2019 CREATE Scholars
Natalie Warren
Ph.D., Communications Studies - May 2023
I believe water connects everything. When we talk about water, we talk about climate change, sexism, racism, politics, sustainability, technology…everything! For me, it is the umbrella under which we live; a way to identify big issues facing society today and into the future.
Keira Leneman
Ph.D., Child Psychology - May 2023
I’m motivated by addressing social justice issues that contribute to stress in children and adolescents. Through CREATE, I want to strengthen skills in building community partnerships to improve outcomes and reinforce the importance of including the community in the scientific process.
Phil Rooney
M.S.W., Clinical Mental Health - May 2020
I believe the wellness of our communities and our future depends on creative problem solving based in more equitable and just practices. I’m motivated by building strong relationships that hold us accountable to each other. Outside of school, I enjoy gardening, cooking, and reading.
Nfamara Dampha
Ph.D., Natural Resources Science and Management - May 2022
I’m interested in CREATE because of its engagement with stakeholders in enhancing water-related challenges confronting vulnerable communities. I strongly believe that this engagement will enrich my cross-cultural experience, enhance my knowledge-base, contribute towards my PhD work on water-related climate change impacts, and at the same time prepare me for a continuing global engagement on climate, water and equity issues.
Amaniel Mrutu
Ph.D., Quantitative Methods in Education - May 2023
CREATE provides me the opportunity to collaborate with different fields of study, engage the community in the research process, and analyse data in an interdisciplinary context. I’m motivated by iterative feedback loops because they cultivate a mindset of continual improvement that enables me to grow during each cycle.
Aislyn Keyes
M.S., Conservation Sciences - May 2020
I love to be in and by the water. If I could spend all of my time underwater, I would. Some of my most humbling experiences have happened while in the water. I have an immense appreciation for water, its power, and everything it provides for humans and the species living in and around it. Outside of school I love to dive, hike, cook and bake, and sew. I also enjoy aimlessly wandering around new and old places. You never know what you’ll find or who you’ll meet!
Vishal Jamkar
Master of Development Practice - May 2020
CREATE Initiative is radical in its approach to engagement in research and public policy. I’m excited to engage at the intersection of environment sustainability and social justice. My motivation lies in applied research and finding alternatives to real life challenges by engaging with concerned stakeholders in a participatory way.
Rebecca Walker
Ph.D., Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior - May 2023
I’m excited about CREATE’s focus on engaged scholarship to address real-world challenges! In my free time, I enjoy gardening and exploring the many trails around our lakes and river.
Bach Nguyen
Ph.D., Chemical Physics - May 2022
I became a scientist and engineer with the intentions of helping others. CREATE is an opportunity for me to work with a cross-disciplinary team to not just take part in improving the lives of others, but also to foster a stronger relationship between the university and local communities. Many of the grand challenges we face as society are difficult in no small part due to their broad scope and inherently multidisciplinary nature. Consequently, participation in their solution requires a willingness and agency to venture far beyond one’s comfort zone and adapt on the fly.
Gloria Thomas
Ph.D., Water Resources Science - May 2021
I want to be more involved in interdisciplinary work, learn how to collaborate with leaders and stakeholders, and how to better direct research and apply them. In my free time, I enjoy sketching, drawing, and traveling when I get the chance.
Emma DeVries
Ph.D., Geography - May 2021
Through CREATE, I hope to become more grounded in the community where I live and study, to learn how to better connect my background in community organizing with my work as a researcher, and to work in solidarity with the ongoing struggles for social and environmental justice in Minneapolis and Atlanta. Outside of school, I enjoy seeing live music, taking walks (especially to the lakes in Minneapolis), traveling, baking, hiking, and reading and watching mysteries.
