Welcome to: Climate Resilience and Transformations Group 

Ruth is a Master of Analytical Finance Candidate at Emory University, holding a Bachelor's honor degree in Accounting. Prior to pursuing her masters degree, she worked as a sales and trading analyst at Bank of America, where she covered various institutional investors and got exposed to the sustainable finance space. Ruth research centers around quantifying company specific environmental, social, and governmental factors to help individual investors make a more informed investment decision. She is currently working on building a second sustainable finance dashboard that effectively tracks financial instruments that aligns with various ESG/ corporate social responsibility matrices. She enjoys staying active by playing tennis and spending time at the gym.

Research Interests: Climate impact quantification, Corporate Social Responsibilities, ESG disclosure standardization, Climate risk financial materiality, Biodiversity, Renewable energy sources, Greenhouse gas emissions, and Waste management.

Willow Newcomb is a master's student at Emory University where she is studying International Development Practice with a concentration in Sustainable Environment and Livelihoods. Before that, she completed her undergraduate studies in Political Science and Human Services & Social Justice at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Willow's professional background includes working at the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, and the Organization for World Peace. She is interested in the intersection between climate, migration, and health.

Jean Qian is a junior at Emory University who is pursuing a major in Political Science and a minor in Quantitative Sciences with intent to attend law school. Her experience as an undergraduate research assistant revolves around using interdisciplinary approaches for major public policy issues. She has previously worked in the Emory Politics of Policing Lab to research domestic and international use of force powers. This upcoming year, she is excited to contribute to the Climate Resilience and Transformations Lab. As a South Floridian, she is inspired by equitable and community-centered goals for environmental justice. Witnessing the ways that law, policy, and governance can affect environmental and ecological well-being, Jean hopes to use her advocacy and academic interests to explore sustainable frameworks for future generations.

Alanna Finn is a second-year undergraduate student at Emory University pursuing a BS in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology and a minor in Environmental Sciences. Her interest in Environmental Science was influenced by her extended stay in Dominica during the Covid pandemic, the small eastern Caribbean island that her family hails from. During her time there, she delved into investigating the potential impact of green debt relief in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Her exploration also extended to sustainable technologies, where she focused on initiatives like blue economy initiatives and eco-friendly agricultural practices to address environmental challenges and promote economic development. As a multi-disciplinary individual, Alanna also engages in Neuroscience research and is an avid marketer, creating video content for Emory’s social media channels. Alanna is driven by the desire to blend her diverse interests of neuroscience, environmental science, digital media, and business. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, interior decorating, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Tim is a sophomore at Emory studying Environmental Sciences (EAS) and Philosophy, Politics, and Law. He is interested in studying intersections between anthropogenic noise, environmental justice, and policy. He is involved in Emory’s Ecological Society, plays trombone in the orchestra, and enjoys making music in his free time. 

River Somerville is a first year at the Emory College of Arts and Sciences aiming to study Environmental Science and History. They are particularly interested in environmental justice as it pertains to community-based solutions that equitably tackle the climate crisis. Increasing access to organic farming/gardening, green spaces and everything in-between especially piques their fancy. Their biggest hopes, research-wise, include being mentored by more-seasoned, interdisciplinarity-oriented students and faculty and gaining the tools and positive attitude to continue such applicable studies for many years to come. They also excitedly anticipate merging academics with getting to know Atlanta and its people!

Anissa is a first-year undergraduate student and Woodruff Scholar in the Emory College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science on the Social Science and Policy track. She is interested in how political, economic, and social frameworks apply to environmental science and the climate movement, and she has experience with promoting equity in institutions in a sustainable manner. She has previously worked as a research intern at Boston University School of Public Health, where she conducted a systematic review with the CHAIR-India project that focused on the health effects of air pollution and climate-related disasters. She has also served as the New England Field Representative for the nonprofit Our Climate, where she helped to write science-based climate policy and lobby elected officials. At Emory, she plans to focus on promoting community-based and participatory research concerning environmental justice and greenspace, in hopes of informing policy in that realm.

Jake is in the class of 2025 from Washington, DC majoring in Environmental Sciences and History. He is deeply passionate about the relationship between sustainability, resilience, and the built urban environment. His work focuses on land use issues and their connection to United States History. 

Alexandra Friedman is a junior at Emory University, majoring in Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Management and minoring in Sociology. Growing up in Los Angeles, she witnessed firsthand the impacts of inadequate public transportation, environmental injustice, and natural disasters. She is deeply passionate about the intersection of urban planning, sustainability, and ESG with experiences interning for the Chair of the Planning, Land Use, and Management Committee of the Los Angeles City Council and an urban planning publication. 

Jake Weissman is in the class of 2024 from Cleveland, Ohio majoring in Environmental Science and Political Science. He is impassioned by the association between ecosystems and urban environments, as well as resilience planning, transportation planning, and sustainability. His work focuses on ecosystem services in cities across social and political issues. 

Ilka Tona (27C) is an undergraduate student at Emory University, pursuing a B.S in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology with a minor in Applied Mathematics. Initially, she was drawn to climate justice as an intersectional approach to understanding the climate crisis and its uneven impact on marginalized communities, particularly within the Global south as a first-generation immigrant from Rwanda. Ilka is also interested in climate-conscious urban-planning solutions and building environmental resilience in vulnerable communities. With a wide array of interests, Ilka also assists in neuroscience research, writes articles for the Emory Wheel and can often be spotted at Emory’s student-run bike shop, the Fixie, as part of Emory Bike Social.

Catherine Wang is interested in climate resilience and is currently researching the effects of extreme heat on farmworkers. They are an Environmental Science major with minors in Philosophy and German. As an intern, Catherine has worked in the U.S. Senate and Acadia National Park. Catherine is also a student climate activist at Emory and served as the first VP of Sustainability in the student government and part of the Emory Climate Coalition. 

Sonya Doubledee is a third-year undergraduate Woodruff Scholar at Emory University pursuing a BS in Environmental Science and Political Science. Her research focuses primarily on natural disasters and their association with Superfund sites. As an intern, Sonya has worked with the Turner Environmental Law Clinic, drafting a legal toolkit for farmers and other stakeholders in the food system. She is currently working as a student intern for the Environmental Protection Agency, with a focus on water pollution. At Emory, she founded the Emory Environmental Report, a student-run environmental journal that serves to give students a voice to discuss their environmental concerns and research interests.

Alex Dresdner (she/her) is recent graduate from Emory University with a BA in Environmental Sciences and International Studies. She is now pursuing a Master's in Water Management at the University of Buenos Aires. Her research centers on the environmental justice implications of harmful algal blooms in deltaic communities. She is a popular educator and printmaker, and is passionate about the connections between language, art, and environmental activism.