Warda Ajaz completed her PhD in Public Policy at OSU in 2019. She went on to an Assistant Professor in the Department of Energy System Engineering at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. Her PhD research focused on the socio-technical transition toward microgrids and other decentralized energy systems.

Lauren Anderson graduated from OSU with a Master of Public Policy in 2015. Her area of study focused on energy and environmental policy. Her background is in the field of conservation biology and ecology. She is most interested in facilitating communication between scientists and policy makers, especially regarding environmental management. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, backpacking, and all other outdoorsy adventures. She went on to work for the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, DC.

Dylan Bugden graduated from OSU with a Master of Public Policy in 2014. He completed his PhD student at Cornell University in the Department of Natural Resources in 2019 and is now a faculty member in Sociology at Washington State University. His research and teaching interests center on the social movements and the social dimensions of energy use and development.

Lily Butler is from Eugene, Oregon, and studied Natural Resources and Sustainability at Oregon State. She first got interested in sustainability topics when volunteering for the Oregon Natural Desert Association as a teenager. She was also an outreach program assistant for OSU Materials Management and an ASOSU senator. She worked with Hilary on a project exploring community perceptions of microgrids. She went on to graduate studies and the University of Wisconsin.

Nicolette completed her master’s in environmental education at OSU with a focus in free-choice learning. She holds her bachelor’s in psychology and applied behavior analysis and has worked in the zoo and aquarium field for the last 15 years. As a result of her experiences conducting wildlife education presentations for visitors and utilizing behavioral principles to train animals, she became interested in understanding the role zoos and aquariums play in pro-environmental behavior change.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Emery completed her M.S. degree in the Forest Ecosystems and Society Program at Oregon State in 2020. Prior to joining the program, she helped establish the City of Flagstaff, Arizona’s Open Space Program, including working with stakeholder groups to acquire natural areas, develop management plans, establish natural resource policies, and implement infrastructure improvement projects. At OSU, Betsy’s research explored how people perceive risks and make decisions, with a specific focus on how people reason about the use of biotechnology to address forest health threats.

Sadaf Farooq hails from Pakistan and did her undergraduate work in Politics & International Relations. She earned her master’s in development studies from the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics. During her master’s, she worked with UNICEF on a project focused on Universal Birth Registration in Pakistan. For her PhD, Sadaf studied local government sustainability programs in rural Cascadia.

Paty Fernandez completed her Ph.D. in Public Policy at OSU in 2020. Her doctoral research explored the policy and institutional implications of the Water-Energy Nexus, specifically regarding transitions from traditional irrigation systems to integrated systems in the rural American West. Prior to coming to OSU, she earned a BA in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Public Administration and Public Policy from the School of Government (EGTP) of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. She also worked as a researcher at the Institute for Regional Development of the Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico), where her main areas of research were water governance and institutional capacity.

Courtney Flathers completed her Master of Public Policy at OSU in 2017. Her academic interests include rural policy, natural resources policy and marine policy. A native Oregonian, Courtney earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. After completing her undergraduate education she completed a year of AmeriCorps service working as a literacy tutor in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Before pursuing graduate school she also worked in the Oregon State Legislature for three years. At OSU, she conducted research with the support of NOAA and Oregon Sea Grant on demographic changes in the commercial fishing industry and impacts on community resilience. She worked with Hilary on the community reactions to extreme weather project. She went on to work as a field representative for Senator Merkley.

Maham completed her PhD in Public Policy at Oregon State University in 2023. As a Fulbright scholar, she examined resilience valuation in microgrid development. She completed her master’s degree in economics from the Government College University (Lahore, Pakistan) and has been working in academia and the private sector since 2013.

Brittany Gaustad graduated from OSU with a Master of Public Policy in 2015. She went on to become a research assistant at the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at North Caroline State University. Her research interests include environmental and energy policy, conserving energy through everyday behavior, social movements and the impacts of globalized commodities on environmental quality. While at OSU, she conducted research on perceptions of public participation processes in the siting of liquefied natural gas facilities in Astoria and Coos Bay, Oregon.

Leanne Giordono completed her PhD student in the School of Public Policy at OSU in 2018. Her graduate studies focused on the policy and governance changes related to employment services and supports for adults with intellectual and developmental disability. She received her MPA from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School (2000) and subsequently spent almost fifteen years conducting program evaluation and applied research for public agencies and non-profit organizations until her return to graduate school in 2014. She was a postdoctoral scholar at OSU, working with Hilary on the Smart & Connected Kids for Sustainable Energy Communities project. She went on to an Assistant Professor (Visiting Faculty) at the School of Planning, Public Policy & Management at the University of Oregon.

Jos Grandolfo enrolled in the Master of Public Policy program at OSU shortly after completing his BA in Sociology at SUNY New Paltz in 2012. At OSU, he participated in the International Comparative Rural Policy Studies summer institute in Bologna, Italy, and interned with a number of local agencies, including the City of Corvallis, League of Women Voters, and the Corvallis Environmental Center. His research assistantship on the USDA-funded project exploring renewable energy siting in the Western United States proved especially influential. This experience led to his essay on community response to wind farm siting proposals in Klickitat County, Washington, which he successfully defended in June 2015. His research interests include renewable energy policy, agricultural policy, and sustainable development, particularly in a rural context. Outside of the university, he enjoys gardening, cooking, and road trips.

Stephen Gunther completed his Masters of Public Policy at OSU in 2018. He received his Bachelor’s degree in political science from James Madison University. Prior to coming to OSU, he worked at a consulting firm in Washington, D.C., supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for nearly five years. He went on to work at the Center of Sustainable Energy in San Diego on issues related to distributed energy resources.

Alexis earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University. After working as a transportation engineer for one year, Alexis returned to NC State and earned a Master of Science in Biological & Agricultural Engineering. She then proceeded to work in Alaska for almost two years in both water resources and roadway engineering until she returned to North Carolina. After returning to her home state, she earned her Professional Engineering license and continued to work as a water resources and roadway engineer for seven more years. She earned her Master of Public Policy at Oregon  State University in 2021, concentrating in environmental and energy policy. Her essay examined the relation between religious beliefs and perceptions of climate change in the Pacific Northwest. She went on to a Hatfield Fellowship with Portland State University.

Anna Karmazina completed her Master of Public Policy at OSU in 2016 and her PhD in Public Policy at OSU in 2020. She was born and raised in Tomsk (a Russian city also known as the Siberian Athens, so called because of its numerous universities and huge student population). Anna was a research assistant for the OSU Policy Analysis Laboratory project “Renewable Energy Siting in the West” where she examined the main principles of stakeholder collaboration in the process of wind energy development. Away from the books, she enjoys listening to live music and exploring new places.

Anna Kelly is Director of Strategy and Innovation at SBW Consulting. She previously worked at Power TakeOff, Colorado Energy Office and The Cadmus Group. While a graduate student at OSU, Anna studied opposition to large scale renewable energy developments and hybrid energy systems.

Muhammad Aatir Khan was born and raised in the coastal city of Karachi, where he completed his undergraduate degree in Social Sciences and Liberal Arts from IBA, majoring in Political Science. During his final year, he started a research internship at the School Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, where he eventually joined as a Research and Development Coordinator after graduation. Working at the provincial education department has been the highlight of his career since it enabled him to better understand the issue of literacy and education in more nuanced ways. While it was overwhelming and frustrating to deal with the numerous issues related to bureaucracy, corruption, and poverty, it was also an amazing learning opportunity. Having developed a deep interest in education policy, he decided to pursue a master’s degree from SZABIST, where his research was focused on education in Sindh. He completed his PhD in Public Policy at Oregon State University under the Fulbright Foreign Student Program in 2022. His dissertation focused on educational reforms in Sindh, particularly looking at how policy priorities are set; how interventions are planned and implemented in the field; and how various stakeholders, primarily local and international developing partners, impact the entire process.

Jenna Knobloch graduated from OSU with a Master of Public Policy in 2016. Her research interests include environmental and climate change policy, particularly where they intersect with collaborative governance. Prior to coming to OSU, she earned a degree in Economics from Portland State University and was an AmeriCorps VISTA member at a financial education nonprofit. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, reading and brewing beer. She worked with Hilary on the community reactions to extreme weather project. She went on to a position as a forest program manager at Sustainable Northwest.

Matthew Mauriello was a postdoctoral scholar at Oregon State University and Stanford University. He contributed to the NSF-funded Smart & Connected Kids for Sustainable Energy Communities project. He graduated with a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Maryland. He went on to a faculty position at University of Delaware.

Heather Moline completed her Master of Public Policy at OSU in 2019. Her essay explored the perspectives of 4th and 5th graders in Fremont, California, and Corvallis, Oregon, on their household energy use as part of the Smart and Connected Kids for Sustainable Energy Communities Project. She went on to a position as an energy and environmental justice policy associate at the Northwest Energy Coalition.

Virginia Dee Montier-Burke, “Dee”, graduated from OSU with a Master of Natural Resources in 2023. She completed a BS in Marine Biology from Texas A&M in 2010. Prior to joining OSU, she worked as a contractor to NOAA as a North Pacific Groundfish observer, assigned to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. After four years at sea, she found a shore side job as a Water and Wastewater Laboratory Manager. In her spare time, she can be found hanging out with her dog, Tonks, or reading a good book.

Rachel Mooney graduated from University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire with her BSc in Chemistry where she conducted research on atmospheric and physical chemistry. She completed her Master of Public Policy degree in 2021, analyzing public perceptions of LNG export in the Pacific Northwest. She went on to a position as an Analytical Associate at the Climate Action Reserve.

Victoria Moreno completed her Master of Public Policy at Oregon State University in 2021. Her graduate research explored Dungeness crabbers’ perceptions of their ability to adapt to ocean acidification (OA) and other environmental stressors in Oregon. Victoria graduated in ’19 from the University of Richmond with her BSc in Environmental Studies and Anthropology, where she explored the intersectionality of environmental change in marine ecosystems and corresponding human effects within the coastal communities. When she is not working on her research, she enjoys cooking, reading, engaging with the community and exploring the Pacific Northwest with her Great Pyrenees puppy. She went on to a position as a Regional Engagement Fellow at COMPASS.

Mahmood Muttaqee completed his Ph.D. in Public Policy at Oregon State University in 2023. Hailing from Bangladesh, one of the countries worst affected by climate change, Mahmood developed a passion and zeal to acquire research capabilities in the field of environmental issues and sustainability. Before starting his Ph.D. at OSU, Mahmood completed two Masters, in Economics and Development Studies, and an undergraduate degree in Economics. His research interests center around the environmental problems that climate change is expediting and how to counter these impacts, particularly through the adoption of sustainable clean energy technologies. He worked with Hilary on a project exploring community perceptions of microgrids. After graduation, he became a postdoctoral scholar at University of Michigan.

Stephen Naimoli graduated from OSU with a Master of Public Policy in 2016. His chief interest is in energy policy, and he studied opposition to utility-scale wind power in Kittitas County, Washington. Before coming to OSU, he worked for various environmental groups on the East Coast. He went on to a research associate position in the energy and national security program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Viviana Oquendo is a Columbian Fulbright grantee. She completed her Ph.D. in Public Policy at Oregon State University. She worked as an MSc in Economic Sciences, supporting several areas of public policy, until her personal life unveiled her passion for peacebuilding and rural welfare. Her dissertation focused on how rural development can promote a culture of peace in countries that are overcoming civil war (such as her own home country). She acknowledges how public policy has influenced her life, so she wants to serve as a policy analyst for peacebuilding purposes.

Timothy Pape completed his PhD in the Environmental Sciences Department at OSU in 2023 researching the USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program in the Columbia River Basin. He received his MS in Environmental Policy: Energy and Sustainability from the University of Denver and his bachelor’s degree in philosophy: Ethics, Law, and Value Theory from USC. He went on to an Assistant Professor position at Bowling Green State University.

Brianna was born in the Appalachian Mountains of Pennsylvania but moved to the Pacific Northwest to complete her undergraduate degree. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Oregon State University. After receiving her degree, Brianna relocated back to Pennsylvania and began working as a teacher and starting an organic vegetable farm. She returned to Oregon State University and earned a Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Natural Resources. Brianna completed her Master of Public Policy degree in 2022, with a concentration in Sustainable Natural Resources. Her essay looked at the relationship between the many stakeholders and coalitions involved in Pennsylvania’s attempts to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Usman Siddiqi completed his PhD in Public Policy at Oregon State University as a Fulbright scholar. After his Bachelors, Masters, and MPhil in political science with distinctions, he taught at GC University Lahore, Pakistan, for about 10 years. Apart from teaching, he has served in various capacities including editor of the Journal of Political Science, deputy director of Centre of Excellence China Studies, advisor of Parliamentary Students Society, and focal person of various international conferences. In his PhD, he studied public perceptions of energy policy in the US. He worked with Hilary on research related to public adaptation and risk mitigation behaviors/policy support in the wake of extreme weather events. Upon graduate, he took a postdoctoral position at University of Bath.

Casey Taylor graduated in 2016 with a PhD in Environmental Science and Public Policy. Her dissertation examined the use of science in collaborative management efforts to conserve Sage Grouse populations in the West. Casey also worked with Dr. Boudet on a research project evaluating the response of local communities to large-scale renewable energy development in the West. Before arriving at OSU, Casey completed her MS in Conservation Biology and Applied Ecology at University of Michigan and spent several years working in field biology and environmental education. She is now a faculty member the University of Delaware.

Trang Tran graduated from OSU with a Master of Public Policy in 2015. While at OSU, Trang worked closely with Hilary on an Oregon Sea Grant-funded project examining public participation and community mobilization surrounding the siting of liquefied natural gas facilities in Astoria and Coos Bay, Oregon. She also coordinated community-based research projects at OSU’s Policy Analysis Laboratory. After OSU, she spent several years working at the Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage. She then began a PhD at UC Boulder. In her spare time, Trang loves traveling, hiking, reading and spending time in her kitchen. She completed her bachelor’s degree in International Studies at the University of Da Nang, Vietnam.

Hannah completed her studies at OSU in 2017 with three undergraduate degrees: Anthropology (Biocultural), Sociology, and Religious Studies. In 2015, she received an URSA U-Engage grant to study faculty diversity at American universities on the West Coast and was accepted into OSU’s Department of Anthropology Ethnographic Field School. She worked with Hilary on the community reactions to extreme weather project. Hannah is now pursuing a PhD in rural sociology at Pennsylvania State University.

Ika Widiyasari is a Master of Public Policy student at OSU. She received her Bachelor’s degree in economic statistics from the Institute of Statistics in Jakarta, Indonesia. Prior to coming to OSU, she worked in Indonesia’s Statistics Bureau for almost 7 years. This first-hand awareness of her home country’s impoverished social and economic conditions in remote areas prompted her to pursue a graduate degree in public policy with a focus on rural policy. She worked with Hilary on the community reactions to extreme weather project.

Chad Zanocco completed his PhD in Public Policy at OSU and has a MS in Agricultural and Resource Economics from University of California, Davis. Prior to completing his master’s, he served as an Americorps volunteer in northern California where he administered a small-business scholarship program for Arcata Economic Development Corporation. At OSU, he has explored alternative futures for coastal change and hazards through the Tillamook County Coastal Futures Project, an effort supported through NOAA’s Coastal and Ocean Climate Change Applications program. For his dissertation, he worked on the NSF-funded VISTAS project to develop visual analytics software to enable scientists to better understand and communicate about large and complex environmental problems spanning spatial and temporal scales. He worked with Hilary on projects related to public perceptions of unconventional oil and gas development, community reactions to extreme weather, and youth energy education programming. Upon graduation, he took a position as a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University in Civil and Environmental Engineering.