The students are the greatest strength of the Environmental Science program. Hailing from South America to Siberia and Provo to Accra, our students are seeking to understand environmental issues and develop creative and inclusive solutions. Check out the selection of student profiles below. Then come join our community of uplifting and insightful students to help us literally change the world.
STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS
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Cecilia Foster
I want to be a science journalist, more specifically an environmental reporter. By studying Environmental Science here at BYU, I can learn about the scientific basis for a lot of environmental issues and work on communicating those to a non-scientific audience. Studying Environmental Science also teaches me how to think like a scientist, while learning to talk and communicate like an activist.
I chose to study environmental science to understand how the natural world functions and how our interactions are affecting natural systems. I plan on going into the field of environmental law with the ultimate goal of creating environmental policy at a state or federal level. The environmental science major has provided me with scientific literacy to help me make more evidence based policy regarding environmental issues.
I realized that I could make the difference I wanted to make in the world through majoring in Environmental Science. I'm minoring in Business and ultimately I want to do environmental nonprofit work. Studying at BYU gave me the opportunity to do my first internship at a nonprofit which made me realize how much I love it.
I’m very interested in how the environment is impacted by humans and how the environment impacts humans. I do research with a public health professor in addition to my main research in the environmental science program. Although my primary interests within environmental science (landscape and spatial ecology, ecological data science) aren’t really taught in the program, it’s providing me with a solid baseline that I would need to go into those fields later on.
I am an Environmental Science Major and International Development Minor. The ESci program has taught me a lot about environmental science, obviously, but it has also allowed me to connect my passion for environmental issues with my passions for other social injustices. I want to help nations create and enforce effective policies that reduce their emissions and promote sustainable development. I would also like to be a professor in environmental science and international development. After I retire, I want to be a park ranger.
I am an Environmental Science major and International Development minor. I want to teach environmental science at community college to under represented minorities and first generation college students. I started in eco-business and while I still help with sustainable development initiatives I switched to an international development minor to better understand refugees or first generation Americans that I hope to teach someday.
Paden is a Master’s student from Orem, Utah, who graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science in 2022. He spends an irresponsible amount of time climbing, fly fishing, and studying Alpine environments, more specifically the water in them. His research interests are in finding Machine Learning applications to Ecohydrological problems. His prior research involves using Recurrent Neural Networks to predict and model Hydrochemical behavior of the Colorado River.
A recent BYU graduate in Psychology in Spanish, Sarah Witney hopes to use this opportunity to help her community be a positive force for the environment. She is open to learning anything and looks forward to growing her understanding of the issues and solutions. “Be the climate change you wish to see in the world.”
Aria is a master's student in Environmental Science. She is interested in corporate sustainability, environmental health, international development, and environmental economics. Before being recruited by BYU's volleyball team, she received a degree in business administration from Washington State University.
Becca is a sophomore in Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation and is interested in restoration ecology, particularly in wetland and river systems. She is from central Wisconsin, and enjoys reading, plant ID, making bread, and writing in the third person :)
James is from Oregon and is beginning his penultimate year of a microbiology degree. He is hoping to attend graduate school after finishing at BYU, and is hoping to work in nursing. His hobbies include drag, cooking, sewing, baking, and activism!
Olivia Burns is an undergrad from New Richmond, Wisconsin studying Environmental Science and Sustainability and minoring in Professional Writing and Rhetoric. She is passionate about ecology, environmental law, environmental journalism, and sustainable development. In her free time, she loves backpacking, going through her camera roll, and reading (or looking at pictures in) the National Geographic.
Karoline is an Environmental Science and Sustainability student graduating in April 2024. Her research interests are water conservation, and environmental education. She loves learning languages, hiking, fashion, and laughing.
Matthew Bustos is an undergraduate student from Lubbock, Texas studying Biochemistry. He studied at the University of Texas prior to transferring to BYU. He hopes this opportunity helps to further his understanding on environmental research and deepen his laboratory skills and understanding. His interests include water conservation, tennis, and pickleball.
Hannah is an undergraduate studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. She loves learning and hopes to work with them when she graduates. She loves her current job at a greenhouse. In her free time she enjoys hiking, gardening, crocheting, playing with her cat, and visiting local restaurants.
Austin is an undergrad studying Applied Mathematics (for now at least). He has many different interests that make it difficult to pick one pathway forward, but he is super excited to find connections between environmental sustainability and mathematical analysis. His two favorite things are putting on fresh clothes right out of the dryer and finding new places to explore. His favorite body of water is Shoshone Lake in Yellowstone.
Joshua is an undergraduate student from Cincinnati, Ohio studying computer science. Despite his best efforts, he developed a love of Nature after years of being dragged up mountains by his tree hugging father. Now, he hopes to contribute to building a better world in whatever way he can. When he’s not furiously typing on his laptop, he enjoys playing rocket league, volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and cooking. More information can be found at https://josh.christen.se/n
Clarissa is an undergraduate from Miami, Florida and is currently studying Environmental Science and Sustainability with an Urban and Regional Planning Minor. Living very close to the Everglades for most of her life, she hopes to help conserve and restore wetlands and see how to improve the relationship between wetlands and humans. She also aspires to work with cities to see how, as a community, they can live more sustainably at a local level while also addressing their needs. Other hobbies she enjoys include playing guitar, reading, doing service, and spending time with friends and family.
George is a Sophomore student studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. He is a first generation South African American who grew up across the US as well as France and Singapore. He is fascinated by regenerative agriculture and restoration ecology. He also loves making niche playlists on Spotify, reading the classics, learning new languages, and growing orchids.
Eliza is an undergrad majoring in Environmental Science and Sustainability. She has a passion for protecting and preserving our beautiful earth and hopes to help others become better stewards of the fascinating world we live in. She enjoys reading, cooking, creating art of any kind, and anything outdoors.
Noah is an undergrad senior studying Public Health: Environmental/ Occupational Health emphasis with a minor in Environmental Science and Sustainability. He’s from Lake Tahoe, California, and loves snowboarding, reggae music, and enjoying the beauty of the earth and our surroundings. Noah works for BYU Risk Management calibrating industrial hygiene equipment and doing environmental and air quality testing.
Katie Harrington is an undergraduate student at BYU probably wearing chacos right now. That’s because she is from Oregon and studies environmental science and sustainability. She dabbles in classical cello, philosophy, eating vegetables, and latin dance. After graduating, she hopes to become a lawyer that bridges that gap between climate change science and political action. She currently serves as a lab manager.
Bruce is an undergraduate student from Idaho Falls, Idaho studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. He hopes to help prevent environmental degradation and better understand how we can live on this earth sustainably. He enjoys board games, birdwatching, and attempting to grow bonsai.
Bethany is an undergraduate student from Montgomery Village, Maryland studying Environmental Science with a minor in music. She hopes to work with water resource management in the future. Some of her passions include playing piano and ukulele, singing in the BYU Women’s Chorus, hiking, cooking, Lord of the Rings, and sword fighting.
Coleman is a freshman planning on a major in Environmental Science and Sustainability. Having lived around vulnerable, yet incredible natural environments, Coleman feels inclined to help preserve our planet and the places that people call home. Coleman’s hobbies include running, being outdoors, watching football (especially BYU), listening to Taylor Swift, and eating enchiladas. He is excited to be a part of the Labbott and other environmental communities on campus!
Shannon Lambson is the co-field manager in the lab and an undergraduate studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. Her interests include wildlife conservation, improving women’s health in developing countries, and watching reruns of the Crocodile Hunter.
Leen is a sophomore undergrad from Simi Valley, California studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. He is also minoring in business with hopes of pursuing a career involving sustainability within businesses. He enjoys spending his free time lifting weights at the gym and trying new foods.
Audrey is an undergraduate student studying Environmental Science and Sustainability with a minor in Geospatial Science and Technology (GIS). She has lived in various places, including Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Colorado, and Germany, and enjoys the outdoors wherever she goes. Her hobbies include trail running, crossfit, calligraphy, and traveling. She hopes to pursue atmospheric science/climatology in graduate school, after which she can eventually just “do science” for a living, and maybe even live in Antarctica for a bit.
Kylee is an undergraduate from Imperial, California. She’s majoring in Wildlife and Wildlands Conservation, and she’s always had a passion for animals, being outside, and the beach/ocean.
Hannah is an undergraduate student from San Diego, California studying Biodiversity & Conservation with an Environmental Science & Sustainability minor. They’re passionate about wildlife conservation, combating climate change, and equality. They love learning new facts about various species, hiking, video games, and losing themselves in a good story.
Meredith is a Junior studying Environmental Science & Sustainability and Economics. She is from Missoula Montana and grew up loving the outdoors. Her hobbies include hiking, rafting, kayaking, reading, and playing tennis. After her undergrad she hopes to work in environmental policy and environmental economics.
Megan is an undergraduate student studying exercise science from Oregon. She loves learning more about the environment, and ways that we can protect it. She is planning on becoming a physical therapist. In her spare time she enjoys go hiking, visit national parks, and play tennis.
Jansen Nipko is from West Jordan Utah and is an engaged student in the Environmental Science and Sustainability major. Since his freshman year at BYU, he has been working in the Aanderud lab, involved in projects with CoVid tracing in campus wastewater and microbial DNA extraction/analysis of arctic soil samples. He has spent the last two summers working under Dr. Ben Abbott in the frozen tundra of Northern Alaska doing research on Arctic river systems and photo-biodegradability of Arctic river carbon. Jansen loves backcountry skiing, singing to Broadway tunes, climbing, and watching rom-coms.
Baylie Nusink is an undergraduate studying Environmental Science. She currently studies how wildfires and rodents influence plant invasions in forest and desert ecosystems.
Phineas is an undergrad student from Salt Lake City, Utah. He is a pre-law student, studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. Phineas loves all outdoor activities especially skiing, rock climbing, and backpacking. Phineas is passionate about environmental issues and preserving our beautiful planet.
Harriet is an undergraduate student from Boise, Idaho studying Geography with an emphasis in Urban and Regional Planning. She looks forward to professional opportunities to advocate for sustainable development, but for now celebrates individual actions such as buying all of her clothes second-hand. In her free time, Harriet can be found outside hiking or playing ultimate frisbee.
Colin is an undergraduate studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. He spends way too much time climbing mountains and trying to ski down them. He loves trees, and all things nature, and hopes to have a career where he can learn about the processes of the natural world forever.
Allison is from Southern California and in her last year studying Environmental Science with a minor in International Development. She loves plants and would love to work in sustainable agriculture and food security. Her hobbies include crochet, cooking, playing basketball, and staring at ducks!
Valeria is a co-lab manager and is studying Environmental Science & Sustainability. She is an international student from Huancayo, Peru. Valeria loves learning about the environment and different peoples. She hopes to help people connect with nature, and would love to find ways to improve Peruvians’ life quality through environmental science research.
Ella is an undergrad student from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is studying Environmental Science & Sustainability with a minor in Business. Ella is interested in studying conservation and sustainability. Having grown up in the desert, water conservation is an issue close to her heart. Ella loves skiing, hiking, and generally being outside. She loves working in the field, and exploring the outdoors of Utah County.
Eduardo is a senior at the Marriott School of Business specializing in Global Supply Chain Management with a secondary focus on Environmental Science and Sustainability. Interested in the intersection of business and science, he plans to pursue a Juris Doctorate and an MBA.
Kirsten is an undergrad studying Mechanical Engineering. She wants to be a real scientist when she grows up. She enjoys biking as a mode of ‘long’ distance travel, rollerblading in random parking lots and/or along the provo river, playing with electronics and reading Brandon Sanderson or psychology books.
Katy is an undergrad studying Environmental science and minoring in Business and Urban and Regional Planning. She hopes to help cities and companies become more sustainable through planning and consulting. In her free time she likes to read books, play video games and cook. She hopes to make a difference by making the world a little bit better than it was before.
Nathan is an undergraduate from Rexburg, Idaho studying Environmental Science and Sustainability. He has a passion for outdoor recreation and helping others get involved in those types of activities (backcountrybasics.org). He cares deeply for the environment and hopes to help everyone to become better stewards of this beautiful world.
Elli is from Germany and a senior in Biochemistry. She enjoys hiking, backpacking, learning languages, and growing plants. In her free time she is also active in several sustainability initiatives and is very passionate about preserving the environment.
Megan is an undergraduate student at BYU studying Environmental Science and Sustainability with a minor in music. In the future, she hopes to work as a sustainability counselor and help large cities transition to renewable energy sources. She enjoys reading, drawing, sewing, cooking, making music, and anything to do with the outdoors.
Becky loves arranging vegetables on platters, watching waves crash on the shores of her hometown in California, and face-timing her family sprinkled throughout the United States. She studies the impact and meaning of art as an interdisciplinary Humanities major and is interested in works which deepen relationships with the environment; increase understanding and empathy; and build communities. She hopes she can do something to give back to our shared home.
I am an undergraduate student studying Bioinformatics and it's applications in biochemistry and microbiology. I am currently managing a project on the biosynthesis of high yield combustable fuel via anaerobic digestion of organic wastes.
Today we are faced with a challenge that calls for a shift in our thinking, so that humanity stops threatening its life-support system. We are called to assist the Earth to heal her wounds and in the process heal our own—indeed to embrace the whole of creation in all its diversity, beauty and wonder. Recognizing that sustainable development, democracy and peace are indivisible is an idea whose time has come
WANGARI MAATHAI
Environmental Science & Sustainability in the News
COVID-19 isn’t the only worldwide emergency affecting billions of people—climate change continues to threaten us with devastating implications. Here are some ways to help.
ESS undergraduate Natasha Griffin has presented at conferences in Europe, ridden in a helicopter and visited both the North and South Poles to figure out how humans are affecting the Earth.
We all know intuitively that polluted air isn't good for our bodies or communities, but just how much is air pollution costing us? ESS undergraduates and faculty led a statewide study to answer just that.
ESS PhD student Sara Sayedi wanted to use science to improve policy in her home country of Iran, but politics limited her work in the public arena. Now at BYU, she is influencing policy at a global scale.
Environmental degradation harms every individual by causing pervasive decline of life on Earth, but it doesn’t impact everyone to the same degree. ESS professor Ben Abbott shares three ways to improve your understanding on how environmental justice affects you and your community.
ESS professor Ben Abbott presents a new tool to fight nutrient pollution. Streams can be “sensors” of ecosystem health, allowing both improved water quality and food production.
If Utah’s quaking aspen appear to be quaking more than usual this summer, the trees have reason to tremble, says a Brigham Young University biologist. In dappled forests across the West, aspen trees are battling deadly killers from heat stroke to bud-nipping predators to tree “heart attacks.”
ESS professor Ben Abbott co-authored a study in Nature on the permafrost climate feedback. Working with an international team, he found that abrupt permafrost collapse could double carbon release.
A new study in Nature Geoscience led by ESS professor and students found that the global water cycle is incorrect even in modern papers and textbooks. 85% of diagrams show no people, despite human domination of water at a global scale.
Will we show up in the geologic record in millions of years? The Anthropocene suggests the answer is yes: collective human impact on the environment will leave a definitive mark in future bedrock.