Dylan Carter, Anthropology MA student
This year with PEWS, my primary focus has been on facilitating connections between the University of Cincinnati community and the center. My role has largely been behind the scenes. I have connected with university departments, established our new CampusLink account, and encouraged attendance to our Scales of Sustainability discussion series. I have also gathered PEWS-related information and opportunities to create a resource list for students and others in the UC community. My largest project has been developing and directing a Q&A video featuring PEWS leaders. The video will give a glimpse into the world of PEWS and encourage people to get involved.
This has been my final semester of coursework for my Master of Arts degree in Anthropology. I finished my coursework and also completed fieldwork in biological research labs, where I investigate the relationships between scientists and the organisms that they are studying.
My Sustainability Fellowship with PEWS has led me to discover overlaps between PEWS and my research interests. I’ve found that many of the guiding questions of my fieldwork, such as “how do biologists communicate embodied experiences in the lab?”, draw from philosophy of science, which also helps inform PEWS’s approach. I am particularly grateful for the ways that my work with PEWS has enhanced the research skills and goals that I came into my graduate program looking to develop.
Up next for me is completing my Master’s thesis to graduate in the summer semester. From there, I will seek opportunities that allow me to build experience in relevant research areas and prepare me to submit applications for PhD programs, likely in Anthropology or Science and Technology Studies.
Ahmed Faiz Khan, Engineering MS
As a PEWS Sustainability Fellow this year, I helped organize graduate student gatherings, maintained a search for grants related to sustainability and public engagement with science, mapped sustainability research interests of UC faculty and graduate students, and created templates for PEWS letterhead, posters, and powerpoint presentations.
From organizing graduate student gatherings at PEWS, I learned how to organize events. Also, from my MS thesis, I’ve learned data-driven modeling for building energy consumption and scientific writing. These skills will help me succeed in any role.
I’m so excited to graduate from UC. I will then start a job as a Building Performance Consultant, in which I will be doing energy modeling for newly constructed buildings. I will work for a company based in Madison, Wisconsin.