Graduate Student Collaborations

Environment, Culture, & Media (ECM)

Master’s Student Projects & Alumni at the Abess Center work in partnership with the Environmental Media Lab Research Projects

Elizabeth Deese, MA

(she/her/hers)

 Thesis Title: TBD

 Research Interests:

  • Climate change communication

  • Renewable energy policy

  • Social media and digital storytelling

  • The animal agriculture industry

  • Marine conservation

 

Morgan Brooks, MA

(she/her/hers)

Thesis Title: “Towards Indigenous Acknowledgment and Collaborative Curation: An Analysis of interpretation at Everglades and Bryce Canyon National Parks”

Current Position: Archivist

Research Interests:

  • Politics of display in museum interpretation

  • Collaborative efforts for inclusion in curation and archives

  • Repatriation policy and implementation

  • Cultural histories of technology

Will Sloan, MA

(he/him/his)

 Thesis Title: TBD

 Research Interests:

  • Climate change communication

  • Renewable energy policy

  • The role of media in political polarization

  • Storytelling and documentary film

 

Jamal Wilson, MPS

(he/him/his)

Internship Report: “Coordinator for Underwater HOA, the intersection of climate change communication and participatory art”

Research Interests:

  • Data Visualization

  • Climate change action and social networks

  • Planned migration and culture preservation

Kaitlyn Riopelle, MA

(she/her/hers)

Graduate of Spring 2021

Thesis Title: “Climate Change and the Shifting Role of Museums in Education: A South Florida Study”

Research Interests:

  • Communicating and implementing sustainability at non-profits

  • Learning how best to help museums educate the public on contemporary environmental issues

  • How these issues intersect with lives of local communities

Sacha Franks, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Graduate of Fall 2021

Working on a three part short film documentary series in collaboration with Love the Everglades, and working with NOAA and the National Marine Sanctuaries on a new social media strategy

Internship Report: TBD

Research Interests:

  • Environmental justice

  • Documentary filmmaking

  • Constructing and implementing multi-platform media strategies to increase viewership and engagement with projects she works on

Winjing Guan, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Graduate of Fall 2020

Internship Report: “Seafood Education Campaign with Sereia Films”

Research Interests:

  • Ecotourism

  • Marine reservation

  • Documentary filmmaking

Andrea Baquerizo, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Graduated Fall 2020

Internship Report: “Marketing Strategies for the Bsiness Recognition Program for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries”

Current Position: Web designer/ graphic designer at The Education Fund

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Georgia Stockwell, MA

(she/her/hers)

Graduated Fall 2020

Working with Surfrider Foundation, The Feeley Lab, Fairchild Challenge

Thesis Title: TBD

Madison Alvarez, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Internship Report: “Creating New Insights & Story Angles for the General Public Regarding the Dumping of Toxic Waste at the San Onofre State Beach Park”

Current Position: Public advocate for environmental management of hazardous waste at Public Watchdogs

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Savannah Geary, MA

(they/them/theirs)

Graduated Fall 2018

Thesis Title: “The Plastic Crisis Goes Public: Representations of Plastic Pollution”

Current Position: SciShow TikTok Lead/ Videomaker at Complexly

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Natalia Horvath, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Graduated Fall 2018

Internship Report : “The Case Against Blue-Green Algae: A Production of Environmental Media Messaging Materials Using Human-Interest Frames”

Current Position: Digital Communications and Business Development Contractor for Cellulotech

Adam Roberti, MPS

(he/him/his)

Graduated Fall 2019

Internship Report: “Management of Xavier Cortada's Participatory Art Projects in Miami-Dade”

Current Position: Studio Manager at Cortada Studio and Projects; Lead Instructor at Cortada Science Art Academy at Pinecrest Gardens

Research Interests:

  • Socially-engaged art

  • Storytelling

  • Climate justice

  • Technology and human behavior

Brittany Vareles, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Graduate of Fall 2021

Working with The Feeley Lab, Curator of Abess Media Wall

Internship Report: TBD

Chris Foley, MPS

(he/him/his)

Gradate of Fall 2021

Curator of Abess Media Wall

Internship Project: TBD

Sarah Cole, MPS

(she/her/hers)

Graduate of Fall 2020

Working with National Marine Sanctuaries and The Florida Wildlife Corridor Project

Internship Report: TBD