UR&CI and the Sustainability institute at Ohio State welcome all undergraduate students to attend the “Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Sustainability Panel”. This hour-long event will feature a panel of four faculty affiliated with the Byrd Polar Rock Institute, Departments of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering and Integrated Systems Engineering, and the School of Environment and Natural Resources at Ohio State. Learn about their research experiences and come prepared to ask questions. Food will be provided. RSVP here to ensure enough food is ordered.
Dr. Melisa Diaz (School of Earth Sciences): My research interests are centered around the applications of geochemical techniques towards understanding physical systems and how biology and society interact with them. My primary research focus is the cryosphere, mainly the Antarctic (Transantarctic Mountains and McMurdo Dry Valleys) and the Arctic (Greenland), where I study the transport, cycling, and alteration of salts, nutrients, and atmospherically derived constituents. The goal is to understand the current and legacy effects of local and global change on resource-limited systems. I also study the intersection of urban geochemistry with environmental justice, social equity, and knowledge co-production. Much of my research involves both fieldwork and analytical lab work, though includes some statistical and geochemical modeling.
Dr. Daniel B. Gingerich: is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering and Integrated Systems Engineering and a core faculty member of the Sustainability Institute. At Ohio State, Dr. Gingerich leads the Knowledge for Water and Energy System Transitions (KWEST) Lab. He joined the faculty in January of 2020. Before coming to Ohio State, he was a Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education post-doctoral research fellow at the National Energy Technology Laboratory and a post-doctoral research associate at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Gingerich earned his Ph.D. in Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University.
Ellen Eilers: is the Environmental and Social Sustainability Lab Manager at the School of Environment and Natural Resources at The Ohio State University. She earned her Master’s degree in Environmental Social Science from the same institution in 2014. Following her studies, Ellen worked in the clean energy industry for organizations such as Ohio Advanced Energy Economy, Moms Clean Air Force, and AEP Energy, where she collaborated with stakeholders to drive policy changes and promoted community-based energy initiatives. During her most recent her role with Clean Fuels Ohio, Ellen created the Drive Electric Ohio program which is a statewide initiative dedicated to advancing the adoption of electric vehicles in Ohio.
After several successful years in the field, Ellen returned to Ohio State to lead the Environmental and Social Sustainability Lab. In this role, she manages a variety of research initiatives that address complex sustainability challenges. Under her guidance, the lab fosters collaboration among students, faculty, and industry partners and has helped produce impactful research that drives meaningful change within the university and the community. Ellen’s commitment to fostering a sustainable future is reflected in her work, and she is passionate about inspiring others to take action in the realm of environmental and social sustainability.