Master of Environmental Studies

Balancing work, life, and a passion for the environment

“I attribute my interest in the environment to growing up on an island and being mindful of the resource constraints of island living,” says Reshmi Nair (Master of Environmental Studies ’08). She’s originally from Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India in the Bay of Bengal. “The water, the land, everything is limited there,” she says. Her godfather ran a non-government organization (NGO) there that advocated for environmental protection and the rights of marginalized indigenous people, and, as a kid, Reshmi would work with him during the summers.

This multi-master’s degree student is ready to make a global impact

“My personal philosophy is ‘know more, do more, be more,’” says Zhao Liu (MES/ML/MS `25—expected). “I am constantly seeking to expand my knowledge and skill set, and I find that my enthusiasm and energy levels increase when I am engaged in activities that align with my interests.” As an undergraduate, Zhao pursued dual degrees from the Renmin University of China and the KEDGE Business School in France.

Field work at the intersection of ecology and technology

While Johannes Nelson (Master of Environmental Studies ’23—expected) worked as an elementary school teacher in Lebanon, Senegal, and the Dominican Republic, he taught multiple subjects—but he kept coming back to the environment. “A lot of what inspired me about teaching was environmentally focused. By the end of my time teaching, I found that everything was about the environment—even when it was only supposed to be about math,” he recalls.

Sarene Marshall

Sarene Marshall is the Chief Sustainability Officer for Galway Sustainable Capital (GSC), where she is responsible for evaluating environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) risks and impacts of Galway investments as well as measuring, reporting on, and improving sustainability performance of Galway’s portfolio. Before Galway, her career involved roles at the Inter-American Development Bank, Urban Land Institute, the Nature Conservancy, Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman), and World Wildlife Fund.

Matthew Lee

Matthew Lee works in the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights at US EPA, where he co-leads EJScreen, the agency's award-winning environmental justice screening and mapping tool. Matthew is a widely respected expert and leader in the intersection of mapping and environmental justice, and has advised in the creation and enhancement of several federal, state, and local EJ mapping tools. Matthew has 15 years of experience with EPA, including beginning his career in Region III, and has dedicated his entire career to mapping for environmental justice.

J. Anthony Sauder

Tony Sauder is a registered professional engineer and geologist with more than 30 years of experience in water resources, hydrogeology, and environmental engineering. His diverse experience includes evaluating water harvesting in semi-arid regions of central Africa; testing a high capacity public water supply well in New Jersey; and determining protective discharge limits based on low flows in a Pennsylvania stream.

Mitch Cron

Mitch Cron has a Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University and a Master of Science in Applied Geosciences from Penn. He has worked in the environmental industry since 1994, holding positions in the private sector and government. Mitch has taught earth science courses at area universities since 2014 and is currently an academic advisor and lecturer for the graduate geosciences program at Penn.

Maria-Antonia Andrews

Maria holds a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Rutgers University and a Master of Science in engineering geology from Drexel University. Maria's professional experience in the environmental field ranges from applications of analytical soil and water chemistry to multiple facets of environmental consulting. Her focus of interest has been the behavior and interaction of inorganic and organic pollutants in the environment. Maria has been teaching at Penn since 2002 and is currently the Associate Director for Undergraduate Programs in Earth & Environmental Science.

Making connections and improving communities

 “My goal was a job in the environmental science field with ‘scientist’ in the title,” quips Rupika Ketu (Master of Environmental Studies ’21) on her motivation to pursue a master’s degree. After earning her bachelor’s in Environmental Policy, Institutions, and Behavior from Rutgers University, she started her career as a policy advocate at the Clean Air Council in Philadelphia, protecting waterways from natural gas pipeline construction.

Subscribe to Master of Environmental Studies
Penn LPS

The lifelong learning division of Penn Arts & Sciences

3440 Market Street, Suite 100
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3335

(215) 898-7326
lps@sas.upenn.edu

© 2024 College of Liberal and Professional Studies at The University of Pennsylvania