Rachel is currently a PhD Candidate in Geographical Sciences and Flagship Fellow at the University of Maryland, College Park. Through her research, Rachel is exploring how climate change governance can better reflect the complex, non-linear and dynamic nature of social-ecological systems. In particular, her work focuses on the socio-economic applications of NASA carbon monitoring products to advance climate policy in the land-use sector.
As part of her professional development, Rachel has worked for numerous agencies and organizations, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, A Rocha Peru, National Socio-Ecological Synthesis Research Center (SESYNC), Society for Conservation Biology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During the summers, she teaches Environmental Law and Policy and Land Resources Policy at the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies in Michigan as an Assistant Professor. Prior to beginning this program, Rachel served as Y.E.C.A.’s National Organizer and Spokesperson and was a founding member of the Steering Committee, serving two years as Chair. She currently holds the position of Senior Advisor to the organization.
In 2015, Rachel was named a White House Champion of Change for her efforts in protecting our environment and communities from the effects of climate change. In 2018, Rachel was named a Harvey Fellow by the Mustard Seed Foundation.
Areas of Interest
- coupled human-natural systems
- climate change policy
- conservation and development
- carbon monitoring
Degrees
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Degree DetailsM.S. Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology, University of Maryland, College Park
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Degree DetailsM.P.P. Public Policy, University of Maryland, College Park
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Degree DetailsB.A. International Relations, Wheaton College (IL)
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Degree DetailsB.S. Environmental Studies, Wheaton College (IL)
Awards
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2019-05-10O.E. Baker Award for Outstanding Academic and Service Performance, Department of Geographical Sciences
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2019-05-10Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award, Department of Geographical Sciences
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2018-05-08Outstanding Graduate Student Government Assembly Member Award, University of Maryland, College Park
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2018-05-03Enlightening Talk Competition, 1st place, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences (BSOS), University of Maryland, College Park
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2018-04-13Best Student Presentation Award, 1st Place, Landscape Specialty Group, American Association of Geographers
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2018-02-13Harvey Fellowship, Mustard Seed Foundation
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2017-09-05SESYNC Graduate Student Research Fellowship (supported Graduate Pursuit 2017-2019)
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2016-08-28Behavioral and Social Sciences Dean's Fellowship, University of Maryland, College Park
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2016-08-28University of Maryland Flagship Fellowship
Conferences
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Annual Meeting - Poster Presentation
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American Geophysical Union (AGU), Annual Meeting - Paper Presentation
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Association for Forest Spatial Analysis Technologies (ForestSAT), Annual Meeting - Paper Presentation
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Sunbelt Conference of the International Network for Social Network Analysis - Paper Presentation, SESYNC Graduate Pursuit Research Team
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International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR), Annual Conference - Paper Presentation, SESYNC Graduate Pursuit Research Team
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American Association of Geographers (AAG), Annual Meeting - Paper Presentation
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American Association of Geographers (AAG), Middle Atlantic Division Meeting - Paper Presentation
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National Socio-Enviornmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC), Graduate Student Workshop on Socio-Environmental Synthesis - Participant
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Annual Meeting - Poster Presentation
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StateEx Officio Member, University System of Maryland Student Council
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CampusVice President of Government Affairs, Graduate Student Government (2018-Present)
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CampusMember, Society of Flagship Fellows and McNair Fellows (2016-Present)
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CampusGraduate Student Representative, Student Honor Council, Student Judiciary (2017-Present)
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CampusChair, Academic Affairs Committee, Graduate Student Government (2017-2018)
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CampusDepartmental Representative, Graduate Student Government (2016-2018)
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NationalSenior Editor, FERNS: The Graduate Journal on Environmental Stewardship (www.fernsjournal.com)
