Meet the 2023-24 Diana Liverman Scholars

Lyndale Bondoc is a sophomore at the University of Arizona majoring in Environmental Science with a soil, air, and water emphasis. Growing up in Tucson, she found her interest for sustainability and the environment through the exhilarating activity of hiking, which inclined her to spend more time outdoors. As Lyndale continued to explore the outdoors, she learned the importance of preserving and protecting our environment. Her appreciation for the nature around us has only gotten stronger as she pursues her passion in environmental justice.

Caitlin Brady is a senior at the University of Arizona majoring in Natural Resources with a Conservation Biology emphasis. She was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, and has a soft spot for the desert. Growing up, she spent most of her life outdoors, camping, hiking, and participating in activities through Arizona Game and Fish Department. Her favorite places are Alpine, Arizona, and Wilcox, Arizona. Having first-hand experience with resource management and seeing the effects of quarantine in 2020 inspired her to pursue a career path toward Environmental Law.

Sophie Byde is a Senior at the University of Arizona majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Soil, Air, and Water and a minor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she had the opportunity to spend lots of time outdoors, but was also exposed to the harsh realities of local air pollution, sprouting her early interest in environmentalism. On campus, she acts as a Preceptor for the introductory Soil Science lecture and lab.

Daniel Conley is a senior at the University of Arizona majoring in Environmental Studies with a minor in Geoscience. Daniel began to love nature at a young age because of his father who took him to multiple national parks and taught him to value the environment. Daniel is an employee in Dr. Thirumalai’s geoscience lab at the University of Arizona which focuses on paleoclimate. Daniel is passionate about both science and community work.

Greta Cotraccia is a sophomore majoring in Environmental Studies and Africana Studies. She grew up in Ithaca, NY surrounded by the Finger Lakes which fostered her love for the environment. She loves to sew and combining that passion with topics of the environment, has become interested in sustainable fashion and steering the world away from fast fashion. Greta plays in the Steel Cats, a steel pan band at the UA and is excited to see how her love of sharing music and the environment can intersect.

Naomi Kolodisner is a freshman studying biosystems engineering at the WA Franke Honors College. Naomi found her passion for environmentalism through creating a home garden, being vegetarian, and hiking. Working with her Marine Biology class, Naomi started the Plastic Diversion Project at her high school. This was a project conducted in conjunction with the Tucson City Council and ByFusion, a company with machines that are capable of turning unrecyclable plastics into useful building blocks for houses, fences, benches and other construction.

Elyse LaVallee is a second-year at the University of Arizona majoring in Veterinary Science with a minor in Spanish, and she is a member of the WA Franke Honors College. Elyse was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, and has been passionate about the outdoors her whole life. She grew up hiking, camping, and exploring National Parks with her family, as well as competitive swimming and playing Clarinet. The heart of her passion is dedicated to birds, as she loves to go birdwatching and photograph them.

Alec Mischke is a sophomore majoring in Biosystems Engineering with a minor in Engineering Management. Alec became interested in Biosystems Engineering because it combines the principles of engineering with agriculture and the environment. He enjoys playing sports, going to concerts, and spending time with friends. He has recently joined a couple of environmental extracurriculars including the Pre-Professional Environmental Fraternity Epsilon Eta. Alec was born in Chicago but quickly moved to Colorado at a young age.

Ojas Sanghi is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Future Earth Resilience. He views the climate crisis as the most urgent challenge of our time, and works to push decision-makers at all levels to act on it; already, he has advocated for and contributed to policy change at the City and State level through his work as the Tucson co-lead of the AZ Youth Climate Coalition. He is also the co- Outreach Chair for UAZDivest, where he works to get the UA to divest from its $100M+ investments into fossil fuels.

Jessey Singh (she/her) is a senior majoring in Creative Writing with a minor in Professional and Technical Writing. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Jessey chose to come to the University of Arizona for the beautiful buildings and change of pace from scenery back home. She is the Arts Editor-in-Chief of Persona Creative, the University of Arizona’s only undergraduate literary magazine. Jessey is thrilled to be a part of the Diana Liverman Scholars program and learn from the interdisciplinary community there.

Lauren Stevenson is a senior at the University of Arizona. She is majoring in Plant Sciences, with an emphasis in Plant Health. Her minor is in Sustainable Plant Systems, in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Growing up in Tucson, Lauren has developed a love for botany through the biodiversity of the Sonoran Desert and the vastness of plant species found on and around the Santa Catalina mountains in Tucson.

Katie Sweet is a sophomore at the University of Arizona double majoring in Environmental Science and Dance. Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, she enjoyed spending time outdoors, performing with her ballet studio, and baking. Now in Tucson, she enjoys volunteering, most recently at Saguaro National Park, as a way to connect with her new community. On campus, she is an Executive Board member of Students for Sustainability and involved in Epsilon Eta and Dance Collective.

Jacob Taylor is a sophomore majoring in Environmental and Water Resource Economics and Computer Science. In his free time, Jacob enjoys rock climbing, hiking, and exploring the city of Tucson. Jacob’s passion for the environment came from his hometown of Flagstaff, Arizona through hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. On campus, Jacob has worked in the Applied International Development Economics (AIDE) Lab, and is a member of the climbing club.

Brandon Vega is a senior at the University of Arizona studying Natural Resources with an emphasis in Wildlife Conservation and Management. His appreciation of wildlife stems from years of being an active outdoorsman in the southern Arizona region, where he developed a love for the Sonoran Desert. His passion for wildlife comes from many years of fishing and archery hunting, where he gained knowledge on the importance of protecting local ecosystems first-hand.