An environmental advocacy organization founded at the University of Virginia by Linnea Saby, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, has hired four UVA student interns this summer to work on projects ranging from protecting a native fish species to monitoring the Mountain Valley Pipeline's impact on vulnerable communities.
The organization, known as Virginia Scientist-Community Interface, is a coalition of graduate students in engineering, science and policy programs in Virginia and the Southeast. The group's mission is to provide scientific data and analysis to environmental advocates and community organizers who may not have the means or expertise to access science resources, according to a news release.
“[Virginia Scientist-Community Interface] advocacy-relevant technical reports have been cited in federal litigation, distributed through grassroots advocacy networks, and lauded by senior scientists who review their work,” the release said.
The UVA Sustainability Committee provided funding for this summer's four interns, Boyang Lu, John Leo Luecke, Veda Raghu and Holly Sims, whose projects are summarized below:
Lu is a Ph.D. student in engineering systems and environment with research interests in sustainable cultivation technologies, especially hydroponics. He is part of a team making culverts more wildlife-friendly and a team dedicated to protecting endangered species. His internship focuses on local and regional issues by studying advocacy documents and learning to recognize what community partners need and how scientists can help.
Luecke is compiling publicly available pollution reports related to the Radford Army Ammunition Plant to address a lack of transparency and effective communication with the plant's neighbors regarding potentially dangerous incidents. He also has attended meetings organized by Citizens for Arsenal Accountability. The information Luecke, who is majoring in environmental thought and practice in the College of Arts & Sciences, is collecting will be published online to increase public awareness of the arsenal's impact on surrounding communities and the environment.
Raghu, a biomedical engineering major, is learning to conduct graduate-level research and contributing to a white paper for a group helping to protect the endangered candy darter, a freshwater fish species found only in the watersheds of the Gauley, Greenbrier and New rivers. Raghu is also independently researching how legislation helps perpetuate inequity in the healthcare system.
Sims is on two Virginia Scientist-Community Interface teams, one reviewing technical documentation for the Mountain Valley Pipeline and another related to improving environmental justice. She has reviewed literature that can be used to hold the Mountain Valley Pipeline accountable to environmental regulations. She has also studied analysis methods to better recognize marginalized communities disproportionately affected by natural gas pipelines. Sims is an undergraduate student in the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and environmental science.
Virginia Scientist-Community Interface seeks new members, including UVA undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and faculty interested in its work.
“Students have a lot of knowledge and power that can be useful in the world of environmental advocacy,” Saby, who is president of the organization, said. “We provide an opportunity to put that knowledge to work and have a real-world impact.”
To learn more, visit virginiasci.org or email info@virginiasci.org.