PhD Student Profiles
Our students come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, yet they all share an interest in using critical and engaged research to assess the relationship between communities and the built and natural environment. We train students with both academic and non-academic aspirations to become the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers, scientists, analysts and decision-makers.
Current Student Profiles
Nolbert Chavez
Education:
BA Management, University of Phoenix
MA Political Science, University of Colorado Denver
Research interests:
Urban politics, political advocacy, community engagement
Primary advisor(s)
Jennifer Steffel Johnson
LinkedIn Profile
Amy DePierre
Education:
BA Bio-Psychology, University of Nebraska Lincoln
MS Environmental Science, University of Colorado Denver
Research Interests:
Food systems, community development, urban ecology, human geography, small-scale agriculture
Primary advisor
Bryan Wee
LinkedIn Profile
Susannah Drake
Education:
MArch, Harvard University
MLA, Harvard University
Research interest:
Geology, Urban Design, Climate Change, Climate Change Adaptation, Infrastructure and Environmental JusticePrimary advisor(s)
Gregory Simon / Austin Troy
Gregory Simon / Austin Troy
LinkedIn Profile
Liz Dzwonczyk
Education:
BS Human Geography, United States Military Academy
MS Geography, Penn State University
MS International Relations, Troy University
Master of Operational Studies, US Army Command and General Staff College
Research interests:
Climate change and health, environmental health, health geography
Primary advisor(s)
Peter Anthamatten
Hamees Gabr Hanbali
Education:
BArch, Sptizer School of Architecture, CCNY
Master of Architecture in Urban Design (MAUD), Harvard University
Research interest:
Contested Borders in MENA/SWANA
Sociopolitical Space
Imagined Geographies
Heritage, Diaspora, and Cultural Reassembly
Primary advisor(s)
Jeremy Németh/Shawhin Roudbari
Website:
LinkedIn Profile | Website
Mahshid Gorjian
Education:
BFA, University of Art Tehran
MFA, Virginia Tech
Research interest:
Machine learning applications, computational geometry, digital fabrication, 3D modeling/sculpting/animation
Laura Granja
Education:
BArch, Federal University of Juiz de Fora
MURP, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Research interest:
Housing policy, housing affordability, gentrification resistance, low-income settlements, community planning
Primary advisor(s)
Carrie Makarewicz/Jeremy Németh
LinkedIn Profile
Krystle Harrell
Education:
BS Geospatial Information Science, United States Military Academy
MS Geography, Portland State University
GIS in Urban Studies
Urban Development
Environmental Health
Food Landscapes
Primary advisor(s)
Austin Troy
Peter Anthamatten
Website:
LinkedIn Profile
Ryanne Hilbert
Education:
BE Civil Engineering, Vanderbilt University
MCP City Planning, University of Pennsylvania
Research Interests:
Transportation planning and design, youth and family mobility, equitable transportation
Primary advisor
Carrie Makarewicz
LinkedIn Profile
Steve King
Education:
BS Civil Engineering, United States Air Force Academy
MA Geography, Rutgers University
MA Christian Leadership Studies, Liberty University
Research interests:
Coastal erosion, beach geomorphology, Hawaiian microclimates, volcanism
Primary advisor(s)
Frederick Chambers
Shelley McMullen
Education:
BS Civil Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
MPA, University of Colorado Denver
MURP, University of Colorado Denver
Research Interests:
Disaster recovery planning, climate change adaption, community resilience, international development
Primary advisor
Andrew Rumbach
LinkedIn Profile
Bhavana Medisetti
Education:
BTech Geoinformatics, Andhra University
MTech Remote Sensing and GIS, Andhra University
Research interests:
GIS in urban studies, urban revitalization, transportation + land use
Primary advisor(s)
Benjamin Crawford/Austin Troy
LinkedIn Profile
Shirin (Zahra) Namavar
Education:
MArch (Integrated Degree), Tehran University of Art
Research Interests:
Social sustainability in urban design, public places, architecture education, Islamic Persian architecture, design process
Primary advisor
Chris Koziol
LinkedIn Profile
Jennifer Newcomer
Education:
BA Environmental Design, University of New Mexico
MURP, University of Colorado Denver
Research Interests:
Child-friendly environments, neighborhood evolution, community resilience, housing affordability, household choice behavior
Primary advisor
Bryan Wee
LinkedIn Profile
Erin Nobler
Education:
BA Business Administration, Marquette University
MBA, University of Colorado Boulder
Research Interests:
Transportation planning, mobility, equity, energy, advanced transportation technologies
Primary advisor
Manish Shirgaokar
LinkedIn Profile
Emilia Oscilowicz
Education:
BA Atmospheric Environments and Sustainable Geography, University of British Columbia
BA Atmospheric Environments and Sustainable Geography, University of British Columbia
MCRP Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia
Research interests:
Green gentrification, greening equity, climate justice, community participatory planning
Primary advisor(s)
Carrie Makarewicz/Jeremy Németh
Hillary Quarles
Education:
BA English, Yale University
MLA Graduate School of Design, Harvard University
Research Interests:
Urban agriculture, food systems, food justice, public spaces
Primary advisor
Gregory Simon
Amanda Rees
Education:
BA Anthropology, University of Colorado Denver
MA Geography and Spatial Science, University of Colorado Denver
Research interest:
Landscape equity, transportation infrastructure, highway redevelopment design and planning
Primary advisor(s)
Peter Anthamatten/Brian Page
LinkedIn Profile
Ebru Altintas Solakoglu
Education:
Bachelor of City and Regional Planning, Middle East Technical University
Master of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Colorado Denver
Interests:
Environmental justice, air quality, public health, climate change, mapping, and spatial data analysis
Primary Advisor:
Priyanka deSouza
Websites:
LinkedIn Profile
Shannon Sullivan
Education:
BA, Chinese Language and Literature/Asian Studies, Connecticut College
MS, Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan
MLA, University of Michigan
Research Interests:
Environmental psychology, sensory-inclusive design, human cognition
Primary advisor
Christopher Koziol
Sneha Tallavajjula
Education:
BArch, Jawaharlal Nehru University Architecture and Fine Arts University
MArch Architecture and Urbanism, Manchester Metropolitan University/University of Manchester
Research interests:
Inclusive urban design, participatory planning, informal urbanism
Primary advisor(s)
Manisih Shirgaokar
LinkedIn Profile
Gabriela Guerrero Teran
Education:
BA Architecture, National University of Colombia
MSc Sustainability, Pontifical Bolivarian University
MSc Sustainability, Pontifical Bolivarian University
Fulbright scholar 2024-2028
Research interest:
Biodiverse and resilient cities, Urban ecosystems, Public policy networks, Green Infrastructure, Nature-positive cities
Primary advisor(s)
Louise Bordelon / Jeremy Németh
Louise Bordelon / Jeremy Németh
LinkedIn Profile
Thalia Toha
Education:
BA Architecture, Princeton University
MRED, University of Maryland
Research interest:
Disability
Food Halls
Human Geography
Architectural History
Mass Consumption
Primary advisor(s)
Jeremy Németh / Bryan Wee
Jack Wheeler-Barajas
Education:
BA Foreign Languages and Anthropology, Colorado State University
BS Business Administration, Colorado State University
Master of Social Sciences (MSS), University of Colorado Denver
Research interest:
Water in the American Southwest
Climate Change and Water
Environmental and Social Justice
Transportation Planning and History
Primary advisor(s)
Gregory Simon
Website:
LinkedIn Profile
Hayley Young
Education:
BS Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Missouri
MS Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines
Research Interests:
Regenerative systems, sustainable policy evolution, civilization resilience, intentional planning, communal cultural narratives
Primary advisor(s):
Jody Beck and Margaret Woodhull
Website:
The Love Glow