Welcome, YSE Class of 2027

After working in the clean energy sector on legislation and policy and as chief of staff in the Illinois governor’s office for several years, Carter Harms was interested in pursuing bipartisan approaches to climate change. 

“How do we expand from just ourselves to a team dynamic?” he wondered. “How are some people called to different roles on teams, and how do they work together? And finally, how do you apply that to a broader system and think through strategies for working together at a systems level?"

He enrolled in the master’s program at the Yale School of the Environment to strengthen his technical skills and his ability to develop politically durable climate solutions. 

He is one of 152 master's students beginning their studies at YSE this fall. The master's class of 2027 comes from 25 countries and 29 states — 38% of the class are international students and 22% are domestic students of color. Their average age is 26 and they have an average of four years of work experience. The largest group of incoming master’s students — 112 — are pursuing a Master of Environmental Management degree. They are joined by 15 Master of Environmental Science students, 17 Master of Forestry students, and two Master of Forest Science students. An additional six students are pursuing the accelerated five-year program.

 This year’s class includes 18 doctoral students. Ten of  the doctoral students are international, coming from six countries. 

“At the start of each academic year, I look forward to meeting and learning more about the students in our incoming class. I am always struck by the range of their experience, leadership capabilities, and determination to make a meaningful impact in their chosen field,” Dean Indy Burke said. “This is particularly true this year, at a time when the urgency of the climate crisis and other global challenges requires a bold new generation of leaders and problem solvers.”

Students arrived in early August to attend MODs, an orientation program designed to introduce them to each other, environmental challenges facing forests and New Haven and urban areas , and tools for analyzing and addressing these challenges. 

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“We want students to recognize that a deep understanding of place is critical to effective environmental science and management,” said Colleen Murphy-Dunning, executive director of the Urban Resources Initiative and Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability, who co-led MODs. “MODs is not just about learning technical skills but also about seeing the role of history, institutions, and values in shaping environmental problems — and solutions.”

During the MODs unit in New Haven, students explored issues facing the city, including water quality, environmental regulations, and land use history and  environmental justice perspectives. They also planted trees to help reduce the urban heat effect that contributes to higher temperatures in cities. In the forest unit at Yale-Myers Forest, students were introduced to forest management and analysis techniques.

“They arrive ready to contribute, and MODs gives them the chance to see that their work is already part of something bigger,” Murphy-Dunning said.

Priyasha Sai Ukil ’27 MEM, who grew up in Bhubaneswar, India, worked at Gartner before starting her studies at YSE. At Gartner,  a global research and advisory firm , she helped corporate clients understand issues related to environmental, social, and governance. She said she appreciated the hands-on aspect of the orientation program.

 “MODs helped me see how a city like New Haven is dealing with issues that are also playing out in my hometown,” she said. “It reminded me that while contexts differ, the underlying questions of justice, access, and resilience connect us.”