Institute for Global Sustainability Announces 2024 Graduate Student Summer Fellows
The third cohort of Graduate Student Summer Fellows at Boston University’s Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) will pursue research projects on topics including energy consumption patterns, population exposure to water scarcity and extreme heat, the sustainability and key characteristics of several emerging technologies, and ecosystem restoration. The class includes eight fellows representing four departments across BU.
The Summer Fellows program at IGS offers graduate students a unique opportunity to advance their research in planetary health and human well-being, the governance and politics of sustainability transitions, and energy systems of the future. Each fellow receives a financial stipend, access to a peer network, and weekly opportunities for faculty engagement, mentoring, and professional development. At the conclusion of the 10-week program, all fellows present their research results.
“Every year, through the Graduate Student Summer Fellows Program, IGS convenes and supports promising researchers — each exploring a bold idea for confronting the climate crisis,” said Arunima Krishna, Faculty Lead, Graduate Student Summer Fellows Program; Associate Director, IGS; and Associate Professor, College of Communication. “We are pleased to welcome these talented scholars from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines to the IGS community and offer them meaningful opportunities for collaboration and growth.”
From left to right: Mira Kelly-Fair, Emily Ghosh, Adham Badawy, Erin Polka, Brian Sousa, Farbin Fayza, M. Pilar Botana Martinez, Dalilah Paulino de Castro Campos. Photo by: Alison Gold.
2024 Fellows & Projects
Cultivating Resilience: Wastewatersheds as Beacons of Climate Adaptation in Agriculture, Adham Badawy (PhD student, Earth & Environment, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences). Focus: how treated wastewater reuse can be utilized as a climate adaptation measure for agriculture. This fellowship is supported by the Impact Measurement & Allocation Program to help investors mitigate against the climate risks associated with water scarcity. Advised by Andrew Bell, Affiliated Faculty, IGS and Associate Professor, Earth & Environment
Rethinking How We Measure Indoor Heat Burden for People Living in Heat Islands, Pilar Botana Martinez (PhD candidate, Environmental Health, School of Public Health). Focus: the value of novel approaches to characterizing the burden of heat exposure for vulnerable populations in ways that are relevant to health and wellbeing. Advised by M. Patricia Fabian, Associate Director, IGS and Associate Professor, Environmental Health
Assessing the Exposure of Socially Vulnerable Populations to Water Scarcity in Southern Europe: A Case Study of Portugal, Dalilah Paulino de Castro Campos (PhD student, Earth & Environment, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences). Focus: how socially vulnerable populations are disproportionately exposed to water scarcity in Southern Europe. Advised by Anne Short Gianotti, Core Faculty, IGS and Associate Professor, Associate Chair of Curriculum, Earth & Environment
Assessing the Carbon Sustainability of Photonic Computing for Artificial Intelligence Systems, Farbin Fayza (PhD candidate, Electrical & Computer Engineering, College of Engineering). Focus: the carbon sustainability of photonics-based computing systems, which are used in data centers and autonomous vehicles for running artificial intelligence applications. Advised by Ajay Joshi, Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering
GDC-Infiltrated Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells for Hydrogen Production and Grid-Scale Energy Storage, Emily Ghosh (PhD candidate, Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering). Focus: the longevity of solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) in clean hydrogen production to minimize environmental impact from energy consumption. Advised by Soumendra Basu, Affiliated Faculty, IGS, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, and Associate Division Head, Materials Science & Engineering
Empowering Belizean Communities: Science-Based Solutions for Coastal Ecosystems, Mira Kelly-Fair (PhD student, Earth & Environment, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences). Focus: ecosystem services to improve protection and restoration of mangrove forests in Belize. Advised by Sucharita Gopal, Core Faculty, IGS and Professor, Earth & Environment
Visualizing Modeled Spatial Patterns of Residential Heating Consumption and Efficiency in Massachusetts, Erin Polka (PhD candidate, Environmental Health, School of Public Health). Focus: the spatial dynamics of residential energy patterns across Massachusetts and how energy consumption and efficiency differ across the state. Advised by Jonathan Buonocore, Core Faculty, IGS and Assistant Professor, Environmental Health
Cost Benefit Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Technologies and the Associated Health and Water Impacts in the United States, Brian Sousa (MS student, Environmental Health, School of Public Health). Focus: the infrastructure costs, emission reductions, health impacts, and water consumption of various renewable energy and carbon capture technologies in the United States. This fellowship is supported by the Impact Measurement & Allocation Program to enhance IMAP’s Corporate Carbon Risk project. Advised by Jonathan Buonocore, Core Faculty, IGS and Assistant Professor, Environmental Health
IGS pioneers research to advance a sustainable and equitable future. In addition to the Graduate Student Summer Fellows program, BU students can get involved with IGS through the Campus Climate Lab. Subscribe to the Institute’s email list to be alerted about future events, plus job, research, and educational opportunities.
