About Us

Ben was a fellow with the Office of Sustainability from March 2024 to December 2024. After completing his BS degree in Personal Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2021, Ben worked for two food delivery companies, where he became fascinated by the possibilities of a circular economy, food equity, and waste reduction. Determined to learn about and work on these issues, he completed his MS in Energy and Sustainability at Northwestern University. Ben was excited to be a waste and data fellow at the University of Maryland, Baltimore and he was proud of the work he completed and connections he made at UMB. Ben assisted via waste audits, tabling events on campus, collecting composting, gathering data for a university-wide sustainability report, and researching and engaging with people on campus to create a report and presentation on UMB’s positive impacts toward environmental justice. Ben loved his time in Baltimore and coworkers within the Office of Sustainability, and he remains hopeful that he can call Baltimore home once again in the future. When he wasn’t in the office, you could find Ben walking his dog at Patterson Park, playing soccer or basketball, finding local shops and restaurants, playing board games, or binging a TV show. You can view a summary of Ben's work here. You can read his Environmental Justice Report and his Presentation

Olivia Rosser was a fellow with the Office of Sustainability from April 2023 to May 2024. Olivia was an MSW student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work with a concentration in Behavioral Health. Olivia is interested in reducing barriers to accessing outdoor spaces, the disproportionate impact of climate change on marginalized communities, and promoting sustainable practices in urban spaces. While in graduate school experience, Olivia participated in the ECO-Social Work in Action student group and became a sustainability fellow. Olivia assisted with the self-service waste rollouts, the creation of community compost dropoff sites, increased professional learning opportunities about sustainability at UMB, creating educational content for social media, and contributing toward meeting other waste reduction goals. Visit this link for a list of Olivia’s accomplishments during her time as a fellow. Originally from Abingdon, Md., Olivia enjoys the performing arts, gardening, baking, hiking new trails, and exploring the city of Baltimore. 

Alex Skowron was a sustainability data fellow through the SEI Climate Corps program. Alex studied environmental science and mathematics at Washington and Jefferson College (W&J) in southwestern Pennsylvania. While an undergrad at W&J, Alex sought out numerous out-of-classroom experiences that included assisting with research on the emerald ash borer in the Allegheny National Forest, being a member of the college's sustainability committee, conducting research on increased tourism in national parks, and interning at two Pittsburgh-based environmental firms. Alex is originally from Pittsburgh and nd enjoys spending his free time traveling to new places, listening to music, training for triathlons, and getting outside to explore nature. Visit this link for a snapshot of Alex’s fellowship projects.

Lucy Zhao was a fellow with the Office of Sustainability from September 2022 to April 2023. Lucy was a dual-degree MSW/MPH student at the University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) and Johns Hopkins University (JHU) School of Public Health. Throughout her graduate school experience, Lucy worked on JHU’s Environmental Justice Working Group, co-authored an air pollution evaluation manual for low- and middle-income countries, and founded a new student group, ECO-Social Work in Action, at UMSSW. As a sustainability fellow, Lucy assisted in projects such as food waste reduction, policy development, and the creation of an Interprofessional Student Climate Leadership Network. Visit this link for a full list of Lucy’s accomplishments during her time as a fellow. Before joining the UMB community, Lucy served as a Peace Corps volunteer in northern Thailand, where she worked with the local public health department and community schools on zero-waste and OneHealth initiatives. Originally from Prior Lake, Minn., Lucy spends her time outside of school hiking, traveling, practicing tai chi, and making upcycled art.

Kimia Abtahi was a fellow with the Office of Sustainability from July 2022 to January 2023 as a rising fourth-year medical student at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM). As part of her gap year at the office, Kimia worked on multiple sustainability projects, from green labs to campus bicycling to environmental service opportunities for students. Visit this link for a list of Kimia’s full accomplishments during her time as a fellow. As a third-year medical student, Kimia co-founded the UMSOM chapter of Medical Students for a Sustainable Future and, with others on the executive board, wrote UMSOM’s first Planetary Health Report Card, the first in the state of Maryland. The report card evaluates the school and University’s commitment to planetary health by identifying strengths and areas for improvement in categories such as curriculum, research, and community outreach.