About the School of the Environment

As a PhD student at the Yale School of the Environment, Helen Siegel ’19 MEM, ’24 PhD spent three years collecting groundwater samples across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia to better understand the sources and risks of contamination in the northern Appalachian Basin. Her research revealed that while fracking wasn’t the primary culprit, pollution from waste spills, road salt, and mine drainage posed serious risks  which are shaped, in part,  by local geology. 

Now a postdoctoral fellow at The University of Texas at Austin, Siegel partners with underserved communities to study PFAS exposure and co-create practical, locally informed solutions rooted in equity.

At YSE, Hardik Pokhrel ’21 MEM focused on the intersection of finance and energy.

“One of the most impactful experiences I had was the ‘Renewable Energy Project Finance’ course — it remains incredibly relevant to what I do every day. Courses like ‘Renewable Energy and Energy Systems,’ combined with the school’s network and resources, prepared me to take on the challenges of decarbonizing some of the most emissions-intensive sectors of the economy.”

Pokhrel says he regularly applies the skills he acquired at YSE in his work at Sol Systems, a renewable energy firm delivering sustainable solutions for corporations, utilities, and institutions.

Kelly McGlinchey ’23 MEM views  kelp not only as a nutrient-dense food option,  but also as a tool for building climate resilience and advancing sustainable coastal community development. As a student at the Yale School of Environment, she  co-authored a report, ‘Surf to Turf,’ that bridged the gap between regenerative agriculture and restorative aquaculture and directly informed local infrastructure planning in Stonington, Connecticut. Her research helped secure a $172,000 USDA grant to expand kelp processing capacity, benefiting both land and sea farmers. Now a sustainability strategist at Quantis, McGlinchey continues to advise global food brands while remaining deeply committed to strengthening regional food systems through partnership, innovation, and place-based solutions.

As the state of Connecticut’s urban forester, Danica Doroski ’21 PhD is working with municipalities, nonprofits, and residents to grow and maintain urban forests. 

“Investments in urban tree cover is a vital environmental justice issue,” Doroski says. “Urban areas with fewer trees can be as much as 20 degrees hotter than surrounding rural areas. By increasing tree cover, we can keep our cities cooler, which translates to both health and energy benefits.”

For Maxwell Webster ’17 MEM, parks have always been more than places to play — they’re spaces for connection, creativity, and self-care. As the new director of New Haven Parks , he is leading efforts to reimagine parks as centers of climate resilience, food production, and community support, while preserving their role as beloved neighborhood gathering spots. Rooted in both personal experience and professional training from the Yale School of the Environment, his vision is focused on equity, adaptability, and meeting the evolving needs of New Haven’s diverse communities.

Water is fundamental to public health, food supplies, and energy production, and therefore vital to national security. Kelsey Semrod ’16 MESc, a water resilience program manager with the Office of the Assistant Secretary worked to establish the first comprehensive water security program for the Navy. Now, as a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, she supports the Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DOD) on water resilience issues, including leading water resources management training for DOD and DOE utility managers and supporting a new water and energy resilience program for DOE's Water Power Technology Office. 

Simon Bunyan — '23 MEM (he/him)
“Prior to coming to Yale, I worked for several federal agencies on energy and environmental policy. While those experiences were great, it was eye-opening to realize how mainstream environmental organizations, like ‘the Big Greens,’ have a history and active present of working against communities of color, low-income communities, and environmental justice communities on environmental policy."