My time at EDF this summer offered me so many new opportunities from exploring a new career interest to gaining perspective on what it’s like to work at a large nonprofit organization. As I reflect on my experiences, I’m reminded of how grateful I am to everyone who supported me and made this such an incredible learning experience.
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As a full-time graduate student at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) and a Program Coordinator at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC), I am deeply engaged in merging academic research with practical environmental initiatives. ANTHC, as the largest tribal health organization in the United States, focuses on improving the health and well-being of Alaska Native and American Indian peoples across Alaska. Within our Contaminated Sites Program, our aim is to empower Alaska Native communities to address contaminated land through building strong partnerships, providing education, technical and hands-on assistance, and promoting economic innovation to ensure a sustainable and healthy future.
This summer, with the backing of the Center for The Blue Economy, I led a pivotal project titled “Assessing the Impact of Sea Level Rise on Alaska’s Coastal Contaminated Sites.” Alaska hosts over 2,300 documented contaminated sites, many of which are situated in coastal regions that are increasingly vulnerable to the effects of rising sea levels. This project was driven by the need to understand how the anticipated sea level rise of 1 to 4 feet by the year 2100 could influence these sites and the broader coastal ecosystems.
According to the NOAA, Alaska is experiencing some of the fastest rates of sea level rise in the U.S., prompting urgent studies on their impacts (NOAA, 2022).
Rather than traditional data collection, my summer was spent visiting various contaminated sites to observe firsthand the challenges posed by environmental degradation. These visits provided a crucial opportunity to meet with community leaders and discuss general concerns about contamination, which offered insights into local resilience and the communities’ expectations for future mitigation efforts.
Simultaneously, I utilized the Alaska contaminated sites database to identify specific sites along the coast that might be affected by sea level rise. This analysis involved correlating these sites with sea level rise projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest report, which predicts significant increases in sea levels under various climate scenarios (IPCC, 2021). This method allowed us to gauge which areas might be most at risk and begin to think about possible strategies to address these issues.
As I conclude my fellowship at ANTHC, the journey through Alaska’s landscapes and the interactions with its people have been enlightening. The relationships built and the discussions held have laid a foundation for ongoing efforts to address the environmental challenges faced by these communities. Our final deliverable—a comprehensive assessment of coastal contaminated sites—will serve as a critical resource for developing informed mitigation and adaptation strategies aimed at protecting these vulnerable ecosystems and supporting the sustainable health and prosperity of Alaska’s coastal communities.
This summer, I had the opportunity to work at the Environmental Defense Fund, where I researched the political landscape of marine/ocean carbon dioxide removal (mCDR/oCDR) and assisted EDF in further developing their mCDR strategy. During my time at EDF, I was part of the Blue Carbon Team, which operates within the larger Ocean Sciences Team. With the guidance of my supervisor, Mattias Cape, I began my internship by familiarizing myself with mCDR, starting with diving into the latest peer-reviewed literature to understand the basic technologies. Significant funding and resources are focused on understanding the ecological impacts of mCDR on marine ecosystems, but it is also important to assess the social and economic effects on communities if these technologies are deployed.
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Washington Maritime Blue
Seattle, Washington, USA
June 10 to August 16, 2024
This summer Jack will be working on Washington Maritime Blue’s Joint Innovation Programs specifically relating to sustainable maritime fuels. Currently in the industry, producers only want to produce if they have users committed and users only want to commit to retrofits and new builds if they know there will already be fuel produced. This project will convene and facilitate vessel owners/operators, ports and transit agencies, fuel producers and bunkerers, utilities, research organizations, and environmental groups to seed, support, and lead strategic initiatives, collaboratives, and joint innovation projects to attempt to solve the chicken-and-egg dilemma in maritime decarbonization.
Environmental Defense Fund
San Francisco, California, USA
June 17 to August 21, 2024
At EDF, Melissa is working on part of a project aimed at developing a strategy to ensure that ocean carbon dioxide removal (oCDR) research is conducted safely and effectively. The project focuses on making informed decisions based on a thorough analysis of oCDR’s effectiveness, uncertainties, social and ecological risks, and associated costs. An essential aspect of this process is identifying key actors and influencers and understanding the actions they must take to achieve these outcomes. This information will be used to develop a strategy and inform a campaign to pass legislation that establishes a governance regime for oCDR research, development, and deployment.
Melissa’s role in this project involves conducting literature reviews and interviews to identify these key actors and influencers. Her responsibilities include researching and identifying key policymakers and stakeholders in the oCDR space, conducting informational interviews or mapping exercises to determine their positions, interests, and influencers, and working with experts to devise engagement strategies for securing support for federal legislation.
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Anchorage, Alaska, USA
June 24 to August 24, 2024
Kevin Heller is spearheading an impactful project this summer focused on analyzing the effects of sea level rise on contaminated sites and their subsequent impact on coastal resources in Alaska. Alaska has over 2,300 contaminated sites, and many are in coastal areas vulnerable to rising sea levels. This initiative aims to address the pressing issue of how a projected sea level rise of up to 1 to 4 feet by 2100, driven by climate change, will exacerbate the contamination and degradation of these coastal ecosystems. By identifying and quantifying the number of vulnerable sites, the project seeks to provide critical data that can inform mitigation and adaptation strategies.