Congratulations to the Spring 2026 Interfaces of Global Change Graduates!
May 12, 2026
This spring, the Global Change Center proudly celebrates the graduation of several exceptional students from the Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program (IGEP).
These fellows have demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing solutions to complex environmental challenges through innovative research, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and science communication. As they complete their graduate journeys, each fellow leaves a mark on the IGC community and continues forward as a leader prepared to tackle the world’s most pressing global change issues.
Please join us in congratulating this semester's IGC IGEP graduates!
Idowu Okeshola
From Policy to Pathways: A One Health Assessment of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Wastewater and Surface Waters
Defended on February 27, 2026
Bridget Re
Demographic Threats to a Trailing-edge Population: Survival, Productivity, and Climate Vulnerability of Virginia’s Saltmarsh Sparrows
Defended on April 21, 2026
Amir M. Gazar
Integrated assessment modeling to characterize environmental, health, and economic tradeoffs in electricity grid decarbonization in the northeastern United States
Defended on April 24, 2026
Sarah Juster
Trees, Forests, and Refugee Displacement in Northwest Uganda
Defended on April 24, 2026
Taylor Fossett
Understanding how rapid environmental change alters the neuroendocrine system and behavior of adult and developing wild song sparrows (Melospiza melodia)
Defended on April 24, 2026
Carla López Lloreda
Environmental drivers of greenhouse gas dynamics in temperate and tropical wetlands
Defended on April 27, 2026
Gabrielle Ripa
Understanding invasion of stream restoration projects and the resulting impacts to the soundscape
Defended on April 28, 2026
Meghan Albritton
A Just Transition?: Syndemic Health Impacts of Extractivism
Defended on April 30, 2026
Gabriel Borba
Flood Pulse Effects on Fish Catch in the Amazon Basin
Defended on May 4, 2026
Amanda Hensley
Bridging Gaps: Evaluating Strategies to Improve Vaccine Uptake and Strengthen Clinical and Translational Research Recruitment Among U.S. Adult Populations
Defended on May 4, 2026
Reilly Brennan
A Multiscale Perspective on Orthohantavirus-Host Relationships
Defended on May 8, 2026
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The Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) program is an innovative interdisciplinary graduate education program offered by the Global Change Center designed to address the multidimensional aspects of global change (e.g., social, economic, environmental).
Our PhD students come from around the world and form a vibrant interdisciplinary community of scholars learning to collaborate, engage stakeholders, and effectively communicate. Our alumni are in positions of influence in academia, NGOs, government, and the private sector in the U.S. and abroad, tackling wicked problems like climate change, biodiversity loss, and water pollution.
