact the town’s future.”

 Naomi Lopez '26 - Bicycle Coalition of Maine

Naomi spent her summer working with the education and advocacy teams at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. To help promote youth engagement with BCM’s advocacy efforts, she created community-organizing toolkits for students, bike safety education materials, and a curriculum guide for educators with interdisciplinary lesson plans. She hopes that these materials will serve to empower young people with the tools needed to advocate for better bike and pedestrian infrastructure in their local communities! She also worked directly with students and community members by leading bike safety presentations, helping with fix-a-bike events and bike rodeos, making bike art, and participating in group rides across Maine.

"Being interested in youth activism, education, and environmental advocacy, this experience gave me the opportunity to work at the intersection of my interests and to gain a valuable look into how nonprofits foster meaningful connections with community. I’m so grateful that I was able to get hands-on experience working with and learning from students and the amazing staff at BCM!"

Chloe Sheehan '26 - Town of Brunswick Planning and Development

Chloë spent the summer diving into work in municipal government by interning for Brunswick’s Environmental Planner in the Planning and Development Department. Her main project was creating a draft Brunswick invasive plant species guide by researching invasive plant guides and meeting with Brunswick stakeholders to provide examples and information on identifying, controlling, and disposing of Maine invasive plants. This work was connected to Brunswick’s draft Climate Action Plan which she assisted with leading up to its future presentation to the Town Council. Additionally, she helped take water samples for a water quality study in Maquoit Bay and researched other Maine towns’ pesticide ordinances for a future Brunswick ordinance.

“I have had an amazing time working on Brunswick’s climate initiatives this summer. I followed projects in a variety of ways, such as researching and meeting with stakeholders to discuss invasive plants and then removing the plants themselves at an invasive species workshop. Being able to take the communication, policy, and research lessons I have learned in Environmental Studies classes and apply them to real-world work gave me a whole new perspective on what I am studying. I am excited to take some of the interests I developed this summer and continue to research them.”

Zoe Stonorov '25 - Manomet for Conservation Science

Zoe spent the summer as a fisheries intern at Manomet Conservation Sciences. Throughout the summer, she worked on a series of projects centered around building resilient and productive ecosystems along the coast of Maine. She split her time between working in the field and research. The fieldwork that she did included, trapping and tagging blue crabs to monitor their presence and movement in the New Meadows River System, monitoring eelgrass beds In Casco Bay and the effects that green crab may have on their health through green crab trapping, as well as collecting unmarketable oysters from local farmers and using them to better understand oyster growth and reef health as a part of the Basin Oyster Project. Some of the research that she did included analyzing municipal shellfish records, and historical research on how fisheries have been managed in the past in the Brunswick area.

“I spent the summer working with Manomet Conservation Sciences. As part of my fellowship, I got to learn how a nonprofit works, by sitting in on meetings, meeting partner organizations, and contributing to projects that Manomet was carrying out. I also got to spend a lot of time in the field, trapping crabs, collecting oysters, and growing quahog seed. This fellowship provided a great balance between office work and fieldwork and taught me a lot about coastal Maine as a place of commercial industry that is drastically different from the coastal Maine of recreation and leisure that many people know about.”

Selima Terras '26 - Environmental Studies Fellow with Milkweed Farm

Selima worked alongside Lucretia Woodruff to tend to her beautiful organic farm in Brunswick Maine. Selima learned the basics of weeding, developing seedlings, planting, caring for plants, and harvesting delicious fruits and vegetables. She also dried medicinal flowers and learned to make tinctures and oils. Finally, and most importantly, Selima engaged in critical conversations about possible futures for healthy and strong communities that center land, nutritious food, natural healing, and music.

 “I had the most wonderful time with my mentor Lucretia Woodruff on her land this summer. I learned that there is something truly magical about weeding strawberries; The slow movement and caring intentions clear the mind and allow for space to slow down and radically imagine what our collective futures can look like.”

Justin Whitney, 25 - Maine Coast Fishermen's Association, summer 2024

During their fellowship with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, Justin immersed himself in Maine’s fishing communities, visiting docksides and conducting interviews with fishermen and stakeholders from Harpswell to Vinalhaven. In the aftermath of the past winter's severe storms, He investigated how these communities coped when formal resources, like FEMA and state assistance, proved insufficient. By mapping the limits of official aid, His work underscored the critical role of informal support networks and mutual aid. Throughout the fellowship, He gained deep insight into the resilience of these coastal communities and the enduring commitment of fishermen to sustain their families and nourish their communities despite mounting environmental and economic pressures.

"My fellowship with MCFA gave me invaluable tools and connections to explore the heritage industry of Maine's fishing communities. This experience not only deepened my respect for the resilience of fishermen but also equipped me to engage meaningfully with the ongoing stewardship of coastal traditions and resources alike.."

Eden Zumbrun '26 - City of Bath Sustainability Office

This summer, Eden worked for the Bath Sustainability Office with a focus on sea level rise in the city and the development of an updated Climate Action Plan. Her projects included authoring a Flood Resilience Checklist Summary Report, developing GIS resources for residents, drafting the policy for a pilot Clean Energy Rebate Program, and a variety of other small projects to help the community address climate concerns. The outcomes of these projects not only helped push some of the city’s climate actions forward, but they will also inform future resilience measures as Bath continues to prepare for the impacts of climate change.

“My experience with the City of Bath allowed me to leverage my coursework and apply what I had learned to create resources and programs that would benefit the community. I walked away from the fellowship with a much better understanding of a municipal government’s roles in shaping local climate action as well as the challenges that need to be overcome for these actions to be effective and impactful for residents.”

Cooke Environmental Research Fellowships

Liliana Restrepo '26 - Naugatuck Valley Health District

This summer, Liliana worked alongside the Naugatuck Valley Health District (NVHD), a public health agency in Seymour, CT. There, she spent her time researching air quality and its impact on environmental health. One such project included working with the district’s Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator to develop an Air Quality Emergency Annex, which outlines a protocol for future air-quality incidents in the district. She also created a page on the NVHD website to help educate residents on how they can take action to monitor local air quality and keep themselves safe.

"I had a wonderful experience during my fellowship with NVHD. Air pollution poses a significant threat to public health, and I am glad to have been able to work on several projects centered around the topic. Additionally, I enjoyed all the different hands-on ways in which I gained exposure to public health, such as conducting water samples and distributing PPE and vaccine information at community events. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with an important organization that is also closely linked to my professional goals."

Gabe Sarno '25 - Shell+Claw

This summer Gabe worked as an intern for Shell+Claw in York, Maine, where he helped pioneer the first commercial-scale fishery for the invasive European Green Crab in the state. Gabe worked to fish hundreds of thousands of crabs out of local waters and sorted through them to identify “pre-molt” crabs - those about to molt their exoskeleton and become completely soft - to sell to local restaurants. Gabe also conducted experiments investigating the crabs’ behavior and morphologies to better identify these pre-molts. Additionally, Gabe worked on outreach to coastal communities to inform people about the importance of the removal of the invasive species.

“The working waterfront is a staple of Maine life, contributing to both the state’s economy and character. Preserving the working waterfront and the livelihoods of those who work on it is paramount. My work removing an invasive species - one that harms coastal and estuarine ecosystems - has been highly rewarding, as I not only protect the environment of my home state, but also strive to add a new economic avenue for those who work on the water, bolstering local fisheries.”

Hayes Foundation Fund for the Environment Fellowships

Evan Grauer '26 - The Nature Conservancy of Maine

Evan spent his summer focused on two main projects: a preserve accessibility project, and an oyster restoration project. The preserve accessibility project consisted of visiting and surveying several of The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC’s) nature preserves to update the information about the preserves’ hikes on TNC’s website. The goal of this project was to ensure that visitors could better understand the preserve and help them determine if the recreational opportunities fit their accessibility needs. The oyster restoration project helped to support a restoration site in Phippsburg, ME, and Evan researched other potential locations for oyster restoration in Maine.

“My experience interning at The Nature Conservancy was both interesting and rewarding. I enjoyed getting to know the accomplished staff and learning from their insights about their careers, and I spent much of my time shadowing TNC employees and discussing their work. It was a meaningful opportunity to learn more about Maine and about how a global nonprofit harnesses their resources to address local issues, and I am incredibly grateful to have spent my summer at an organization with such clear and ambitious goals to address the climate crisis”.

Eli Mears, '26, Coastal Enterprises, Inc, CEI

As CEI’s policy fellow, Eli worked on research that heightened CEI’s knowledge on solar interconnection in rural Maine communities, utility legislation in New England, and local solar developers’ logjams.  This research was completed with the hope of helping CEI staff help developers build and connect more projects and, in the long run, reduce electricity rates for rural Mainers. Eli arranged numerous interviews with key players in Maine’s solar policy field and spent weeks completing extensive bill and testimony analyses. Additionally, by attending loan meetings and working with lending staff, Eli learned about the benefits of community financing.

“I could not have asked for a better experience as a policy fellow at CEI. I gained a deeper, more nuanced perspective on environmental politics through my interactions with CEI staff members, solar developers, and politicians. It was a privilege to research solar interconnection and, more broadly, to connect with the state of Maine. Approaching Maine’s climate goals through the lens of CEI’s mission has given me a new, positive perspective on my career.”

Poppy Environmental Fellowship

Asher Savel, '26, Coastal Enterprises, Inc, CEI

Asher Savel worked for Coastal Enterprises Inc.’s Climate and Agriculture team and was tasked with creating a toolkit for CEI’s local clients that would help them prepare for and recover from climate disasters. In research, Asher met with local Maine businesses and farmers that dealt with climate disasters in the past. He also dove deeply into agricultural finance policies from the USDA’s Risk Management Agency, as well as practices that other institutions have used. After getting to know CEI’s employees and working with three other summer interns, Asher presented his work to CEI at the end of his internship.

“My time at CEI was nothing short of fascinating. From researching crop insurance to interviewing local Maine farmers and businesses, I learned so much about food systems and how complicated growing can be. I am proud to know that my efforts in creating a disaster toolkit for CEI’s clients will be used to help others in an everchanging climate. Thank you to Bradley Russell and Emily Wood for your constant support and insight!”