Marine Science Center Stock

Muckenhoupt scholarship winners continue pursuits in environmental sustainability

For fifth-year Julia Renner and fourth-year Minerva Teli, interests in environmental sustainability just scratch the surface of their career-driven passions. Renner and Teli are the 2018 recipients of the Dr. Carl F. Muckenhoupt Scholarship, an award for students who plan to use their scientific background to “benefit the environment of the earth and the life upon it.” As soon to be graduating seniors (in May and December 2018 respectively), both are devoted to their aspirations and plan on working towards using alternative energy and sustainable practices for our planet. With co-op and research experiences throughout their time at Northeastern, these students are prepared to make an impact with their futures.  

Renner, an Environmental Science major with a concentration in Marine Science, and a minor in English, has long been an excited scientist with many interests, looking for the chance to spend time outdoors and learn everything she can about the natural world. And while at Northeastern, she’s done just that. At her first co-op, Renner worked as a wind fellow for the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. Seeing the concrete results of her work here played a big role in inspiring her to push for a career in the renewables sector. 

Renner’s second co-op was spent abroad, at the National University of Ireland (NUI) in Galway, studying marine ecology. But her passions for research did not stop there. She has also spent much of her free time as an intern at the Grabowski and Hughes labs at Northeastern’s Marine Science Center, in Nahant, MA. She combined her interests in environmental science and marine biology by studying fisheries and environmental policy with Associate Professor Jon Grabowski, and marine ecology research with Associate Professor Randall Hughes 

Julia Renner doing field work on the coast of Spiddal, a small town near Galway, during her co-op at NUI. Courtesy photo.

After working this past fall at Boston’s Climate Action Business Association working on sustainability programming for local businesses, Renner now works at Sunwealth Power, a clean energy investment firm that focuses on installing solar panels on schools, low to moderate housing, and other diverse communities. After graduation, she’ll continue to work here full time to pursue furthering environmental sustainability and using her experiences to make the Earth a better place to live on, just like the Muckenhoupt Scholarship entails.  

“I’m thrilled to receive this award, because I remember seeing announcements of past winners in the departments when I was an underclassmen and seeing the inspiring things they’ve accomplished,” said Renner. “I never expected that I could end up there too. I’ve had so many opportunities given to me here to help me grow, and I could not be more appreciative.” 

Renner would like to thank Grabowski, her capstone advisor and faculty mentor throughout her time at Northeastern. “I think it’s so important to seek out a faculty mentor who is so invested in your success and wants to encourage you through your time here,” she said.  

Similar to Renner, Teli, a Chemistry major with minors in Environmental Studies and Mathematics, has also spent her time at Northeastern in research labs, co-ops around the city, and several extra-curriculars including a capella, the Northeastern bhangra dance team, the interfaith community, and student mentorships.  

“Having a scholarship like this will help push me through finishing my degree and pursuing environmental engineering throughout my life,” said Teli. 

Teli grew up in a culture that emphasized humans being respectful towards all living things, no matter if they’re an animal, a tree, or a tiny ant. This unique viewpoint on life has inspired Teli’s interest in the environment. With these passions, Teli has diligently worked at applying her chemistry background to environmental issues like solutions for water and environmental engineering.  

Her first co-op was at an environmental engineering lab on campus with Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Philip Larese-Casanova studying heavy metal water pollution and combining her interests with chemistry-oriented engineering. Then, she worked her second co-op at MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative which worked on environmental education, grant work, and more. This played a major role for Teli in determining the type of influence she’d like to make on the world – not just by advancing science but also to help in science communication and public awareness of environmental issues. She’s continued research with Larese-Casanova and others in Civil and Environmental Engineering and has volunteered at Environment Massachusetts, and Teli is incredibly thankful to the Muckenhoupt selection committee, mentors, professors, peers, and family members who have guided her along the way. 

Minerva Teli presenting at RISE: 2016. Courtesy photo.

“I don’t know exactly what my future looks like, but fully studying the science in that, creating solutions, helping on the public side and teaching about the important environmental issues,” she said. “The rate at which science and engineering is moving is so much faster than the policy and ethics side, so there’s a huge barrier that I hope I can breach by being a scientist and an advocate for these important issues.” As she prepares to graduate in December, Teli hopes to go to graduate school for her PhD in environmental engineering to make these future dreams a reality. 

Both students have cherished the experiences they’ve had at Northeastern and on co-op and encourage other students to take any opportunities they can get to further their goals.  

“If something interests you, take the initiative to pursue that, whether it means self-developing your own co-op doing research with professors who interest you, or doing an independent study,” Renner said. “Whatever it takes to get something you’re passionate about, put the work into that and you’ll find it immensely rewarding.” 

Marine and Environmental Sciences