Recently, ten exceptional doctoral candidates from eight University of Michigan (U-M) schools and colleges, representing ten different disciplines were named Dow Sustainability Doctoral Fellows. Each new Doctoral Fellow will receive up to $15,000 to help support their research in the coming year.

New Dow Doctoral Fellows and their supporting colleges/schools are:

• Zachary Berquist, College of Engineering (Chemical)
• Allison Bressler, School for Environment and Sustainability
• Cailin Buchanan, College of Engineering (Chemical)
• Sanaz Chamanara, School for Environment and Sustainability
• Zachary Gersten, School of Public Health (Nutritional Sciences)
• Chiao-Yin (Joey) Hsiao, School of Information
• Huatse Gyal (Huazejia), College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (Anthropology)
• Victoria Koski-Karell, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (Anthropology/Medicine)
• Brooke Mason, College of Engineering (Civil and Environmental)
• Deok-Oh Woo, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning (Architecture)

“We are excited to accept this new cohort of talented doctoral students into the Dow Fellows Program,” stated Margaret Wooldridge, Director of the Dow Sustainability Fellows Program and College of Engineering Professor. “They represent outstanding Michigan researchers focused on interdisciplinary solutions to sustainability challenges around the globe. We look forward to a year of activities to help them refine their skills and contribute to their sustainability leadership.”

The 2020 Dow Doctoral Fellows join a growing cohort of more than 1,000 sustainability scholars devoted to developing and implementing sustainable, practical, and innovative solutions for global communities. Dow Masters and Doctoral Fellows come from academic departments throughout the university and seek to become sustainability leaders in academia, business, government, and non-governmental organizations. Fellows focus on interdisciplinary approaches to a broad array of sustainability challenges related to water, energy, transportation, built environment, climate change, food, health, human behavior, and others.

Awards are funded through a combination of support from the Dow Fellows program and the fellow’s home school/college and are administered by the fellow’s home school/college. This is the sixth cohort of Dow Sustainability Doctoral Fellows at U-M, and they will participate in the program from January to December of 2020. However, Fellows are encouraged to remain involved with the program throughout their time at U-M and beyond.

The Dow Sustainability Fellows Program at the University of Michigan (U-M), made possible by Dow and U-M, supports full-time graduate students. The program prepares future sustainability leaders to make a positive difference in organizations worldwide. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are key to empowerment, and the advancement of sustainability knowledge, learning, and leadership.

The Dow Doctoral Fellows Program receives support from the following U-M units:

College of Engineering, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts; School of Information; School of Medicine; Ross School of Business; School for Environment and Sustainability; School of Public Health; School of Social Work; and the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The U-M Graham Sustainability Institute administers and supports the Dow Doctoral Fellows program.

See: Dow Sustainability Fellows Program