SERENA DRESSEL
Graduate student, public affairs
THROUGH HER work at PSU’s Student Sustainability Center, Serena Dressel focuses on providing students with an opportunity to advocate for a more livable and just future. “My work in climate action and sustainability has been centered around identifying how we can collectively create a better future for today’s youth,” Dressel says. Her passion lies in centering reciprocal relationship building, healing the past and emphasizing justice in developing a shared future. Part of that work is on display as part of the second annual Portland Youth Climate Summit, of which Dressel was one of 10 organizers.
MAAB MOHAMMED
Graduate student, architecture
CONCRETE IS the foundation (pun intended) of all buildings, says Maab Mohammed, which inspired her research with fellow master’s in architecture student Tabassum Khandoker into methods of reducing the environmental impact of this essential building material. “As passionate designers and future architects, we are well aware of the huge impact the built environment has on global warming,” Mohammed says. “I think both of us care greatly about approaching our careers with care for changing the way architecture impacts the environment.” Their findings were shared with Portland architecture firm SRG Partnership and PSU’s Center for Public Interest Design to further educate designers and architects and find opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of construction. “After this research, we hope that Oregon continues to push the limits of making the industry even more sustainable,” she says.
EMMA RUSSELL
Senior, environmental studies
EMMA RUSSELL has a keen interest in climate science and meteorological analyses. She’s studied extreme climate events in Portland with the Climate Science Lab since 2020, and is now interning with the West Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation District as part of the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Program. “I’m currently working to develop a lens and complimentary tools that assist in the promotion of resilient environments and communities in the face of climate change,” Russell says. Key points she’s addressing include mitigation practices, climate impacts on Portland and online tools used to assist in adaptation efforts. “The conversation around climate change can lead to feelings of uncertainty, worry, fear, or even denial. The best resource for us to relieve those feelings is our scientific knowledge of the topic,” she adds. “Researching climate change is our greatest tool to understand our future and begin to develop mitigation and adaptation practices throughout communities.”
PASCAL TYRRELL
Senior, environmental studies
AS A LIFELONG gardener, Pascal Tyrrell found himself interested in sustainability and addressing climate change. That interest led him through Portland Community College’s Associate of Science program and into PSU’s Environmental Studies program. Tyrrell is wrapping up his final term with a capstone project, “Rise for the Planet,” in partnership with Senior Advocates for Generational Equity (SAGE) to support their SAGE Vision 2030 project, educating middle and high school students about Portland’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “I chose my capstone course, ‘Rise for the Planet,’ after I was asked by the mom of a young child about the future of the planet and I wasn’t able to articulate a very hopeful answer,” he says. “I decided I wanted to be able to provide a positive response, one that spoke of the possibilities and opportunities that exist as we adapt to a warming planet.” Education, Tyrrell says, is key to reducing fossil fuel emissions and communicating the meaningful role each individual can have.