Kappa Psi Upsilon Maine Based Environmental Studies Fellowships
Addison Davis '25 - Town of Brunswick
Addison spent the summer working on the Town of Brunswick’s climate and conservation initiatives, putting skills from environmental policy courses. Projects included monitoring Town-held conservation easements, developing a climate action survey, and interviewing local community leaders. The findings from the latter, incorporated with an analysis of infrastructural vulnerabilities, will inform the Town’s future actions on adapting to climate change. He also became familiar with many different municipal activities and departments, such as the Town Clerk, Assessing, and GIS Administration. Finally, in Climate Action Task Force and Conservation Commission meetings, he met and worked with various Brunswick residents.
"I spent the summer working on the Town of Brunswick’s climate and conservation initiatives, putting skills from my environmental policy classes into action. I was pleased to interview staff from six local organizations to form an assessment of Brunswick’s social vulnerabilities to climate change, such as food and housing insecurities. It was a unique experience to meet many different staff around Town Hall and presented many further opportunities for research."
Julia Bradley '25 - Bicycle Coalition of Maine
This summer Julia Kate worked with the advocacy team at the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. She assisted with tracking 50 bills related to bicycle and pedestrian issues, as well as developing a legislative summary at the end of the session. Julia Kate conducted research to support Maine’s upcoming statewide e-bike rebate program. She also collaborated with the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Sustainability Office to hold a Community-spokes training on campus. This event gathered various community stakeholders to promote bicycle and pedestrian safety in Brunswick, through a local advocacy standpoint.
"Working with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has been an amazing experience. It has grounded me in the importance of local advocacy to create meaningful change. From measuring delineators for a traffic calming demonstration, to researching e-bike rebate policies, the BCM team supported my learning through a variety of hands-on projects. I am grateful for the opportunity to combine my environmental and government interests and connect with the Maine community."
Neena Goldthwaite '24 - Growing to Give
Neena spent her summer working for Growing to Give, a non-profit organic farm that partners with local food pantries and other organizations to deliver high-quality produce to those in need. She mostly worked with the other interns, farm crew and volunteers on a variety of farm tasks such as planting, weeding and harvesting. For her independent project, she created her own experimental plots with corn, beans and squash, referred to as the “three sisters”, to incorporate indigenous growing practices and grow traditional varieties.
"This summer I had the pleasure of working with fellow ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ students, volunteers and the wonderful farm crew at Growing to Give. I gained experience working on a small-scale organic farm and learned many sustainable methods such as no till farming and companion planting. I enjoyed taking part in a strong community network that increases access to nutritious and environmentally conscious produce."
Ilo Holdrige '25 - ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Sustainability Office
Ilo spent the summer performing research for ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s Sustainability Office under the supervision of Keisha Payson and Christina Honeycutt. He spent time meeting with professionals at other institutions and companies, reviewing project reports, and assessing the possibility of carrying out various innovative carbon offset projects at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ. Throughout this summer, he crafted a list of offset projects that he hopes to see the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ sustainability committee adopt in the coming months and years as they continue their journey to a carbon zero campus in 2042. Ilo hopes that this research will act as a springboard for many more offset projects that seek to involve not only the student body, but the entire ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ community.
“This summer I had the opportunity to carry out research under the supervision of Keisha Payson, a long-time climate activist, and gain a valuable insight into the world of sustainability. I was able to meet and network with professionals from other universities, utility companies, consumer goods representatives and sustainably minded organizations. I hope to continue my work and research surrounding climate change throughout my remaining time at college and into the years beyond.”
Jillian Horton, 24 - Town of Bath
As a fellow in the Bath Sustainability Office, Jillian’s main project consisted of completing Bath’s greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory that will be incorporated into their 2023 Climate Action Plan. Completing this inventory consisted of collecting and calculating data from different sectors across the city to understand where GHG emissions are coming from. Jillian then presented these findings to Bath’s Climate Action Commission, along with recommendations and projection models for actions to take in order to meet the city’s emissions reduction goals. She then created a comprehensive infographic to convey this information to Bath residents and provided resources on individual actions they can take to help reduce emissions.
"My work with the City of Bath this summer was incredibly eye-opening and empowering as my projects have made a lasting impact and will be included in future sustainability work in the city. I was exposed to so many different types of work in the environmental sector, which allowed me to start thinking about what I want to do after ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ. Everyone I met during my time in Bath was incredibly supportive of my projects and helped me make new connections and discover new passions of mine in sustainability."
Talia Mirel '24 - Coastal Enterprises, Inc., CEI
As a fellow with the policy team, Talia focused on a project that contributed to CEI’s understanding of the intersections between agriculture and solar energy in Maine, specifically how current policy affects farms, solar developers, and CEI’s work to support them. She gathered details about tensions and areas of convergence between these two priorities in order to inform future CEI positions on state policy. Talia also contributed to ongoing projects, particularly by updating the bill tracker for the 131st Maine Legislature First Session. She also attended meetings for coalitions of which CEI is a part, researched current net energy billing policy, and observed votes at the Maine State House.
“I truly value my experience working and learning as a policy fellow at CEI. I hold a deeper appreciation for how CEI’s lending, business advising, and policy advocacy work together to support individuals and communities. Learning about the network of people at CEI and across Maine dedicated to sustainable agriculture and a just transition to renewable energy helped me better understand the state as it is now and gain hope and vision for future paths toward these goals.”
Emma Olney '25 - Maine Coast Fishermen's Association
In placement with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, Emma Olney interviewed fishermen, lobstermen, and harvesters across the coast of Maine to record their personal connections to the water. She then paired these responses to archival materials on an interactive, publicly accessible GIS StoryMap to highlight the stewardship of fishermen amidst the environmental threat of warming in the Gulf of Maine, regulatory pressure on the industry, and social disruptions in working waterfront communities. She also researched ways to foster understanding between Brunswick residents and fishermen for an upcoming publication, as well as researched potential revisions to the federal Magnuson-Stevens Act.
“In working with the Maine Coast Fishermen’s Association, I gained the opportunity to learn more about the local fishing community by speaking with the stewards themselves; in doing so, my respect, admiration, and appreciation for the industry grew immensely. These are some of the most thoughtful environmentalists I have ever encountered. Fishermen are community members who are civic-minded and fiercely passionate about their sustainability of their lifestyle. They truly wish to support the environment for generations to come—exactly the type of people we want fighting for our waters.”
Cooke Environmental Research Fellowships
Angela Delgado '25 - South Bay Cities Council of Governments' Environmental Services Center
With the Environmental Studies Cooke Fellowship, Angela was able to spend her summer working with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ Environmental Services Center. There, she spent lots of time conducting research and assisting their marketing team in preparation for the organization’s 20th-anniversary celebration. Her research focused on the use of solar power in Southern California’s South Bay Area, where she found links to decreases in usage and lower-income communities. Angela’s main duties with the marketing team consisted of writing reports on SBCCG’s achievements and managing the organization’s websites, list of contacts, and marketing materials managed by their partners in Los Angeles County.
“I thoroughly enjoyed working with the South Bay Cities Council of Governments’ Environmental Services Center. I got to learn a lot about the community organizing side of environmental work, and I appreciated how the organization’s staff is very passionate about the resources they help provide. My experience with SBCCG strengthened many of my management skills in a way that related to my professional goals and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work so closely with people who specialize in sustainability."
Ashwini Sahasrabudhe '25 - Lyme Land Trust
Ashwini spent her summer as an intern with Lyme Land Trust in Lyme, Connecticut where she developed a method to assess the presence and severity of common invasive plant species on trail sides in forested preserves. This was a first-time survey of invasive plants for LLT, and the information she collected will inform the land trust’s plans for invasive plant management in the future. Ashwini also worked alongside LLT volunteers and staff, managing invasive plant infestations, clearing new trails, and fundraising, and she got a window into all the moving parts and amazing people that go into protecting land.
“After growing up near Lyme, it was a wonderful experience working with Lyme Land Trust and learning the details of how land I love becomes and stays preserved. My project this summer was an ideal intersection of my interests in environmental studies and biology. Along the way, I met many kind and dedicated volunteers and leaders who continuously strive to keep our natural areas safe, and I am grateful to be a part of the important work that they do.”
Logan Environmental Studies Fellowship
Owen Ratliff '25 - Logan Fellow with The Nature Conservancy of Maine
Owen was involved with projects spanning the entirety of The Nature Conservancy’s work in Maine. Around the office, Owen helped the Oceans team review comment letters for offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine and researched the historical origins of The Nature Conservancy’s preserve names. Owen also had the opportunity to put his writing skills to use on a grant report for the development team and a retrospective about the Outdoor Equity Fund. Outside of the office, Owen was fortunate to get a multi-day field experience on The Conservancy’s Leuthold Preserve, assisting the team with forestry and botany data collection.
"Working with The Nature Conservancy was an incredible experience! I enjoyed learning from knowledgeable and thoughtful colleagues, with a highlight being the opportunity to shadow the director of government relations at the state house. I gained new perspectives on many environmental issues in Maine, which I am looking forward to bringing back to my ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ Environmental Studies classes. It was so rewarding to be involved in mission-oriented work, and I am so grateful for my time with The Nature Conservancy."
Poppy Environmental Fellowship
Connor Hovendon, '24 - Poppy Fellow, Kennebec Estuary Land Trust
As a Poppy fellow at the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Connor worked on a variety of the organization’s environmental conservation projects. In the office, he mapped trails on KELT preserves using GIS, developed a map of natural areas to help inform education programs, and built a webpage about hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive pest impacting Maine’s forests. Out in the field, he facilitated community water sampling projects and helped with saltmarsh restoration, including the placement of water level monitors to determine the extent of rehabilitation required. This work was instrumental in allowing KELT to advance on land management projects and also built a foundation for future community outreach.
“Working with the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust this summer was a wonderful experience. Not only did I get to build upon my interests in environmental conservation, but I was able to do so alongside an incredible group of passionate volunteers and staff! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work with the KELT team and expand my skills and experience in conservation.
As a fellow with the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, Emma was involved in many aspects of the organization’s diverse work. She worked with the stewardship team to manage invasive plants, upkeep trails, and delineate property boundaries on KELT’s land. She collaborated with ArtVan to create an environmental education and art workshop for youth in the Bath area. And she spent several weeks developing protocols, creating educational materials, and setting up study sites for a new community science program that will monitor red-backed salamanders on KELT preserves. Emma worked with great people, supported important work, and gained experience that will inform her studies and work going forward.
During his time with the Topsham Planning office, Theo was exposed to many facets of municipal government and community planning through conversations across town departments, visiting local organizations, and meeting with town committees and other engaged town residents. His work included researching comparable impact fee policies, habitat mitigation policies, and electric vehicle charger experiences of other municipalities. His major focus was a survey of street trees, which focused on developed areas with limited trees and green space. This resulted in an interactive map of existing street trees and recommendations for street tree and green space plans.
This summer, Angus focused most of his time studying the future of offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine and how such development will impact Maine’s commercial fishing industry. He researched the effects of electromagnetic field exposure from subsea energy cables on benthic organisms to predict potential impacts of offshore wind development on Maine lobster populations. Angus also prepared a 15-page report for the executive director and board of MCFA regarding current and projected global installed offshore wind capacity. This report helps illustrate where offshore wind infrastructure is currently located, what technologies are being utilized, and what shifts to expect in the industry in the near future.
This summer, Leif learned about the role of community finance in supporting a just transition to a green economy while interning at CEI. With the lending team, he explored new ways to assess and incentivize sustainable business practices and grow green industries in rural communities. This included research and conversations on how to support farm borrowers employ regenerative methods to develop healthy soils. With the communications team, Leif developed a guide for communicating about CEI’s environmental and climate work that frames CEI’s role in supporting a just transition to renewable energy and a climate resilient local economy. With this guide, he helped shape grant applications and the new website update. Finally, with the policy team, Leif wrote feedback responding to the climate resiliency section of the notice of proposed rulemaking on the federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), originally passed in 1977. The new rule has the potential to direct more investments towards climate resilience in low- and moderate-income communities across the U.S.
As a summer fellow for Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust (BTLT), Jane supported the Land Trust’s Tom Settlemire Community Garden with numerous projects. This included assisting with work in the New Mainer’s Garden and collaborating to lead volunteer workdays at the Common Good Garden, a section of TSCG cultivated to be donated to MCHPP. She also completed extensive research on orchard management and compiled a maintenance plan for the TSCG orchard of peaches, apples, blueberries and raspberries. Additionally, Jane conducted interviews with many of the over 80 plot holders in the garden, compiling their stories into blog posts to share with the BTLT community. The connections she made at the Land Trust made her feel closer to Brunswick as a community, and advice from the surrounding gardeners allowed her to successfully cultivate her first season of crops in her own plot as a first-time gardener.
As a fellow for the Nature Conservancy, Audrey read through archaeological archives of TNC’s preserves, conducted legislative research in support of TNC’s policy work, and wrote part of a $20k grant which, if awarded, will help fund TNC’s seasonal staff. In addition to in-office work, she was also able to attend an in-person board meeting (followed by a boat ride at Maine Maritime museum), get out on preserves by participating in volunteer work days, tour the Portland Fish exchange as part of a development event introducing donors to TNC’s fisheries work, and attend a climate conference in Augusta.
Jill spent this past year working with The Farmlink Project, a student-run nonprofit, whose purpose is to provide humanitarian assistance to farmers and communities in need. Farmlink rescues surplus produce from farms and connects it to food relief organizations across the country. Jill stood as one of the leaders for the Fundraising Team this summer, where she acted more specifically as the Grants Team Lead. Her work helped The Farmlink Project continue its mission to connect farmers with millions of pounds of fresh produce that would otherwise go to waste, feeding people in need, reducing carbon emissions, and building a more sustainable future. This summer, Jill was responsible for overseeing everything fundraising-related and worked toward raising funds needed to support Farmlink’s operations. Mainly, as the Grants Team Lead, her role was to spearhead and oversee the application process to grant opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government agencies, as well as build and maintain relationships with grantmakers and foundation partners. 
During her summer at Growing to Give, Sophia joined an amazing network of people who are striving to make fresh and healthy produce accessible for everyone in Midcoast Maine. She worked alongside volunteers and staff to care for the crops and soil in accordance with regenerative agricultural practices, from planting seedlings all the way to harvesting and packing ripe vegetables for distribution. As an independent project, she surveyed Growing to Give’s recipient organizations to gather data about their food use and processing abilities, which will help inform future decisions about what produce to grow and where to send it in order to best serve the community’s needs.
As a summer intern at Unadilla Community Farm, an off-grid, nonprofit farm and education center located in West Edmeston, New York, Hayden was immersed in permaculture farming and the operations of a food bank farm. She worked alongside a wonderful team of fellow interns and staff to grow vibrant organic produce to be distributed to food banks and directly to the local community through the free and sliding scale veggie box program. In addition to hands-on time in the field, Hayden took classes taught by Unadilla staff and guest instructors on topics ranging from permaculture design to fundraising to conscious communication.
Katie spent the summer as an intern in the small town of Perugia, Italy through The Umbra Institute, an American university in partnership with the University of Perugia. Her mornings were spent in two beautiful community gardens within the historic city center, working alongside community members and a local immigrant organization to physically restore the gardens by building stairs, planting seeds, and growing vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, and eggplant. Outside of physical garden work, Katie designed an environmental education curriculum to integrate the local middle school into the Umbra Institute’s garden, Orto Sole. She also wrote an extensive report about community partners and future educational programs, updated an online StoryMap of the space, and planned the garden for the winter and following summer.
Through her work as a Poppy fellow, Jane worked on a variety of environmental policy projects with the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM). By conducting research on Wyman Station as well as oil power plants that have already been shut down, Jane was able to help NRCM determine the best practices for potentially starting a campaign to close Wyman Station. Jane also did work regarding Maine’s bottle bill by calling bottle redemption centers to inquire about pressing issues they faced and condensing spreadsheets to make this information more accessible. She was involved in several other projects, including working on NRCM’s 50 Champions of Clean Water nomination process, creating a document containing Susan Collins’ environmental voting records on clean energy, and gathering information from comments regarding Wolfden’s potential mining operations in Northern Maine.
financed emissions. The guidelines set by PACF or the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials was used to calculate the financed carbon emissions. Her role was to familiarize herself with the PCAF standards and collect the necessary data from CEI loan databases, PCAF emissions factor databases and external databases as needed. Once this data was collected, she then calculated the total financed carbon emissions for CEI's loan portfolios for the fiscal year 2020.
plethora of projects. Between helping with conservation easement monitoring or working on an inventory analysis of environmental features within Brunswick, every day brought something new and exciting. She worked largely on the start of a new project: the implementation of a wayfinding system within Brunswick. This involved using GIS to map bicycle routes, and points of interest in Brunswick to help visualize where signage can be improved. She collaborated with the surrounding towns, and the Brunswick Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee with a goal of creating a cohesive and easily accessible community within Maine. This work culminated in a public report and StoryMap suggesting how best to implement new signage within Brunswick to increase economic activity. 
produce for local people facing food insecurity. He learned organic farming practices and worked on a broad range of farm activities: from feeding and caring for goats, to eliminating tomato hookworms, to harvesting beautiful beets. Paul also assisted with a farm-scale research project of his own design, which will increase the yield and productivity of the farm. These projects included but were not limited to biochar application, companion planting, under-cropping, mycorrhizal fungi applications, low-till/ no-till methods, and biological pest control. Paul met lovely people, worked on a beautiful farm, and had a lot of fun.
agronomists to create a soil amendment guide for the farm. He also created a weekly Plant to Plate campaign post, involving photography and recipe testing. Finally, Kyle worked on the Mobile Farmer’s Market truck to supply produce to food-insecure residents at local affordable housing complexes. Kyle coupled this experience with working at a second farm, Cloverleaf Farm, supporting their Community Supported Agriculture programs.
She co-lead the Fundraising Team which raised over $6 million dollars since the organization’s inception one year ago and consists of 25 students. This summer, Maeve, and fellow ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ student Annie Boasberg, focused on designing and implementing an internal education program for their organization. Together, they researched topics related to food justice and racial equity, covering everything from how institutional and systemic racism creates an American food apartheid to how POC (people of color) farmers are reimagining urban agriculture. They disseminated resources and held conversations with people across the organization to provoke thought, discussions and create a more informed, actively anti-racist organization. 
communities from industrial logging. Working with a coalition of leaders from NC communities impacted by wood pellet facilities, she created tools for organizing and outreach, including a series of ‘Postcards from Polluted Places’. Brianna also took on a GIS mapping project incorporating justice and equity concerns into conservation choices by building a socially-conscious prioritization model. She also created a StoryMap supporting Dogwood’s organizing in Georgia and the Gulf South for presentation to legislators and community partners.
surplus food from farms across the country. She researched and collected sources to share each week under themes that included food justice and food sovereignty, BIPOC farmers and land ownership, queer farmers, and racial health disparities. All resources and ideas were shared in a Slack channel that employees had access to. Employers then shared their perspectives on the resources from that week in the fellows' open houses. Overall, the fellows intended to provoke thought and raise awareness within the organization about food justice to make FarmLink's work more intentional.
understanding to the present crisis. By researching a national trend banning single-family zoning to preserve affordability, Lola reviewed the effect zoning has on Portland's housing crisis. Lola was able to better understand the benefits of multi-family zoning following interviews with nine local housing, preservation, and planning organizations.
worked with the Freshwater team to write an annotated bibliography for a report on the benefits of river barrier removal to be shared with the European Open Rivers Programme and the European Union’s Directorate General for the Environment as they guide member states on methods they need to meet the 2030 goal for 25,000 newly connected kilometers of rivers in Europe. She was also involved in solar policy research on equity considerations for Maine’s solar development incentives and solar siting policies. Additionally, TNC provided opportunities for Amy to participate in meetings, webinars, and connect with her coworkers on a hike.
residents of a bikeable community, the equitability of making low-cost transit a practical option, or the power to mitigate climate change through offering transportation alternatives to get cars off the road, Katie connected deeply to BCM's work through the broader issues that she sees need solving in our world. As a passionate climate and social justice advocate, Katie worked on projects that ranged from creating a fact sheet to educate partner organizations on how biking, walking, and public transit are low/no carbon transportation options with the potential to mitigate climate change, to developing an independent research project to investigate how bike lanes and improved sidewalks can parallel gentrification. Finally, some of Katie's favorite work was participating in the hands-on, grassroots Imagine People Here (IPH) infrastructure projects within which driven residents from all over the state seek support from the BCM to install traffic-calming infrastructure.
Topsham for the consulting firm Stantec. The Topsham office focuses on environmental sciences and the commissioning of environmental projects, such as wind farms, within communities in Maine and across the country. As part of this role, Stantec performs acoustic bat surveys that monitor the presence of different bat species and the potential for bat fatalities at proposed wind farm locations. 
integrate the interests of its stakeholders to sustain Brunswick's department, Lauren Hickey (Class of 2020, Environmental Studies and History major), surveyed and mapped erosion in Mare Brook, updated coastal bluff maps for the Shoreline Stabilization Task Force, researched the feasibility of a bike share in the Brunswick-Topsham region, and monitored conservation easements. She even got a chance to present at a televised Conservation Commission meeting!
fishermen can be included in our local food systems. She focused on three main projects. The first was to trace Pollock and American Plaice from landing in Maine to people’s plates. We know little about where Maine fish, so integral to the identity of our state, end up. The second project was to look into ways that local farmers can find local fishmeal for fertilizer. The third project is to help other food councils include fishermen in the conversations. Fish are often overlooked in local food movements. 
Planning and Development Office assists the Planning Director and Assistant Planner with various projects concerning the future of the town, its residents, and its resources. This year, the focus was primarily on GIS map creation and data collection for the town to utilize in creating their ten-year comprehensive plan. The fellow is based out of the municipal offices in Topsham, but also spends time outdoors conducting surveys or in committee meetings getting to know residents and familiarizing themselves with the processes of local government.
Studies) spent her summer at the Natural Resources Council of Maine, the state's leading environmental advocacy organization. She worked on a diverse array of projects including legislative initiatives, solar energy constituency mobilization, evaluating congressional contribution data, and drafting advocacy articles. A July NRCM press release and media conference focused on the analysis she conducted of over 192,000 comments submitted on behalf of the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. These experiences gave her insight into how state and federal environmental policy can be crafted to sustainably manage and protect the environment.
Bay Area's local branch of the Sierra Club, which is the nation’s most powerful environmental grassroots organization. The San Francisco Bay Chapter is especially active and influential, tackling environmental issues through various campaigns. Ally worked on the Community Choice Energy campaign, specifically focusing on educational outreach to promote MCE Clean Energy in Contra Costa County. She also interviewed city council members who voted against MCE to gain insight into why their cities did not join so that the Bay Chapter can more effectively engage with these areas that have not prioritized the environment.
students to explore internships in the nonprofit sector or in other agencies that pertain specifically to issues of Environmental Justice. This fellowship allows students to accept an internship of their choice rather than one that is assigned. These nonprofits/agencies may focus on the intersection of the environment with race, class, and/or gender, and may be based in Maine or elsewhere. The Environmental Justice Fellowship provides a unique opportunity for students to explore careers pertaining to social justice and environmental studies in a focused, intentional manner.
Trust's Tom Settlemire Community Garden to research squash pests. Cucumber beetles in particular are a big problem in the community garden and interfere with growing food for the Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program. Mikayla's research studies whether planting various other crops (buckwheat, radishes, and nasturtium) in close proximity to squash can reduce the damage that cucumber beetles inflict. Although data are still being gathered, the results look promising and ideally this research will help the community garden grow food more easily while also adding some new crops to the mix!
pursue an independent research project on Maine's food system. Through her independent study last semester that focused on Maine's agricultural history, she was struck by a seeming paradox between the recent proliferation of small, local farms in Maine and ever increasing rates of food insecurity throughout the state. Her summer project sought to ask why this is the case. Why has an increase in local food production in Maine not led to a decrease in hunger, how are individuals and organizations in the state already working to bridge this gap, and what needs to change in Maine's food system for the local food movement to be one that both supports small farmers and the food insecure? To address these questions, Jamie spent the summer conducting interviews with farmers and people employed at various non-profits and organizations that work on issues of local food and food insecurity in Aroostook, Washington and Cumberland counties.
(Sustainable Ecological Aquaculture Network), which is a federally funded grant program designed to determine the potential for aquaculture development in the state of Maine. As a Bioregional Intern, Hugh created a white paper detailing the demographics, economic characteristics, and state of aquaculture development in the Casco Bay. This segment of Hug's work also required his contact with numerous aquaculture organizations and stakeholders. Hugh also engaged in independent research, using R and ArcGIS to spatially analyze media perceptions of aquaculture in conjunction with the work of other SEANET researchers.
Annie Glenn (Environmental Studies and Sociology major / History minor) interned at the Merrymeeting Food Council and Access Health in Brunswick, ME. “MFC is a collaborative network of farmers, non-profits, businesses, government, and individuals working together in Maine to advance a thriving, resilient food system throughout the Merrymeeting Bay region.” Annie’s primary project during her 10-week fellowship was to plan the logistics for an “Edible Street,” which will provide free edible produce in planters along streets in downtown Bath and at the Bath Housing Authority. Annie’s work also included working at the Farmer’s Market, gleaning, conducting interviews for the newsletter, grant writing and attending a multitude of fascinating meetings all revolving around different aspects of our food system. 
The Town of Brunswick’s Department of Planning and Development is responsible for guiding the growth and changes in Brunswick through comprehensive planning, zoning, development review, design review, natural resource regulations, and other permitting and enforcement responsibilities. As a fellow at the Town of Brunswick, Amanda (Environmental Studies and History major) was immersed in a wide range of planning activities such as Staff Development Review, televised Planning Board meetings, rewriting the Town’s zoning ordinance, interpreting and visualizing ordinances with maps and diagrams, monitoring conservation easements, and preparing maps for zoning purposes. Amanda also had the opportunity to self-direct a project for the Town in partnership with the Master Plan Implementation Committee conducting an updated parking audit of the downtown area and drafting new parking literature for the Town. The Town’s review of parking in Brunswick will continue in partnership with ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ through a Common Good Day project in the fall, surveying visitors to the downtown about their parking habits.
The Maine Coastal Program is a state agency administered by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry that distributes funds and manages projects to assess coastal change and the impacts on coastal communities and habitats. Ethan (Environmental Studies and History major) conducted research and investigation into Maine’s coastal salt marshes to prepare for the installation of monitoring devices next year that MCP hopes will provide insight on coastal change. Ethan also drafted a grant proposal to secure funding for essential monitoring equipment. Additionally, Ethan joined the Maine Coastal Mapping Initiative (launched by MCP) as one of their Marine Mammal and Avian Observers.
Ben's work at KELT mainly consisted of data collection and data entry for water quality and clam flat research projects as well disseminating that data to local communities. He also assisted with other KELT programs including teaching local youth about clam flats. His focal project for the summer was to research, design, and initiate a plankton characterization experiment for tidal waters over clam flats. He constructed and compiled the necessary materials and drafted protocols to begin testing. He also analyzed the initial data collected. The hope is to expand this project to include community volunteers from around the lower Kennebec. 
Maine Migrant Health Program (MMHP) is a federally-qualified health center based out of Augusta that provides health care and health services to Maine’s migrant and seasonal farm workers. The organization runs mobile clinics year-round at various agricultural labor camps all throughout the state of Maine. MMHP also has a strong Community Healthy Worker program that serves to ensure that the quality of healthcare they provide is culturally-appropriate. As a fellow at MMHP, April (Psychology and Environment Studies major) staffed many of the mobile clinics as an intake worker, registering patients for 2016 so that they could be seen on the medical unit during the season. Because many of the workers only speak their native-tongue, April served as a Spanish speaker for the program.
Emma Moesswilde ’18 (Environmental Studies and History major, Teaching minor) spent her summer with Maine Conservation Voters advocating for Maine’s environment. She worked with MCV on their annual Environmental Scorecard release and endorsement slates, two important legislative projects. Emma also conducted research on biomass energy in Maine and wrote for Maine newspapers to raise awareness about climate change. In addition, Emma assisted with political organizing in her home county of Waldo in preparation for the upcoming elections. Emma was privileged to attend the National League of Conservation Voters’ annual Lobby Day, where she participated in an organizing training and met with the Maine congressional delegation about environmental legislation. 
Coastal Enterprises, Inc. is a mission driven lender focusing on economic development in rural Maine and across the United States. As an intern for CEI, Jesse Newton (Mathematics and Environmental Studies) worked in their Natural Resources department researching and developing several projects to increase the productivity, diversity, and resilience of farmers and fisherman. Projects included a pilot study that grew five ethnic, or specialty produce items not currently grown commercially in Maine that target its unsaturated market for locally grown, culturally appropriate produce. He also worked on the early stage construction of a comprehensive climate change toolkit that would help farmers adapt to a changing climate.
Linnea Patterson (Biology and Environmental Studies major) interned this summer for the Sustainable Agriculture Program of Coastal Enterprises, Inc. CEI, a lender and investor specializing in rural economic development, recently launched a pilot project to supply Maine markets with locally grown ethnic, or specialty, crops. Linnea evaluated the market potential of the produce, designed a marketing plan, and conducted market research in order to establish a foundation for replication in Boston markets. She also developed business counseling tools and an interactive infographic for Maine’s farming community. These resources are pieces of a larger initiative to increase the resilience and decrease the vulnerability of farm businesses in the face of a changing climate.
The Maine Coast Fisherman’s Association is an industry-based non-profit that identifies and fosters ways to restore the fisheries of the Gulf of Maine and sustain Maine's fishing communities for future generations. As a fellow at MCFA, Stephanie (Environmental Studies and History major) worked on a variety of projects, from updating MCFA’s fishery primer, to helping produce an episode of the Dock Talk podcast, to attending a New England Fisheries Council meeting in Portland, and researching the history and importance of the Portland Fish Exchange. The New England Fisheries Management Council meeting gave Stephanie insight into the way in which fisheries management decisions are made, while site visits to the Portland Fish Exchange and seafood retailers in Portland showed her what happens “behind the scenes” in Maine’s seafood food system. 
This summer, Shannon Deveney (Environmental Studies and Economics major) interned at the Rhode Island’s chapter of The Nature Conservancy. TNC is a global non-profit that is dedicated to protecting and conserving land and water for current and future generations by engaging the young and inspiring a new generation of conservationists. Over this summer, Shannon has researched one of the growing green energy sectors: wind. She worked to uncover the environmental and economic impacts of historic windmills off the coast of Block Island, Rhode Island. She researched environmental impacts caused by both the construction and use of the wind farm and interviewed a multitude of people and businesses to uncover the economic impacts of this alternative energy. She accumulated the history of realties’ sales in order to decipher the statistical changes in house prices due to this historic operation.
In Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness region, Garrett English ’16 (Sociology-Environmental Studies) worked as the Maine Woods Initiative documentary photographer with the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). AMC’s Maine Woods Initiative (MWI) is an innovative strategy for land conservation that combines recreation, resource protection, sustainable forestry, and community partnerships. With the support of the Cooke Fellowship, Garrett was able to experience life on AMC property, photograph MWI events, and interview people who live, work, or recreate on AMC’s 70,000 acres of conserved land in the North Woods. In the upcoming year, Garrett will continue investigating the role of people in land conservation.
Brooke Goddard - Bicycle Coalition of Maine
Samantha (Government and Spanish major) interned with Maine Audubon’s Piping Plover Project and learned about the many aspects that go into protecting an endangered species – an incredibly complex and difficult process. Samantha worked alongside biologists in managing about twenty Maine beaches where Piping Plovers nest. The job included surveying, putting up and taking down fencing, and educating the public about the birds. She not only learned the logistics of managing elusive birds, but also effective ways of communicating with and educating a multitude of people.
Lu Miao - The Nature Conservancy
As a Psi Upsilon Sustainability Fellow, Jamie worked with the RUNA Foundation to research and promote sustainable agriculture development among native farmers in the Peruvian Amazon. The RUNA Foundation is a non-profit organization that creates new value for tropical rainforests while simultaneously improving the lively hoods of indigenous farmers. RUNA employs communities to grow guayusa tea in sustainable agroforestry systems-systems that discourage deforestation for monoculture plantations by giving value to native rainforests. They also support the creation of farmer cooperatives to strengthen local decision making processes, providing funds that communities invest in their own development. 
Eliza Huber-Weiss - Cooke Environmental Research
Dana Bloch - Cooke Environmental Research
To read more about Marisa's experience with National Audubon, see the 
This summer Madeline Davis '16 (Psychology and Environmental Studies major / Spanish minor) interned at the Environmental Health Strategy Center, a nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to examining the effects of toxic chemicals on the body and pressuring the chemical industry and retailers to phase out the use of such chemicals in products. The EHSC's 2014 campaign focuses on phthalates (pronounced thal-lates), a plasticising endocrine disrupter found in vinyl and cosmetics that has been linked to reproductive issues, birth defects, asthma, and much more. Currently companies don’t have to disclose if phthalates are in their products, so the EHSC is currently working to change that by fighting for the right to know what products are safe for families. In addition, EHSC has founded a sister organization called Prevent Harm that seeks to change environmental policy by electing responsible and dedicated representatives to office.
