Meet our Solutions Scholars

Sofia Bahmutsky is a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (Sustainability Theme) at UBC Okanagan. After several years of working as a data scientist in the agricultural research domain, Sofia joined the PRISM Laboratory at UBC Okanagan to research and study life cycle assessment and sustainable and innovative agricultural practices. Her current research aims to implement data science techniques with life cycle assessment focused on fertilizer/nutrient management and precision agriculture technology used in broad-acre cropping systems.

Lucy's current research evaluates development projects that promote the use of bamboo for livelihood development. Originally from the UK, where she completed her bachelors and masters, she lived and worked in China for five years before beginning her PhD in 2020. Her work in China in environment and development sparked an interest in the potential of bamboo to support sustainable development objectives, which in turn led to her choice of doctoral research.

Victor's research interests are in understanding climate change’s impact on micro financial entities in developing economies. Using climate modeling in conjunction with financial modeling, his research aims to estimates the impact of climate risk on financial entities’ financial health (default risk). His research assesses climate risk as the result of the interaction of physical and transition risks. He has more than 20 years’ experience in about 30 countries in the public and private sector, in the field of disaster risk financing and climate change.

From a young age, Caitlin has been enraptured with the environment. Since then, her passion has continued to grow and has been nurtured throughout her education. After exploring various branches of sustainability throughout her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science, she has developed a keen focus on regenerative, sustainable food systems, soil health, and their connections to climate change mitigation.

Pritam is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in AI and computer systems, with a focus on safe autonomy. His research aims to develop AI techniques that ensure the safety of robotic systems, such as self-driving cars and drones, against failures and security threats. Pritam's vision is to develop methods that guarantee reliable operations in autonomous systems, even in the most challenging conditions. During his master's research, he explored vulnerabilities in robotic systems, emphasizing the need for innovative security solutions that go beyond traditional approaches.

Evan is a first-year PhD student working on agroecology and food sovereignty to understand specialization as it relates to exploitation and resilience. Inspired by supply chain breakdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, Evan became interested in the trade-offs associated with specialization. While pursuing his Master's in Stockholm, Sweden, he began to see the connection between the high degree of specialization within the industrialized food system and the many social and climate challenges that characterize modern agriculture.

Jing is a Ph.D. student studying climate adaptation using ecological niche modeling at UBC Forestry. Following a graduate degree in Economics and self-taught expertise in machine learning, Jing landed on forestry to explore the impact of climate change on ecosystems. She co-founded the Calgary Data Science Academy, a peer-learning community where people teach themselves data science topics, the gather for deeper discussions and knowledge sharing. Her current research uses machine learning to assess ecosystem suitability under climate change.

Vicky is a Masters student researching the use of climate information to increase preparedness and adaptation for a warmer world. Analysis of climate services and bridging the gap into decision making is the basis of her thesis. Vicky joined IRES with a background as an operational weather forecaster, air quality scientist and most recently working in the development and delivery of sustainability training.

Peter is a longtime climate activist and grad student in the Indigenous Community Planning program at SCARP. He has worked in the environmental movement for the last decade, challenging the power of the fossil fuel industry and envisioning communities that don't pollute. Peter has a Bachelor's of Journalism and Political Science from Carleton University. With a master's degree he hopes to support transformative change at the community level that can address the challenges of a warming world.

Isabella Morgante (Izzy) is a PhD student researching the impacts of climate change on global fisheries. Prior to her PhD, Izzy worked as a data analyst at the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) where she created corporate greenhouse gas emissions datasets using statistical models. She has also worked as a marine science conservation officer in the Philippines and assisted with research on deep water kelp ecosystems in the Galapagos.

Talha is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia, specializing in climate change adaptation in agriculture, particularly in vulnerable regions like Pakistan. His research aims to develop interdisciplinary, actionable solutions that influence real-world policies. With a strong foundation in economics from the London School of Economics and the University of Toronto, his work involves in-depth data analysis and policy research. He has contributed to research at the World Bank and been involved in projects addressing climate challenges.

Viola Jasmine Provost is a PhD student in the Business, Sustainability, and Technology Lab in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia. Her current research investigates the social, political, and cultural implications of emerging technologies. Specifically, she explores environmental and science communication on social media in the context of marine conservation.

Emily is an MA student in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies. Following her undergraduate degree in social science, she worked in the non-profit sector in Liberia, Tanzania, and Uganda, supporting organizations in fundraising, designing interventions, developing campaign strategies, and reporting on their impact. Recently, Emily has led efforts to leverage insights from applied behavioral science to improve social interventions and communication strategies.

Anny Wang is a first-year Master of Science in Mathematics student with a keen interest in exploring the intersection of mathematics, computation, and statistics. After completing an undergraduate degree in mathematics and statistics, she developed a strong passion for using quantitative tools to delve into fundamental biological processes. Her research is focused on combining mathematical modeling, computational techniques, and statistical analysis to study complex biological datasets, aiming to uncover new insights into the underlying mechanisms of life.