2023 Fellows
Kappa Psi Upsilon Maine Based Environmental Studies Fellowships
Addison Davis '25 - Town of Brunswick
Addison spent the summer working on the Town of Brunswick’s climate and conservation initiatives, putting skills from environmental policy courses. Projects included monitoring Town-held conservation easements, developing a climate action survey, and interviewing local community leaders. The findings from the latter, incorporated with an analysis of infrastructural vulnerabilities, will inform the Town’s future actions on adapting to climate change. He also became familiar with many different municipal activities and departments, such as the Town Clerk, Assessing, and GIS Administration. Finally, in Climate Action Task Force and Conservation Commission meetings, he met and worked with various Brunswick residents.
"I spent the summer working on the Town of Brunswick’s climate and conservation initiatives, putting skills from my environmental policy classes into action. I was pleased to interview staff from six local organizations to form an assessment of Brunswick’s social vulnerabilities to climate change, such as food and housing insecurities. It was a unique experience to meet many different staff around Town Hall and presented many further opportunities for research."
Julia Bradley '25 - Bicycle Coalition of Maine
This summer Julia Kate worked with the advocacy team at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. She assisted with tracking 50 bills related to bicycle and pedestrian issues, as well as developing a legislative summary at the end of the session. Julia Kate conducted research to support Maine’s upcoming statewide e-bike rebate program. She also collaborated with the Bowdoin Sustainability Office to hold a Community-spokes training on campus. This event gathered various community stakeholders to promote bicycle and pedestrian safety in Brunswick, through a local advocacy standpoint.
"Working with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has been an amazing experience. It has grounded me in the importance of local advocacy to create meaningful change. From measuring delineators for a traffic calming demonstration, to researching e-bike rebate policies, the BCM team supported my learning through a variety of hands-on projects. I am grateful for the opportunity to combine my environmental and government interests and connect with the Maine community."
Neena Goldthwaite '24 - Growing to Give
Neena spent her summer working for Growing to Give, a non-profit organic farm that partners with local food pantries and other organizations to deliver high-quality produce to those in need. She mostly worked with the other interns, farm crew and volunteers on a variety of farm tasks such as planting, weeding and harvesting. For her independent project, she created her own experimental plots with corn, beans and squash, referred to as the “three sisters”, to incorporate indigenous growing practices and grow traditional varieties.
"This summer I had the pleasure of working with fellow Bowdoin students, volunteers and the wonderful farm crew at Growing to Give. I gained experience working on a small-scale organic farm and learned many sustainable methods such as no till farming and companion planting. I enjoyed taking part in a strong community network that increases access to nutritious and environmentally conscious produce."
Ilo Holdrige '25 - Bowdoin College Sustainability Office
Ilo spent the summer performing research for Bowdoin’s Sustainability Office under the supervision of Keisha Payson and Christina Honeycutt. He spent time meeting with professionals at other institutions and companies, reviewing project reports, and assessing the possibility of carrying out various innovative carbon offset projects at Bowdoin. Throughout this summer, he crafted a list of offset projects that he hopes to see the Bowdoin sustainability committee adopt in the coming months and years as they continue their journey to a carbon zero campus in 2042. Ilo hopes that this research will act as a springboard for many more offset projects that seek to involve not only the student body, but the entire Bowdoin community.
“This summer I had the opportunity to carry out research under the supervision of Keisha Payson, a long-time climate activist, and gain a valuable insight into the world of sustainability. I was able to meet and network with professionals from other universities, utility companies, consumer goods representatives and sustainably minded organizations. I hope to continue my work and research surrounding climate change throughout my remaining time at college and into the years beyond.”
Jillian Horton, 24 - Town of Bath
As a fellow in the Bath Sustainability Office, Jillian’s main project consisted of completing Bath’s greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory that will be incorporated into their 2023 Climate Action Plan. Completing this inventory consisted of collecting and calculating data from different sectors across the city to understand where GHG emissions are coming from. Jillian then presented these findings to Bath’s Climate Action Commission, along with recommendations and projection models for actions to take in order to meet the city’s emissions reduction goals. She then created a comprehensive infographic to convey this information to Bath residents and provided resources on individual actions they can take to help reduce emissions.
"My work with the City of Bath this summer was incredibly eye-opening and empowering as my projects have made a lasting impact and will be included in future sustainability work in the city. I was exposed to so many different types of work in the environmental sector, which allowed me to start thinking about what I want to do after Bowdoin. Everyone I met during my time in Bath was incredibly supportive of my projects and helped me make new connections and discover new passions of mine in sustainability."
Talia Mirel '24 - Coastal Enterprises, Inc., CEI
As a fellow with the policy team, Talia focused on a project that contributed to CEI’s understanding of the intersections between agriculture and solar energy in Maine, specifically how current policy affects farms, solar developers, and CEI’s work to support them. She gathered details about tensions and areas of convergence between these two priorities in order to inform future CEI positions on state policy. Talia also contributed to ongoing projects, particularly by updating the bill tracker for the 131st Maine Legislature First Session. She also attended meetings for coalitions of which CEI is a part, researched current net energy billing policy, and observed votes at the Maine State House.
“I truly value my experience working and learning as a policy fellow at CEI. I hold a deeper appreciation for how CEI’s lending, business advising, and policy advocacy work together to support individuals and communities. Learning about the network of people at CEI and across Maine dedicated to sustainable agriculture and a just transition to renewable energy helped me better understand the state as it is now and gain hope and vision for future paths toward these goals.”
Emma Olney '25 - Maine Coast Fishermen's Association
In placement with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, Emma Olney interviewed fishermen, lobstermen, and harvesters across the coast of Maine to record their personal connections to the water. She then paired these responses to archival materials on an interactive, publicly accessible GIS StoryMap to highlight the stewardship of fishermen amidst the environmental threat of warming in the Gulf of Maine, regulatory pressure on the industry, and social disruptions in working waterfront communities. She also researched ways to foster understanding between Brunswick residents and fishermen for an upcoming publication, as well as researched potential revisions to the federal Magnuson-Stevens Act.
“In working with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, I gained the opportunity to learn more about the local fishing community by speaking with the stewards themselves; in doing so, my respect, admiration, and appreciation for the industry grew immensely. These are some of the most thoughtful environmentalists I have ever encountered. Fishermen are community members who are civic-minded and fiercely passionate about their sustainability of their lifestyle. They truly wish to support the environment for generations to come—exactly the type of people we want fighting for our waters.”
Cooke Environmental Research Fellowships
Angela Delgado '25 - South Bay Cities Council of Governments' Environmental Services Center
With the Environmental Studies Cooke Fellowship, Angela was able to spend her summer working with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ Environmental Services Center. There, she spent lots of time conducting research and assisting their marketing team in preparation for the organization’s 20th-anniversary celebration. Her research focused on the use of solar power in Southern California’s South Bay Area, where she found links to decreases in usage and lower-income communities. Angela’s main duties with the marketing team consisted of writing reports on SBCCG’s achievements and managing the organization’s websites, list of contacts, and marketing materials managed by their partners in Los Angeles County.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ Environmental Services Center. I got to learn a lot about the community organizing side of environmental work, and I appreciated how the organization’s staff is very passionate about the resources they help provide. My experience with SBCCG strengthened many of my management skills in a way that related to my professional goals and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work so closely with people who specialize in sustainability."
Ashwini Sahasrabudhe '25 - Lyme Land Trust
Ashwini spent her summer as an intern with Lyme Land Trust in Lyme, Connecticut where she developed a method to assess the presence and severity of common invasive plant species on trail sides in forested preserves. This was a first-time survey of invasive plants for LLT, and the information she collected will inform the land trust’s plans for invasive plant management in the future. Ashwini also worked alongside LLT volunteers and staff, managing invasive plant infestations, clearing new trails, and fundraising, and she got a window into all the moving parts and amazing people that go into protecting land.
“After growing up near Lyme, it was a wonderful experience working with Lyme Land Trust and learning the details of how land I love becomes and stays preserved. My project this summer was an ideal intersection of my interests in environmental studies and biology. Along the way, I met many kind and dedicated volunteers and leaders who continuously strive to keep our natural areas safe, and I am grateful to be a part of the important work that they do.”
Logan Environmental Studies Fellowship
Owen Ratliff '25 - Logan Fellow with The Nature Conservancy of Maine
Owen was involved with projects spanning the entirety of The Nature Conservancy’s work in Maine. Around the office, Owen helped the Oceans team review comment letters for offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine and researched the historical origins of The Nature Conservancy’s preserve names. Owen also had the opportunity to put his writing skills to use on a grant report for the development team and a retrospective about the Outdoor Equity Fund. Outside of the office, Owen was fortunate to get a multi-day field experience on The Conservancy’s Leuthold Preserve, assisting the team with forestry and botany data collection.
"Working with The Nature Conservancy was an incredible experience! I enjoyed learning from knowledgeable and thoughtful colleagues, with a highlight being the opportunity to shadow the director of government relations at the state house. I gained new perspectives on many environmental issues in Maine, which I am looking forward to bringing back to my Bowdoin Environmental Studies classes. It was so rewarding to be involved in mission-oriented work, and I am so grateful for my time with The Nature Conservancy."
Poppy Environmental Fellowship
Connor Hovendon, '24 - Poppy Fellow, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust
As a Poppy fellow at the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Connor worked on a variety of the organization’s environmental conservation projects. In the office, he mapped trails on KELT preserves using GIS, developed a map of natural areas to help inform education programs, and built a webpage about hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive pest impacting Maine’s forests. Out in the field, he facilitated community water sampling projects and helped with saltmarsh restoration, including the placement of water level monitors to determine the extent of rehabilitation required. This work was instrumental in allowing KELT to advance on land management projects and also built a foundation for future community outreach.
“Working with the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust this summer was a wonderful experience. Not only did I get to build upon my interests in environmental conservation, but I was able to do so alongside an incredible group of passionate volunteers and staff! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with the KELT team and expand my skills and experience in conservation.”