Background
School and Major: Vanderbilt University majoring in Earth and Environmental Sciences and Communication of Science and Technology
How did you get interested in environmental justice? What drew you to NASA?
I was first introduced to environmental justice in a climate change journalism class where I wrote an article on the EJ movement in Newark, NJ. I was inspired by the incredible activists I had the opportunity to speak with throughout the project and continued pursuing research and work related to EJ. I then had the opportunity, my junior year, to intern for NASA DEVELOP on an EJ project related to flooding in Kansas City and this summer I am interning with the EEJ department! I was drawn to NASA as I believe scientific research, specifically the way it is conducted and communicated, has the potential to empower environmental justice communities historically excluded from these academic spaces. I think remote sensing data can be used to complement lived experiences shared by these groups and call attention to environmental inequities that often may otherwise go unaddressed.
Describe what your work is like at NASA. What’s your favorite part of the job so far?
As my second term as an EEJ intern, I’ve been working on analyzing EEJ related solicitations from other Justice40-covered programs to identify the most effective strategies to increase community engagement in NASA EEJ research. I’ve also been aiding in the design of a project to assess the needs, values, and goals of leading EEJ organizations in the private sector to pinpoint opportunities for NASA data to deliver support. My last project has been putting together a landscape report to summarize the methodology/findings of the four completed landscape projects. My favorite part of the job is getting to work with such a driven and passionate group of people!
What are your goals?
My goal for the term is to use my base knowledge of the program from the summer to contribute to projects that push forward EEJ at NASA.
What are your hobbies?
Running, traveling, and waterskiing!