Megan MascheriMegan is a CES graduate research assistant who began her first year of the FAU Geoscience Master’s Program in the Fall 2022 semester. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy with Minors in Geographic Information Systems and Technology and Public Service and Leadership from the University of South Florida. In 2019, she was awarded a position in the Fulbright UK Summer Institute Program for Global Climate Change. During this program, she studied at the University of Exeter and worked with the university’s sustainability team to develop initiatives to reduce climate impacts in the Exeter community. She began working at FAU’s Center for Environmental Studies (CES) Coastal Resilience Research Lab in 2021 to assist in the variety of projects the lab has to offer. Her main interests of study are in climate change and environmental management, making the CES Coastal Resilience Research Lab a great place to learn and gain experience for the future.
I first connected with CES in 2021 while searching for an internship before graduating from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science. I met with Dr. Colin Polsky, and he offered me a position assisting the graduate researchers with data analysis and various projects at the Center. During that time, I learned so much about graduate studies and research, inspiring me to apply for one of the graduate programs at FAU.
I earned a Master’s degree and chose to study Geosciences.
I enjoy working with GIS and also found great interest in the social science aspects of environmental studies.
With CES, I worked on various projects related to the social-science aspects of climate resilience, including collaboration with the FAU psychology department.
My focus was on the mental health impacts of climate change, specifically in the form of Climate Anxiety. It is still a relatively new topic, and I am excited to see how future research impacts this field of study.
One of my favorite memories at CES was attending the 2022 Southeast Regional Climate Compact Summit in Fort Lauderdale. It was inspiring to see people from so many different careers and organizations coming together to discuss such an important (and often stressful) topic, promoting hope and working together to find solutions as a community. I also really enjoyed speaking with visitors at the CES table, where I could describe some of our research projects and share our findings with students, government affiliates, and other community members.
As I am still a recent graduate, I am continuing to work part time with CES and help train incoming researchers on projects such as the Florida Climate Survey, assisting with SPSS and Excel protocols. As I progress in my career, I plan to find a job implementing climate resilience and conducting sustainability analyses for urban communities impacted by climate change.
For incoming students, my advice is to apply for any opportunity you are interested in, even if you don’t feel qualified. Throughout my academic career, I always found myself saying “You have everything to gain and nothing to lose by doing this” when applying for scholarships, awards, or even part-time jobs. You’re entering a field of work that can often feel like an uphill battle, but it’s a battle that is absolutely worth it.
In my spare time I love to travel, read, and connect with nature. As an Orlando resident, I also enjoy visiting theme parks with my friends and family.
