Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
Hello, I am Forrest Baird-Wolfson. I graduated SUNY-ESF in 2013 with a BS in
Environmental Science and have returned to pursue dual MPS degrees in
Bioprocess Engineering and Environmental & Resource Engineering. My
professional interests include renewable energy development, pollution prevention
and reduction, and systems ecology. Additionally, I am interested in professional
communication techniques and entrepreneurship. At SUNY-ESF, I participate in
aiding research that involves lignocellulosic biomass and serve as the Vice President
of Speakers & Presentations for the Graduate Student Association.
In addition to science & engineering, I am an up-and-coming film score writer and
semi-professional musician in the Syracuse area. I am a strong supporter of keeping
the arts in the schools to encourage the next generation to keep dreaming and creating. In the future, I
hope I can use science & engineering to improve the world around me and music to heal people's souls.
As a STEM Mentor, my goal is the help young students, regardless of socioeconomic background, realize
the power of their potential through learning experiences that relate to their lives. I look forward to
developing experiences that will be fun for mentors and mentees alike. I will end my biography by a
quote that drives me to look at people differently:
"Look at people for who they are becoming instead of who they are right now." -Bob Goff
For more information, please visit my website at http://www.fmsbaird.com
Jonathan Masih Das is originally from the New York City area and has been
living in Syracuse for the past two years working towards completion of his
Ph.D. degree in Water & Wetland Resource Studies. He obtained his B.S.
and M.S. from St. John's University and New York Institute of Technology
respectively and is currently researching how to turn waste products in to
energy using anaerobic digestion. He has taught on the middle school and
college levels and has a passion for broadening the knowledge of his
students. In his spare time he likes to play team sports, visit new countries
and spend time with his parents and brother on Long Island.
Hi. My name is Adam Effler. I am a MS graduate from ESF in the
school of Environmental Resources and Forest Engineering with
a discipline in water resources engineering. I am a research
scientist at the Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse and have
had the good fortune to work for the last 10+ years, conducting
water quality research on many of New York’s freshwater lake,
reservoir, and tributary systems. The backdrop in the picture
posted here is that of Ashokan Reservoir, NY. I’m back to ESF
this fall starting a PhD program to support my research on
Cayuga Lake, NY. My research concerns the optical
characteristics of this inland Finger Lake and its dynamics as
they relate to other water quality metrics. I am looking forward to
starting a new chapter in my life back at school while making
some new friends and sharing some new experiences. I am also
excited about participating in an elementary school mentoring
program working alongside the Syracuse City School District and hope to help influence youngsters in a
positive and meaningful way.
Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
Kaira T. Fuentes is a PhD student in the Water and Wetland Studies
of the Graduate Program of Environmental Science in SUNY-ESF.
She has a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, and a
Masters in Environmental Planning, both from the University of
Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. Kaira was formerly an
Environmental Project Manager for the Photojournalism Workshop
(Taller de Fotoperiodismo) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and an
Environmental Interpreter at the Foundation for Green Space
(Fundación Espacios Verdes) in Buenos Aires, Argentina and an
Internship Coordinator for the Environmental Financial Center (EFC)
Puerto Rico Organics Education Internship Program. In addition to
serving as a STEM Mentor in the Syracuse City School District, Ms.
Fuentes is currently assisting the EFC’s with the Meso American
Reef Leadership Program.
Hi, my name is Vanessa and I grew up in Manhattan, New York City.
My parents are dancers and musicians and performed on Broadway
for many years. I loved science growing up and attended a science
themed middle school where I took several classes behind the
scenes in the Museum of Natural History. I received my BA from
Hampshire College in Amherst, MA in 2003. As part of my
undergraduate work I studied recycled paper and led a success
campaign to get the school to start purchasing 100% recycled paper.
After graduating I toured the US promoting recycled paper and
teaching students how to convince their schools to adopt a recycled
paper purchasing policy. In an effort to take a break from academia I
started working for Big Apple Circus in 2004. The job inspired me to
travel to the west coast where I began a career performing circus all
over the world. I ran my own circus company and have completed
several professional track circus programs. In 2014, after several
years of longing to return to the field of environmental science, I entered SUNY ESF as a grad student in
the field of Environment and Community Land Planning. I am anxious to help improve sustainable
practices and create a better world for all of us.
Harini Kadambi: I studied Biological and Food Process (Biochemical)
Engineering at Purdue University pursuing my passion for ensuring food
security. I traveled with the Purdue Global Design teams to the West
Bank, Palestine as well as Orissa, India for projects concerning water
quality for agriculture and food and realized that one of the most
significant paths to ensure food security would be to ensure water
security and water quality. This led me into a graduate program at SUNY
- ESF where I am working on my Masters in Water Resources
Engineering. My research involves using computer simulations to model
the hydrodynamics of non-Newtonian fluids in bioreactors for anaerobic
digestion (particularly in wastewater treatment and reuse). My free time
typically includes running around and hiking with my dog, visiting and
playing with my niece and listening to music/audiobooks on my drives to and from NJ where my family
lives.
Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
My name is Hayley Kopelson, and I grew up in the beautiful Hudson Valley.
I received my B.S. in biology at SUNY Potsdam, and I’m working on my
M.P.S. in environmental science, with a focus in environmental and
community land planning here at SUNY ESF. Ever since I was a child, I’ve
been enthralled by the outdoors, particularly forested areas, and have
always wanted to learn more about natural ecosystems and anything that
affected them. I started attending a nature camp around the age of five,
and I still clearly remember feeling admiration and gaining inspiration from
my camp counselors, since they were equally passionate about the
environment. Their drive to educate and inform helped to inspire me to
become a tutor and teaching assistant in various natural science courses
throughout my undergraduate experience at SUNY Potsdam. I’m excited to
continue my educational outreach with elementary school children.
Eugene Law is a second year Master of Science student studying Ecosystem
Restoration at SUNY ESF. His research focuses on re-establishing native
vegetation to abandoned farmland while utilizing principles of traditional ecological
knowledge to optimize ecosystem services. He also did his undergraduate work at
SUNY ESF, receiving a dual Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental
Resources Engineering and Environmental Biology in May 2013. As a native of
Syracuse, NY and a former Syracuse City School District student he is looking
forward to bringing science education to the next generation of Syracuse youth.
Richard List: My warmest greetings, I am a newly retired Science teacher
of 38 years. I live in a log cabin in the woods of Pompey, NY with my
wife, Chris, and cat, Comet. I have two children. Meghan is a social
worker living in Boston, MA. and Mallory who is a painter in Asheville,
NC. I am a dedicated Project Adventure Facilitator so I spend a lot of my
time playing “New Games” and helping people through Ropes Courses. I
am fascinated with the chemistry of nature. It is truly amazing to see how
plants, animals and microbes use different compounds to live. My
graduate research is dedicated to helping to reduce our environmental
footprint by developing ways to use biological systems to do things we
currently use fossil fuels to do.
My name is Zheng Liu, you can call me Charles. I come from
Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, China. I graduated from Beijing
University of Chemical Technology in 2012 and my major was
Bioprocess Engineering. I spent my senior year as a transfer student at
SUNY-ESF in the Bioprocess Engineering major. Now I am doing my
study for a Master of Science in Bioprocess Engineering at ESF. Since I
am an international student, I have experienced how to communicate
effectively with people who have different cultural background. Besides
that, I have the experience of joining and growing in a Toastmasters
club that gives me the confidence to perform well on the stage; the skills
to be a good listener; the ability to express my opinions clearly and
effectively in public; to provide constructive and encouraging
evaluations to others performance, etc. I also have the experience of
being a Teaching Assistant to undergraduate students. I am also very patient, so I believe that I can help
the Elementary School kids develop their interests towards science, improve their test scores, and grow
happily. With all of us working together, I believe that we can serve the Elementary School Mentoring
program well!
Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
Alaina Mallete: I was born and raised in Northern New York, thus, I've spent
my childhood and youth surrounded by the natural beauties of this state
stretching from the Adirondacks to Lake Ontario. Catching salamanders and
watching bear cubs climb trees were some of my favorite past times. My
passion for the environment continued into my undergraduate studies in
Geography at Syracuse University. I spent my summer of 2011 leading an
environmental education module in the Dominican Republic, which became
my capstone and my motivation to continue my studies in environmental
science. I interned with Syracuse Community Geography, working with
geographic information systems, in collaboration with community
organizations to help them realize their goals and guide their decision
making. I have crossed Forestry Drive over to SUNY-ESF for my Masters and
am in the Masters International Peace Corps program. My studies to this
point have been in water resources management, collaborative governance, and conflict resolution. In my
research I hope to develop a GIS-related tool that can be used to create a more inclusive and robust
decision making process with regards to environment al issues.
Jackie McCabe is a native of Cicero, NY and graduated from Cicero-North
Syracuse High School in 2010. From there she pursued her B.A. in
Environmental Studies from Paul Smith's College in the Adirondack Park.
Now Jackie is entering her first year at SUNY ESF and is pursuing an M.P.S
in Environmental Interpretation, which she hopes to continue into her Ph.D.
work. As a child, Jackie's mother would take her and her brother up to Old
Forge camping on McCauley Mountain; this is where she gained her love
and appreciation for the great outdoors. As a Girl Scout and a Venture Scout
Jackie also spent time at Sabattis Scout Reservation for summer camp and
learned that education is the key to environmental stewardship. During high
school and college Jackie worked as a life guard and swim lesson instructor where she worked with
children of all ages and abilities and felt the satisfaction of teaching for the first time. As a college student
Jackie also worked for the Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) both as a watershed steward and a
regional supervisor, where her specialty was education and outreach. Here she developed a curriculum
for the AWI's Water Shield Workshop, which is the program's floating classroom. She also conducted
lessons with the Lake Pleasant School District and Schroon Lake. Her passion for environmental
education is immense and she can't wait to get started with the Elementary Mentoring Program at SUNY
ESF!
Aditi Nagardeolekar: I am a doctoral student in Bioprocess Engineering at
SUNY-ESF with a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences and a
Master’s degree in Bioprocess Technology from Institute of Chemical
Technology, Mumbai, India. I joined ESF in fall 2013 with an objective to
study green technology to produce environmentally friendly bio-products.
It’s my career goal to develop novel solutions to the energy and medicinal
challenges that we face today by combining my knowledge of the
pharmaceutical and bioprocessing fields. My research interests are biopharmaceuticals, renewable energy and lignocellulosics.
In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, singing and reading sci-fi and I’m an
occasional dabbler in astronomy and photography. I believe that renewable resources hold a key to a
greener and brighter tomorrow and would like to use this program as an opportunity to reach out to the
next generation of the country’s future innovators and make them aware of the exciting avenues that this
field offers. I think it’s really important for students to be exposed to the various academic areas at a
young age, in order to make a comprehensive decision later when they choose their career path. I look
forward to using this program as a platform to introduce the school children to scientific research and
pique their interest in STEM. I’m thrilled to share my passion for green technology with the elementary
school students, my colleagues and the teachers and to assist them to the best of my capacity.
Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
Hi, I’m Stephanie Nick. I’m originally from Racine, WI. Growing up in
an urban environment, I was fortunate to have access to the beautiful
western shore of Lake Michigan. From an early age I had an
appreciation and awe for nature. I am tremendously excited to share
my enthusiasm for nature and the environment with the children of
Syracuse. On a family note, I have two children of my own who love
camping, hiking and playing with insects. I received a Bachelor’s of
Arts in Conservation and Environmental Science from the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee. During that time I volunteered in the Milwaukee
Public School System helping kids learn about conservation. I was
involved with citizen science programs at Milwaukee’s Urban Ecology
Center, where the community learned that they have a real impact on
their environment. Over the last two years I have worked as a community educator with the Broome
County Health Department. I will be pursuing the Master of Professional Studies in Environmental
Interpretation. My research interest surrounds bringing nature into the city and engaging students in
environmental science. My specific interests include permaculture, green energy, and best management
practices, and I hope to incorporate these and other components of sustainability into the Elementary
Enrichment Program.
My name is Fernanda liveira and I m very excited about participating
in the Elementary Enrichment program. I m from Bra il and in
I
graduated from the University of Santa Cruz do Sul with a BS in
Chemistry. I headed to University of Parana, also in Brazil, to receive a
MBA in Environmental Management. As an undergraduate student I
worked on research about biofuels and renewable energies. I attended
SUNY Cobleskill for one year where I had the opportunity to work with
Fischer Tropsch synthesis and gasification with Dr. Rynk. My thesis for
the MBA focused on a project of implementation of a photovoltaic
energy solar system in an English school in my city in Brazil. I am
beginning my first year as a PhD in Bioprocess Engineering at SUNY
ESF and I look forward to productive learning about the environment
and sharing my knowledge and experiences with the classroom.
In my free time I enjoy outdoors, dogs and friends. As part of the group of students in this program I hope
to help the kids to understand and care more about the environment making this program an amazing
experience for me, the students, the teachers and for the other fellows.
Stephanie Perkins: I grew up in the small town of Castile, New York. After
graduating from high school, I attended SUNY Oswego where I studied
Technology Education. After graduating in 2008, I worked as a high
school technology teacher for two years. The classes that I taught
included Mechanical Drawing, Video and Graphic Communications, and
a class called Math, Science, and Technology. I decided that rather than
continuing my education in the field of Technology Education, I would
pursue a Master's degree in another field. So I began taking a few
biotechnology classes part time as I worked and that eventually lead me
here to SUNY ESF where I am studying Bioprocess Engineering. I look
forward to participating in the STEM mentoring program this year, where I
can combine my interests in science and engineering with my
background in teaching and hopefully spark an interest in those subjects
in some of the young students with whom I work.
Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
Hello! My name is Kate Powers and I am pursuing a Master’s Degree in
Environmental Science here at SUNY-ESF. The research I conducted as an
undergraduate at St. Lawrence University regarding the potential power
output of existing micro-hydro dams in New York State influenced my current
concentration of Water and Wetland Resource Studies. I am from Syracuse,
NY and attended Westhill High School, where I participated in the “ESF in the
High School” Program. This program, along with my teacher Megan Wolfe,
had a great impact on my decision to major in Environmental Studies and
Government at St. Lawrence and continue on to pursue a Master’s Degree at
SUNY-ESF. During my undergraduate career, I was a Math and Reading
Tutor in North Country schools (West Side Elementary in Gouverneur and Madill Elementary in
Ogdensburg), working with students in grades 1 through 4. I am interested in STEM education and being
a part of an ESF outreach program, as these programs have had a major influence on my academic and
professional life. I am excited to start working as an elementary school mentor at Dr. King Elementary and
Van Duyn Elementary this fall.
Juliana Quaresma is passionate about her work with sustainable agriculture,
environmental sustainability, and educational programs. She is currently
enrolled in a PhD program in the Environmental and Natural Resources
Policy Program, at SUNY - ESF. Her main focus is to seek integrated
environmental alternatives for rural poverty eradication and sustainable
natural resources management. In Brazil, she developed a pilot
environmental educational program in sustainable land management,
biodiversity management practices and local strategies to reduce
vulnerability to climate change for local communities in the Caatinga biome,
semi-arid Sertão region in the northeast of Brazil. She also worked as a professor for two years at
Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, teaching at the Program Licensure in Education for Agricultural
Professionals – LEAP. Her experience includes collaborating as an educator and consultant in
environmental education and agroecology projects with non-profit organizations, local communities,
federal university, and the state department of education, conducting workshops, developing training
programs, and facilitating seminars.
I am Praja Shapkota from Bhutan presently living in Syracuse NY. I moved
to the US with my family in May 2013. I am excited to join SUNY ESF as a
doctoral student of Environment and Natural Resource Policy (ENRP). It is
a part of my American Dream to obtain a US degree and apply the
knowledge for international development since I have worked for various
environmental projects in Southeast Asia. My experience of working with
developing country communities and local governments has given me
greater insight into how good policies and governance can make a
difference in the life of ordinary people, especially with respect to their
environment health and well-being.
I was born in a small rural mountain village called Nighurey in southern Bhutan from where I used to walk
about four miles to school every day. After fourth grade, I joined a residential school administered by
Jesuits and completed my school education. Then I obtained the Indo-Bhutan Scholarship for my
undergraduate studies in Mining Engineering from the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, India. Thereafter
I worked as a project engineer in Bhutan for four years and then became stateless. Even then, I could
work in various capacities in Nepal and India. At the turn of the new century, I switched my profession to
Environmental Engineering after I obtained the Asian Development Bank scholarship for a graduate
degree from the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. I worked and travelled in various countries of
Southeast Asia and networked with many environmental professionals in the academia and development
organizations. I have published a journal paper and presented a few papers on environmental research
and applications issues in regional and international conferences. I am also excited to work as an
Elementary Enrichment STEM Mentor for Van Duyn School under the (continued on next page)
Elementary STEM Mentor Bios
(Continued from previous page) Syracuse City School District (SCSD) Project of the SUNY Research
Foundation. I look forward to an exciting period of academic engagement as well as working with SCSD
school teachers and other officials. When time permits, I would be most happy to share my experiences
with the SUNY ESF and SCSD family.
Smriti Sharma is a graduate student in Chemistry department in SUNY ESF.
She is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Environmental Chemistry
under Dr. John Hassett. Her research includes developing an autonomous
system capable of monitoring hydrophobic organic compounds (HOC) in
water in real time. For her thesis, she is working on modifying and
calibrating the instrument for early detection and monitoring of the presence
of taste and odor (T&O) causing compounds in drinking water in Lake
Ontario.
Smriti grew up in Kathmandu, Nepal. After finishing high school in Nepal,
she came to the States to pursue her undergraduate degree. The STEM
mentoring program integrates education and environmental science, which
are two areas of strong interests to her. She is very excited to share her knowledge and experiences, and
hopes that this will be a fun and meaningful experience for her as well as the students.
Samantha Steele: Born and raised in Rochester NY, I
graduated from Victor High School in 2010 and headed to
ESF to start my undergraduate degree in Environmental
Resources Engineering. I received my B.S. last semester and
enrolled as a Masters student for the fall in Environmental
Science and I am focusing on Ecosystem Restoration. As an
undergraduate I participated on a variety of research projects
including mycofiltration, wetland restoration, and developing
polyacrylamide coatings for rolled erosion control products via
electron beam radiation and ultraviolet light. My personal
interests include hiking, playing my ukulele and traveling. I am
very excited to be working with the teachers and students in
the Syracuse City School District this year.
Samantha Weber: I began graduate studies at ESF after completing a Bachelor’s
of Science degree in molecular biology with a minor in chemistry at Kean
University in Union, New Jersey. I’m currently pursuing a M.S. in environmental
chemistry here at ESF. My work focuses on nutrient loading from both internal
and external sources in Sodus Bay, an embayment located on the Southern
shore of Lake ntario. I’ve always had a passion for community-centered
science outreach. During my undergraduate years I volunteered with various
clubs teaching lessons in schools, leading hands-on demos at science fairs, and
guiding daycare classes on nature walks around campus. I’ve been able to
continue with outreach here at ESF working with the Chemistry department at
the NY State Fair and the Syracuse chapter of ACS during National Chemistry
Month at Destiny USA.
I look forward to continuing this kind of work in the upcoming school year with Syracuse City School
District elementary students, with hopes of sparking wonder and curiosity in some budding scientists.