Fall 2020
Allison Lucas
Allison is a PhD student in the Department of Communication and is currently working toward a Graduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the Ilitch School of Business. Allison is also part of the Detroit AirNet STEAM Challenge team as well as a BELL Program fellow. She completed her undergraduate degree from Michigan State University in Supply Chain Management and received an MPA from Indiana University where she studied Nonprofit Management. Allison has been working in Detroit with non- and for-profit organizations for nearly 10 years and look forward to spending more time engaging with fellow students and community members. She enjoys staying up to date with Detroit’s booming entrepreneurial landscape and the amazing social impact efforts happening in the city. Allison is passionate about staying active and healthy, and owns a small business where she leads group fitness classes and events. She spends as much time as she can with her family, loves running and racing, and is always up for trying all the delicious food & drinks of local restaurants.
Alondra Alvizo
Alondra Alvizo is a Detroit-raised first-year graduate student pursuing her Master's in Urban Planning. In 2018, Alondra completed her bachelor's degree in Agribusiness Management at Michigan State University with a minor in Leadership and Integrated Learning. As an undergraduate student, Alondra conducted independent research on the potential of community sustained agriculture on a commercial scale at River Rouge Park in Detroit. Her academic and life-long passion resides in feeding future generations of Detroiters by researching, designing, and implementing non-traditional forms of agriculture and green infrastructure. In her free time, Alondra enjoys writing poetry, volunteering at urban gardens/farms, and long drives through the best artistic corners Detroit has to offer.
Gelareh Raoufi
Gelareh is a Ph.D. student majoring in Learning Design and Technology. Gelareh received her Bachelor's degree in Fabrics and Fashion Design from Azad University in Tehran, Iran. She practiced fashion design in Tehran for about two years and continued her family business as a publisher for around nine years. In 2008, she published an article on contributing factors in apparel selection in teenagers in an Iranian magazine called "Textile Today," which was accompanied by her speech about this subject in the first biennale of Iranian Fabric and Fashion Designers, which took place in the Museum of Contemporary Arts. After coming to the United States, Gelareh obtained her Master of Apparel, Textile, and Merchandising from Eastern Michigan University, and won multiple scholarships including Dean’s office, Women Walking West, Student Success Story, Outstanding Student, Leadership ESL, and International Success Student. At WSU, Gelareh has obtained various research experiences in STEM education. Currently, Gelareh studies Trends and Issues in Computer Science Education: Data Mining from Twitter and MI-DDI, where she is conducting research and helping the center with data gathering and analysis.
Jedidiah Jacobson
Jedidiah Jacobson is currently an M.S. student in the Department of Biological Sciences working under the guidance of Daniel Kashian. He was born and raised in Arizona and completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of South Dakota with a specialization in Conservation and Biodiversity. While at the University of South Dakota, Jedidiah worked on projects in the Jarchow lab of Sustainability and Prairie Ecology. His research centered around a dendrochronological analysis of the lower Missouri River. As a new member of T-RUST, Jedidiah is excited to bridge the gap from rural to urban sustainability projects. He hopes to blend his interest in forest ecology with the goals of the T-RUST program. In his free time, Jedidiah enjoys wood working, snowboarding, backpacking, and socializing with friends.
Jen Ruud
Jen Ruud is a Master's student in Biological Sciences. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Sciences of Antioch College. Her interests in sustainability really came to life during her undergraduate career, where she worked on an organic farm and sat on the Farm & Sustainability committee and Community Council. Her research interests include food systems, green infrastructure, and stormwater management. In her free time, Jen enjoys being outdoors, cooking new foods, and practicing her woodworking skills.
Noribeth Mariscal
Noribeth Mariscal is a Master’s student in Environmental Engineering and Sustainability. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering with a minor in Latin American Studies. During her undergraduate study, she participated in the McNair Scholars Program, which lead her to find a love for research. She is currently working as a research assistant for the Huang Research Lab where they are modeling PM2.5 concentrations over Southeast Michigan. Noribeth is looking forward to continuing this research relating to air pollution and human health as a graduate student and a new T-RUST fellow. Noribeth enjoys watching movies, reading, biking, and traveling.
Rachel Bush
Rachel Bush received her B.S. in Environmental Science from Oakland University in 2018, where she specialized in Sustainable Resource Management. As an undergraduate research assistant, she assisted in projects examining plant-pollinator interactions and collecting data on land use in Detroit. After graduating, she worked as a horticulturist at the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle. Throughout her academic career, she has been passionate about food security, alternative transportation, green infrastructure, sustainable landscapes, and strategic placemaking in public spaces and parks. She is currently pursuing her Master of Urban Planning degree at WSU. In her free time, she can be found cycling, gardening, screenprinting, taking care of her houseplants, and spending time with her cats.
Zahra Seblini
Zahra Seblini is a Master’s student in Alternative Energy Tech Engineering. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Michigan Dearborn. Her past research topics included Quantum Entanglement and Telescope drag characterization. Currently, she is a sustainability intern at the City of Dearborn, researching Health Equity Zones. As a T-RUST student, she looks forward to developing an interdisciplinary approach to researching sustainability in energy and transit in urban settings. When she wants to unwind, Zahra enjoys walking through nature, and exploring unfamiliar neighborhoods of metro Detroit.
