The Dow Sustainability Fellows Program has named its 2026 cohort of 32 graduate students representing 12 schools and colleges at the University of Michigan. Supported by Dow and administered by the Graham Sustainability Institute, the program will invest more than $800,000 in student funding this year, advancing its mission to prepare the next generation of sustainability leaders through interdisciplinary collaboration and community partnership.
Over the coming year, fellows will work closely with program leaders Professor Shelie Miller and Carly Silverman. Silverman recently joined U-M as Education Program Manager at the Graham Sustainability Institute, where she also oversees undergraduate co-curricular programs. She brings more than a decade of experience in youth development, environmental education, and community engagement, and a strong focus on building relationships that make community climate work possible.
“I’m truly honored to step into this role and to work alongside such an inspiring group of students. What excites me most about this program is the opportunity for Fellows to build meaningful relationships with community partners and apply their knowledge in ways that create real impact,” said Silverman. “I’m looking forward to supporting this cohort as they grow not only as sustainability practitioners, but as collaborative and compassionate leaders.”
Each fellow receives a $25,000 stipend, supplemental project funding, sustainability-focused professional development, and hands-on experience working in teams with external partners. This year’s collaborators include the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, Bailey Park Neighborhood Development Corporation, Levy Restaurants, Wayne County Sustainability & Innovation Division, City of Ferndale, Refugee Garden Initiatives, and the Association for the Sustainable Development of Rural San Jose. Together, fellows will tackle projects spanning decarbonization, systems change, equity and justice, and circularity.
“We’re excited to work with the terrific individuals who make up this year’s cohort,” said Miller. “The Dow Sustainability Fellows Program strives to help amplify our partners’ impact while building a network of skilled alumni well-positioned to lead their fields in sustainability.”
In its fourteenth cycle, the program is made possible through Dow’s continued support, which provides unique opportunities and essential funding to develop the next generation of sustainability leaders. Beyond the financial support, Dow also sponsors a visit to their headquarters and provides mentorship opportunities by connecting Dow professionals with the fellows. Fellows are selected through a competitive nomination and application process designed to attract top talent from across a wide range of academic disciplines at U-M. The 2026 fellows are:
- Wulan Adjani (Ford + SEAS)
- Mariam Ahmed (Taubman)
- Cara Anderson (Information)
- Shameem Bano (SEAS)
- Sarah Bazzi (Law)
- Tooba Bilal (Ford)
- Liesl Bogaard (Law)
- Andy Chan (Ross)
- Andrew Cox (Law)
- Julia Balbi de Castro (Public Health)
- Pedro Eymael (Ford + SEAS)
- Diego Fernandez Basualto (SEAS)
- Kimiya Firoozgan (Information)
- Camille Ingram (Public Health)
- Simran Kadam (Law)
- Priya Kaur (Nursing)
- Louis King (Engineering + SEAS)
- Mariana Lopes (Ross + SEAS)
- Joshua Messe (Law)
- Shreya Nadiger (Engineering)
- Anish Odhav (SEAS)
- Licieli Olivo (Ross + SEAS)
- Ogochukwu Ononiwu (SEAS)
- Logan (John) Ragsdale (Ross + SEAS)
- Sowmya Raman (Ford)
- Katherine Roney (SEAS)
- Nawres Shaao (Taubman)
- Minza Shahid (Taubman)
- Lauren Smith (SMTD)
- Claire Stanley (Social Work)
- Dominick Stoops (SEAS)
- Amber Van Meter (Ross + SEAS)