Meet the 2022-23 Diana Liverman Scholars

Suvi Birch is a sophomore at the University of Arizona studying environmental science with an emphasis in soil, air, and water. Suvi found her passion for nature through exploring and spending time with her maternal family in Finland, as well as taking an environmental science course in high school. Suvi is currently an employee of the UA Herbarium where she maintains plant specimen collections, including imaging, filing, and databasing.

My name is Jacob Blais and I am a Natural Resources major with an emphasis in Global Change Ecology and Management and am obtaining a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). My passion for the environment and ecology stems from my addiction to trail running in high school. Exploring the various landscapes that southern Arizona has to offer sparked my curiosity for how ecosystems function and change.

I am a third-year student majoring in Environmental and Water Resource Economics. Being from Colorado, I’ve spent countless hours exploring the outdoors and appreciating what nature has to offer.

Hello! My name is Claire Case and I am a second year Junior from a small town in northern California. I am majoring in Agricultural Economics and Business Management: Business Management Emphasis and a minor in Business Administration.

Hello, I am a sophomore majoring in Graphic Design at the University of Arizona's College of Fine Arts. I was born and raised in Quang Ngai, Vietnam, and migrated to America 15 years ago. Growing up in such a beautiful country has made me passionate about preserving the beauty of the environment. I want to raise awareness for our environment and communities through visual communications with my passion for the arts.

Halley Hughes is a senior at the University of Arizona double majoring in Natural Resources & the Environment: Global Change Ecology and Urban & Regional Development. She is completing her Honors thesis on heat mitigation and climate resiliency in vulnerable communities with Dr. Kear. As a Tucson native, her interest in sustainability and the environment stems from her love of the Sonoran desert and the multicultural communities in Tucson.

Virginia Javier is a junior majoring in Natural Resources with a Wildlife Conservation and Management emphasis. She was born and raised in San Diego, California and has always been passionate about the environment and spending time outdoors. As a student at the University of Arizona, Virginia has becoming increasingly interested in natural resource management and how societal norms impact the overall health of the Earth.

Heather Laurel Jensen (she/they) is a junior studying Neuroscience, Arabic, and Creative Writing. She grew up in Mesa, Arizona, where she was heavily involved in the Phoenix-area arts community and served as the National Student Poet for the Southwest.

Mira Kaibara is a junior at the University of Arizona with a major in Neuroscience and a minor in environmental studies.

Vin Leuthold is a third-year student majoring in Anthropology and Religious Studies, with minors in Biology and Film. Growing up both in Tucson and a ghost town in the Chiricahua mountains, they developed an interest in how humans impact and interact with the spaces they inhabit, both in urban and rural environments.

Risha Nayee is a sophomore currently majoring in Pre-Business and minoring in Spanish. Being an Arizona native, she grew up hiking and exploring the natures of the desert. She developed a love for nature from her grandfather after spending time in the garden and watching everything grow.

Rose Prendergast (she/her) is a third-year University of Arizona Cyber Operations major specializing in Defense and Forensics and a minor in Game Design and Development. She is currently a part of the student staff for the Arizona Institute for Resilience (AIR).

My name is Anna Ramsook, and I am a third-year undergraduate at UA Honors. I majoring in biochemistry and minoring in human health and values. I love to play tennis, go to the gym, and spend time with my rescue dog, Ivan. My favorite food is peanut butter and waffles!

Kelly Rushford is a Senior Environmental Science major with an emphasis in Communication, Leadership, and Sustainability and a Minor in Spanish.

Emily Tran is a sophomore majoring in environmental engineering.  Growing up in San Diego, California, she enjoyed mountain biking in the chaparral, playing classical violin, and spending time with her brother, two cats, and extensive multilingual family.  She completed internships with the City of San Diego Stormwater Department's Environmental Permitting and Planning Group, where she built fluency in environmental legislation and mitigation practices, and with the University of Arizo

My name is Lauren Vasquez and I am currently a junior majoring in Biosystems Engineering with an emphasis in Mathematics. Raised in Reno, Nevada I grew up a short drive from one of the purest large bodies of water in the United States, the beautiful Lake Tahoe. Blessed to be so close to such an environmentally significant place, I developed a deep passion for preserving the natural habitat that I have called home for the larger part of my life.