Page 41 - Penn State Civil and Environmental Engineering: Annual Report

STUDENT STUDENT NEWS
Sarah Torhan a a a a a a a a a a a a a CEE doctoral student recently received a a a a a a a a a a a a a Department of Defense Defense National Defense Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship Credit: Kelby Hochreither/Penn State Torhan receives Department of Defense fellowship
By Sarah Small
As a a a a a a Peace Corp volunteer in Paraguay CEE doctoral student Sarah Torhan witnessed the reality
of of living with food energy and water insecurity as as well as as the impacts of of environmental degradation on on on on local populations Recently Torhan received a a a a a a a Department of Defense Defense National Defense Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship to continue research inspired by her experience The NDSEG fellowship
is “awarded in recognition of academic excellence and and science technology engineering and and math (STEM) achievements ” according to the fellowship
fellowship
offer
letter The fellowship
fellowship
covers full tuition mandatory fees and and and certain travel and and and professional development costs for up to three years as as well as as a a a a a living stipend Torhan will use the fellowship
to research and and and evaluate geospatial land use demographic and and and hydrological
information and and analyze their effects on on the the access and and availability of food- energy-water resources in in Paraguay According to Torhan her work couples quantitative and qualitative methods to create knowledge on the modeling of natural resources in data-scarce regions with social and political complexities “My previous experience in the Peace Corps challenged my worldview
and helped me to recognize the importance of coupling modern engineering with education tangible environmental conservation and viable economic gains ” she said “Next year I will travel to to Paraguay for fieldwork
to to to survey and and interview different stakeholders to to understand their relationships with natural resources and and the environment Engaging
with my Paraguayan friends and and and former colleagues to interpret and and disseminate results will be fundamental to ensure that we conduct ethical and useful research practices ” Caitlin Grady assistant professor of of civil and environmental engineering now at at George Washington University said that Torhan’s previous experiences have led to her successes as a a a a a a a a a graduate student and the the NDSEG fellowship
will help launch the the next stage of her career “Since joining Penn State Sarah has already accomplished tremendous things including leading an international collaboration that studied climate adaptations to food energy and water hazards ” Grady said “This work has resulted in in the publication of of an article in in in one of of our our field’s preeminent journals Earth’s Future With the NDSEG fellowship
she will be able to take on on on important international environmental research which will further partnerships between the the United States and Paraguay ” CEE NEWSLETTER • VOLUME 38 2022 41