Volume 7, Issue 1 Writers
Sophia Beem
is a junior from Springfield, Ill., studying Creative Writing and Global Studies with a minor in German. She is pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing and is a Communications Intern for iSEE. Sophia is involved with campus environmental organizing as the Media Officer of Students for Environmental Concerns and the Editor-in-Chief of the Green Observer.
Julianna Gerdes
graduated from the University of Illinois in May 2024 with a B.S. in Integrative Biology and a minor in Conservation Biology and Ecology, as well as the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She now works as an environmental educator at Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, and continues to write in her free time.
Vivian La
graduated in May 2024 with a B.S. in Journalism. She is a multimedia journalist interested in the intersection of environment and equity. Her work has been published in The Daily Illini, Illinois Public Media, the Chicago Tribune, and Science magazine.
Gabe Lareau
graduated from the University of Illinois with his B.A. in English in May 2024. Originally from Moline, Ill., Gabe currently works as a Communications Associate at iSEE and as a freelance writer.
Ren Lashley
graduated from the University of Illinois with a double major in English and Sociocultural Anthropology, spending much of their time dedicated to the environmental humanities. They also received certificates in Environmental Writing and Museum Studies. They are currently employed at the Museum of the Grand Prairie in Mahomet, Ill., and intend to pursue their master’s in library science and history at the University of Illinois in the spring.
Sara Merkelz
is a first-year Entomology M.S. Student from Sleepy Hollow, Ill. She graduated from Illinois in December 2023 with a B.S. in Integrative Biology and a minor in Conservation Biology. She is currently researching the applications of pollinator environmental DNA, working on several projects including using eDNA to shed light on insect pollination of the cloudberry in Alaska.
Anjali Yedavalli
is a senior studying Integrative Biology and minoring in Public Health and Chemistry. She is a Communications Intern for iSEE and is heavily involved in public health and bioethics research on and off campus. Anjali is also the President of a competitive a cappella group, the Illinois Rip Chords. After graduation, she hopes to attend graduate school for public health and epidemiology.
Volume 6 Writers
Lucca Ammann
graduated from the U of I in May 2023 with a B.S. in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability, and a minor in Urban Planning. She is from the Chicagoland area, where she has begun a year of service with AmeriCorps. She hopes to continue her career in the environmental nonprofit field.
Helen Anil
is a student studying Economics and Environmental Science with a minor in Informatics and will graduate May 2025. She has been a part of iSEE where she served as a part of the iCAP Resilience team. She has also been a part of Enactus, a 501c3 social entrepreneurship organization since her freshman year. Post graduation she hopes to work helping businesses invest in sustainability.
Levi Beckett
completed his Bachelor of Science in media and cinema studies with a minor in political science in December 2023. While an undergrad, he was an active member of ecological restoration RSO Red Bison and a marketing intern with the University of Illinois Foundation. He is passionate about conservation and currently seeks a career in non-profit communication. He maintains a website at lkbeckett25.wixsite.com/levi-beckett.
Abby Culloton
is a recent U of I graduate from Bartlett, Ill. She completed her B.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering in December 2023 and earned the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She now works at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Rock Island, Ill. as a Hydraulic Engineer where she works on flood management and ecosystem restoration projects on the Mississippi River.
Olivia Grubisich
is a two-time U of I graduatefrom New Lenox, Ill. She completed her M.S. in Journalism in August 2023, and before that earned her B.S. in Chemistry. She now works as a Communications Specialist with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the U of I.
Gabe Lareau
is a senior from Moline, Ill., studying English with a concentration in Literature and Science, and is pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing. Gabe also works as a Communications Intern for iSEE, has blogged for Let’s Move Quad Cities, and has successfully advocated for a $30,000 grant World Bicycle Relief in “The Project for Awesome.” He hopes to join the Peace Corps after graduation.
Erin Minor
is Q Magazine’s Volume 6 Student Editor. From Urbana, Ill., she is a senior double-majoring in Political Science and Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability. She is pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing and is a Communications Intern with iSEE.
Jenna Schaefer
is a U of I graduate and a first-year M.S. student from St. Joseph, Ill. She studies Agricultural & Applied Economics with a concentration in Environmental & Natural Resources Economics. She also acts as Assistant Campus Sustainability Programs Coordinator at iSEE.
Matt Troher
graduated from the University of Illinois in May 2023 with a B.A in English and a B.S. in Journalism. He lives in Westmont while reading, writing, running, and working as a due diligence analyst in Chicago.
Sakshi Vaya
is a senior from India, majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability. She is also pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing, and is a part of the Environmental Leadership Program, as well as the Global Leaders Program. She is currently a Zero Waste Intern at F&S, and after graduating in May 2024, will devote herself to Jeevatva, a waste management startup based in India.
Rachel Weingart
completed her B.S. in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and received the Certificate in Environmental Writing in May 2023. Rachel currently works as an Environmental Laboratory Technician in the Organics Extraction department of an analytical chemistry laboratory.
Volume 5 Writers
Eva Bein
is from Wheaton, Ill., and will graduate in May 2023. She is majoring in Earth, Society and Environmental Sustainability and minoring in both Business and Journalism. She is excited to job search in the realm of business with a heavy emphasis in sustainability or environmental writing.
Lauren Brunk
is a senior from Grayslake, Ill., majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences (NRES) with a concentration in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, minoring in Integrative Biology, and pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is conducting research with NRES Adjunct Professor Jinelle Sperry, using eDNA and camera traps to study endangered and cryptic species, and NRES Professor Mike Ward, using radio transmitters to study owl migration. She is considering graduate school programs in wildlife biology.
Abby Culloton
is a senior from Bartlett, Ill., studying Civil & Environmental Engineering and a recipient of the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is passionate about both engineering and environmental sciences and hopes to bridge these two fields to work in habitat restoration and stream ecology. Outside of classes, she is the secretary of the Society of Women Engineers on campus and interns with Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant.
Olivia Grubisich
is a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign graduate from New Lenox, Ill. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in May 2022 and is currently enrolled in the U of I’s M.S. Journalism program. She also works as a Content Writing Intern for the Office of Communication for Enrollment Management on campus.
Zoe Huspen
is a senior from Downers Grove, Ill., majoring in Environmental Sustainability, minoring in Political Science, and a recipient of the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is Vice President of Students for Environmental Concerns and also works as the Greener Campus Programs / Campus Sustainability Intern at iSEE. She hopes to become a sustainability coordinator upon graduating.
Laila Ismail
is a junior double-majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and Geography & GIS. She also has a minor in Natural Resource Conservation. She is passionate about water conservation as well as social justice. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in water conservation projects.
Gabe Lareau
is a junior from Moline, Ill., studying English with a concentration in Literature and Science, and is pursuing a Certificate in Environmental Writing. Additionally, Gabe works as a Communications Intern for iSEE. Gabe has blogged for Let’s Move Quad Cities and was their “Bike-to-Work Week” writer in 2021. He also successfully advocated for World Bicycle Relief in “The Project for Awesome,” winning WBR a $30,000 grant.
Faith Maranion
is a senior from South Elgin, Ill. She studies Civil & Environmental Engineering and is currently studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark. Upon graduating, she is interested in working in the field of drinking water treatment.
Julia Marsaglia
graduated in 2022 with a degree in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and minors in English and Chemistry. She’s originally from Normal, Ill., but has moved to Arizona to be a Watershed Technician for the Coconino National Forest through the American Conservation Experience’s Emerging Professionals in Conservation (EPIC) program.
Lily Reynolds
is a senior majoring in Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. She is passionate about pollinators and birds and hopes to work with them further as a field technician before applying to graduate school programs in the realm of Wildlife Conservation.
Tori Ruzzier
is from Libertyville, Ill. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in August 2022 with a degree in Communications, as well as the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is moving to Minneapolis to pursue a career in writing.
Sydney Sadler
is a senior majoring in English and pursuing a certification in Secondary Education, an endorsement in Teaching English as a Second Language, and the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is writing an English Honors thesis about 19th-century nature poetry and hopes to teach high school English after graduation.
Tyler Swanson
is a senior from Pecatonica, Ill. He studies Agricultural & Consumer Economics with a concentration in Environmental Economics & Policy. He is minoring in the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows Program and Urban Planning. Upon graduating, he hopes to pursue a career in academia.
Momo Wang
graduated from the U of I in May 2022 with a B.S. in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability. She lives in California, where she works as a performing violinist, music teacher, and scriptwriter.
Rachel Weingart
is Q Magazine‘s Volume 5 Student Editor. She is a senior majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability, with minors in Spanish and Political Science. She is also pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing.
Volume 4 Writers
Erinn Dady
is a senior majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability. After graduating in May 2022, she will pursue a graduate program in Ecology and Entomology. Through her undergraduate research in Entomology Assistant Professor Esther Ngumbi’s lab, Erinn is enthusiastic about improving food systems by helping farmers boost their crops’ defenses against insect herbivory.
Grace Finnell-Gudwien
is a senior studying Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability with a minor in Ecology and Conservation Biology and certificates in Geographic Information Sciences and Environmental Writing. She is currently applying to graduate school and plans to pursue a master’s in Environmental Journalism.
Olivia Grubisich
is a senior from New Lenox, Ill. She studies chemistry and English, and she is pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She also works as a Content Writing Intern for the Office of Communication for Enrollment Management at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Jane Halloran
is from South Elgin, Ill. She graduated from the University of Illinois in August 2021 with a B.S. in Agricultural & Biological Engineering. She previously worked as a Research Assistant studying clay mineralogy and imaging with Research Assistant Professor Jorge Guzman. She is interested in working on a small farm or a nonprofit in the future.
Miranda Johnson
graduated in May 2021 with a degree in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability, as well as the Certificate in Environmental Writing and a minor in Business. She is originally from Aurora, Ill., but has since moved to Seattle after graduation. She started working as a STEM Coordinator at the Institute for Systems Biology in September, and she hopes to continue her career in environmental nonprofit work in the future.
Maria Maring
is Q Magazine’s Volume 4 Student Editor. A senior from Carbondale, Ill., she is double-majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and Spanish, with a minor in National Resource Conservation. She is also an iSEE Communications Intern.
Kalyn Nowlan
is from Champaign-Urbana, Ill. She graduated from the University of Illinois in May 2021 with a B.A. in English Literature and the Certificate in Environmental Writing, and is now working on her Master’s of Library and Information Science at the iSchool. She hopes to pursue a career in academic librarianship with a research focus in sustainability.
Zara Nyhus
is from Peoria, Ill. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in December 2021 with a B.A. in English Literature and the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is currently applying for various environmental writing graduate programs in hopes of pursuing a career in journalism.
Nikki Palella
is a junior from Long Grove, Ill. She is majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability with minors in Geography & Geographic Information Science and Natural Resource Conservation. On graduation, she hopes to do nonprofit or governmental work to address the climate crisis.
Nicolas Ramkumar
is a sophomore from Champaign, Ill. He is double-majoring in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and Economics. He is also pursuing a minor through iSEE’s Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows Program.
Andy Sima
is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois, with bachelor’s degrees in Environmental Sustainability and Creative Writing. He currently lives in Minneapolis and is working on an endangered species book for children. He runs a blog at www.owlmanandy.com, and is also looking for an agent to represent him.
Tyler Swanson
is a junior from Pecatonica, Ill. He studies Agricultural & Consumer Economics with a concentration in Environmental Economics & Policy. He is minoring in the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows Program and Urban Planning. Upon graduating, Tyler hopes to pursue a career studying energy policy.
Kratika Tandon
is a sophomore from Peoria, Ill., and is a Communications Intern at iSEE. She is studying Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences (NRES) with a concentration in Human Dimensions of the Environment. She is also pursuing a minor in Political Science and plans to attend law school after graduation.
Kayla Vittore
is from Belvidere, Ill. She is a senior studying Plant Biotechnology and currently works at the Sarah Refi-Hind Lab investigating vegetable pathology. Starting Fall 2022 she will be pursuing a Ph.D. in the Crop Sciences Department under Professor DoKyoung Lee, researching the use of perennial grasses as feedstock for industrial application.
Volume 3 Writers
Lindsay Albright
is from Columbia, Md. She graduated with a degree in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and received a minor in Creative Writing and the Certificate in Environmental Writing.
Anneli Cers
is from Chicago, Ill. She studies Natural Resources & Environmental Sciences with a minor in Environmental Law & Economics. She plans to pursue a J.D. in environmental law.
Shelby Cheyenne Job
is from Fayetteville, Ga. She graduated with a B.A. in English and B.S. in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability. She currently works as an Events & Programming Assistant for the University of Illinois Research Park.
Jennifer Coronel
is from Cicero, Ill. She graduated in December 2020 with a B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and minors in Business and the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows Program (SEE FP). She will attend Northwestern University beginning in Fall 2021 to obtain her M.S. in Energy and Sustainability within the McCormick School of Engineering.
Peter Davis
is a junior from Naperville, Ill. He is pursuing a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and is active in the Illinois Solar Decathlon as well as the Energy Sustainability Working Advisory Team. He is interested in pursuing solutions to sustainably meet increasing global energy demands.
Sarah Gediman
is a senior from Wilmette, Ill. She is majoring in History and Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability, and hopes to pursue doctoral study in the history of climate science. She serves as the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 Student Editor for Q Magazine.
Brandon Hausser
grew up in the U.S. and Europe. He is a recent graduate of the University of Illinois with a degree in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability, and received the Certificate in Environmental Writing and a minor in Urban and Regional Planning. He hopes to work in environmental preservation and conservation.
Gwenna Heidkamp
is from Riverwoods, Ill. She graduated in May 2020 with a B.S. in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and received the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is currently working at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center in Research Park.
Maria Maring
is a junior from Carbondale, Ill. She studies Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability and Spanish — and is pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She is a Communications Intern at iSEE.
Jonah Messinger
will graduate in May 2021 with an M.Eng. in Engineering in Energy Systems, a B.S. in Engineering Physics, and a minor in the Hoeft Technology and Management Program. Most recently, he was a research assistant to Dr. Varun Sivaram at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy and an undergraduate researcher studying gammavoltaics in Professor Lin Jian Meng’s research group.
Nicole Pinsky
is from Park Ridge, Ill., and graduated in May 2020 with a B.S. in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability with a minor in Public Relations and the Certificate in Environmental Writing. She recently began working in a human resources role for W.W. Grainger, an industrial supply company in Lake Forest, Ill., and hopes to move into the company’s sustainability division.
Joshua Reed
is from Lemont, Ill. He graduated in May 2020 with a B.S. in English as well as the Certificate in Environmental Writing. He plans to pursue a law degree in Chicago.
Andy Sima
studies Environmental Sustainability and Creative Writing at Illinois, where he will graduate in May 2021. He plans for a career as a writer or with the National Parks System. Currently, he is applying for graduate school in Geographic Information Sciences and is looking for an agent to represent his novel. He maintains a blog at owlmanandy.com.
Brooke Witkins
is from Cary, Ill., and graduated with a degree in Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability as well as a certificate in GIS and the Certificate in Environmental Writing. Her future plans include relocating to Utah and working in restoration.
Volume 2 Writers
Zachary Fishman
is from Park Ridge, Ill. He is a 2019 graduate in Engineering Physics and is now pursuing an M.S. in Science Journalism at Northwestern University. While at Illinois, he contributed to The Daily Illini and The Green Observer.
Gwenna Heidkamp
is from Riverwoods, Ill. She will graduate from the U of I in May 2020 with a B.S. in Earth, Society & Environmental Sustainability (ESES), as well as the Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW). In her future career, she aspires to help mobilize change for a more sustainable world. She is currently serving as the Greener Campus Programs Intern for iSEE.
Vivienne Henning
is from Oak Park, Ill. She is a May 2019 Illinois graduate with a B.A. in English, earning a high distinction for her honors thesis. She also completed the Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW). Since graduation, she has been working at a nonprofit organization and pursuing a publishing career in Chicago.
Carly Hopkins
is from Marion, Ill. She is a senior in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Human Dimensions of the Environment. She works as a research assistant for the Miller Research Group on campus. After graduation, she plans to study environmental law with a view to a career in environmental policy.
Taylor Jennings
is from the St. Louis area. She received a B.A. in English and a B.S. in Global Studies from the U of I in May 2019. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Journalism at New York University.
Jenna Kurtzweil
is from Inverness, Ill. She received a B.A. in English and earned the CEW in May 2019. In 2018-19, she served as a Communications Intern at iSEE as well as the Q Magazine Student Editor for Volume 2, Issue 1. In September 2019, iSEE hired her as a Communications Specialist.
Maria Maring
is a sophomore from Carbondale, Ill. She studies Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability (ESES) and Spanish — and is pursuing the Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW). She is currently a Communications Intern with iSEE.
Nidhi Shastri
is from Hoffman Estates, Ill. She received her B.S. in Earth, Society & Environmental Sustainability and Political Science in May 2019. She earned the Certificate in Environmental Writing and hopes to go into the field of environmental policy and communication.
Charlee Thompson
is from Edwardsville, Ill. She will graduate in May 2020 with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Sustainability, Energy, and Environment. She will continue to earn an M.P.A in Environmental Policy at the University of Washington. While at Illinois, Charlee participated in the Society of Women Engineers and Illinois Student Government.
Amber Volmer
is from Cincinnati, Ohio. She received her B.S. in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering in May 2019, and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Engineering.
Haley Ware
is from Elk Grove Village, Ill. She is a senior in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, and works as a lab and field assistant with the Leverhulme Centre for Climate Change Mitigation Project. She aspires to influence U.S. environmental and climate policy after graduation.
April Wendling
is from Darien, Ill. She graduated in May 2019 with a B.S. in Earth, Society & Environmental Sustainability and Geography. She is a Communications Intern for iSEE and serves as the Student Editor for QII.ii.
Volume 1 Writers
Anita Clifton
grew up in Southern Illinois. After completing a B.S. in Political Science and a B.A. in Secondary Education from Southern Illinois University, she is completing her Ph.D. in English/Writing at the University of Illinois.
Mark Healy
is from St. Charles, Ill. He is a 2018 Illinois graduate in Civil and Environmental Engineering and now works as an environmental engineering consultant for Trotter and Associates Inc. in Chicago.
Lisen Holmström
was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and received her M.S. degree in Landscape Ecology from the University of Illinois in May 2018.
Clarissa Ihssen
is from Woodstock, Ill. She received her B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences in May 2019, and aspires to pursue a graduate degree in Library and Information Science.
Taylor Jennings
Emily Luce
is from the northern suburbs of Chicago. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the University of Illinois in 2018 and plans to live and work in New Zealand.
David Marcus
received a B.A. in English in May 2019 and is a Web Developer at the Spurlock Museum on the University of Illinois’ campus. Marcus strives to use the power of writing to make this Earth a kinder and more compassionate place.
Laura Schultz
is from Shorewood, Ill., and interned at iSEE. She graduated in May 2018 with a B.S. in Environmental Sustainability and a minor in Integrative Biology. She is pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Journalism at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Mallory Shaw
lives in Bloomington, Ill. with her husband and 6-year old son. She’s a senior Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences major concentrating in fish and wildlife conservation. Her career (and life) goals are to restore and protect wetlands — and the wildlife dependent on them.
Melissa Wagner
is from Chicago. She is a 2018 graduate from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a bachelor’s degree in News-Editorial Journalism and a minor in Public Relations. She is pursuing a career in public relations with a focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Katie Watson
is from Oswego, Ill. She is a 2018 University of Illinois graduate, and one of the first recipients of the CEW. She currently works as a Digital Content Specialist in Illinois’ Public Affairs.