Joseph Mendonca
Joseph Mendonca was a graduate student in the Geosciences program at Florida Atlantic University. Holding a B.S. in Biology from FAU, he began his career in the environmental sciences with an undergraduate certificate in the field. His minors in psychology and sociology afford him a unique perspective on human-environment interactions and climate change resiliency, especially the way people think about and react to these issues.
Joseph worked for the CES Coastal Resilience Research Lab on the statewide homebuyer survey and interviews project.
FAU does a lot of really robust research, especially (as CES exemplifies) as relates to climate. I also loved how both FAU and CES are involved in the South Florida community and do a lot of work locally.
I earned an M.S. in Geosciences with a focus in the Human Environment and Sustainable Science in 2023.
My primary interests are climate resilience, but that’s such a broad term and includes so many different things. FAU’s program really focused on human society and the environment as one interconnected system, which helped me gain a more interdisciplinary understanding of climate issues.
My main project at CES was a research project for the National Academies of Sciences, focusing on the extent by which climate risks (especially flooding and extreme heat) are considerations for affordable housing stakeholders and exploring avenues for them to be better incorporated.
Attending the Southeast Florida Climate Leadership Summit is definitely up there with my favorite memories at CES! It was so inspiring to see all the passion and work in the climate space, throughout the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
I work for Smart Growth America, a national urban planning non-profit that helps communities become more prosperous, equitable, and climate-resilient. My work mainly involves providing technical assistance to community-based organizations working to boost resilience in their communities.
Don’t be afraid of the unknown! There are so many niches in climate work and sometimes the best way to find the ones that work for you is trial and error.
Love to bake (when I have time for it), love to read (The Three-Body Problem is next on my list!), and am a huge proponent of getting involved with your community via volunteering, advocacy, or whatever works!
