MES in the Community 2014

"We had a nature preserve behind our house, and I spent hours walking the stream to see how far I could go. My dad was always cutting wood, working outside. It was beautiful, and gave me a sense of exploration, freedom and solitude that is really important to me."

Neha Karmeshu (Master of Environmental Studies ’12) grew up in the bustle and beauty of New Delhi. As the city boomed around her, and “energy prices fluctuated greatly — and I wanted to know why.”

“It’s Moss Man,” Tony (Master of Environmental Studies ’12) says cheerfully. “It’s a rare He-Man character. I started collecting them because I found one and thought it was cool. Then I found out that Moss Man actually is one of the most powerful characters, a protector of the earth."

"I felt the magic of coming upon a tidal pool, observing the creatures left by the tide. I was fascinated that it connected so many countries and areas, that there was a whole world under the ocean that we humans didn't fully comprehend, and I fell in love with the mystery of it."

Imagine venturing to Marseille, France to mingle with international government officials and top environmental leaders to discuss the importance of water on the political agenda. Envision kayaking down the scenic Maurice River in New Jersey to get up-close and personal with the local ecosystem.

You might think it would be hard for a farmer to play favorites among vegetables. But Johanna Rosen (Master of Environmental Studies ’13), co-founder of Mill Creek Urban Farm in West Philadelphia, has no hesitations.

Jeffrey Cowan (Wharton, '02, Master of Environmental Studies '12) followed a smooth path to becoming a successful businessman: he followed his financier father's footsteps to the Wharton School, and after he graduated, co-founded a real estate development company. Environmental work was not in the plan.

Ben Reynard's office is not climate controlled. In winter, wind howls through the prairie environments where he plants native species, and the mercury drops below zero. In summer, as he plants willow stakes to control erosion, the temperatures often get up to over 100 degrees.

After several years of teaching math in places as far-flung as Thailand and Spain, Bill Cohen returned home to start graduate school. He found Penn's MES program, where he planned to apply his analytical skills to the environmental issues he’d witnessed around the world.

Dan Schupsky, Assistant Swim Coach at the University of Pennsylvania, had been a passionate advocate of the environment in his earlier career as a high school science teacher. However, he’d never linked green issues and his coaching work — until he started his studies at Penn’s MES program.

On an average spring morning, Lisa Kiziuk (MES ’04) wakes well before sunrise. When light breaks over the muted mid-Atlantic greens of the Willistown Conservation Trust, Lisa will already have put in hours with a team of volunteers, gently extricating migratory songbirds.

Five years ago, Judah Press was living in New York City, working for a top clothing manufacturer in the Fashion District. His job was to predict trends and tailor orders to customers’ tastes, watching buying patterns to make sure his company’s products flew off the shelves at Walmart and Target.