Students 

Sophiya is a social scientist and human geographer, with a specialization in social vulnerability, urban development, and environmental justice in the context of flooding. Sophiya holds a Master of Science in Geography from Virginia Tech University and a Bachelor of Environmental Science from Kathmandu University in Nepal. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Geographic Information Science (GIS) at Arizona State University, where her research aims to bridge science and policy to improve urban planning and flood resilience using geospatial techniques. She is particularly committed to advancing collaborative, policy-relevant science that informs decision-making processes to better address the social dimensions of environmental risks. Her doctoral research investigates the development patterns within FEMA-designated and federally-overlooked flood zones over time, examining the social determinants that drive these trends and their implications for vulnerable communities.

Alamin is an urban scientist and geospatial data expert specializing in Spatial Data Science, Urban Climate, and Environmental Justice. He holds a Master of Science in Geoinformatics & Geospatial Intelligence from George Mason University, a Master of Science in Geography from Auburn University, and a Bachelor of Urban and Rural Planning from Khulna University, Bangladesh. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geographic Information Science (GIS) at Arizona State University, where his research integrates advanced geospatial methods and technologies—including geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)—to address urban challenges such as extreme heat, air quality, and climate resilience. His doctoral research also investigates long-term spatio-temporal changes in temperature across the U.S., emphasizing inequalities in heat exposure among marginalized communities. He is also a proactive contributor to academic and professional communities, where he actively chairs and co-chairs sessions at different prominent conferences such as the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Annual Conference.

Ritvik is a just transition scientist with a particular interest in mixed methods research. He is a Environmental Social Science PhD student in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University. He has attained a Bachelor’s in Environment and Natural Resources from the Ohio State University and a Master’s in Earth and Environmental Resources Management from University of South Carolina. His ongoing dissertation project looks at the supply, demand, and governance of public electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Arizona’s Maricopa County. This work holds potential to provide local and state legislators a holistic understanding of the existing charging landscape and enable a more widely accessible and resilient charging infrastructure. Ritvik is also engaged in just transition work at ASU investigating the social and economic needs of coal plant closure impacted communities in Arizona. Some of his past work has investigated how communities frame wind farms and natural gas pipelines and how framing can influence procedural and recognitional justice for host communities. He has also worked closely with the United Nations’ Environmental Programme in developing the 2022 edition of “Measuring Progress: Environment and SDGs.”

Shaylynn is a PhD candidate in Geography and an NSF GRFP and INTERN fellow. She is committed to conducting socially relevant research on human-environment interactions, particularly how people can cope with increasingly extreme heat, and helping to translate that research into action. Her work offers insights on different ways to communicate and visualize extreme heat risk, where many of her projects have been co-produced with city stakeholders. A key piece of this works is being able to not only communicate with the city, but also with the community by creating applicable solutions in a warming climate.  She aims to enhance her knowledge about how social and spatial inequalities in human-environment relationships affect people’s well-being, and how knowledge of human-environmental relationships can clarify avenues for potentially enhancing well-being among disadvantaged groups. 

Consolata is a human-environmental geographer whose research explores the intersections of urban climate resilience, green infrastructure planning, environmental justice, and urban climate governance to address climate resilience and inequities in cities. She examines how green infrastructure can serve as both a resilience strategy and a tool for advancing environmental justice, ensuring that historically marginalized communities—who often bear the brunt of climate vulnerabilities—are prioritized in urban adaptation efforts. Her work critically analyzes governance structures and policy frameworks to identify gaps perpetuating climate injustices while advocating for equitable, community-centered planning approaches. By integrating social and ecological dimensions, her research contributes to building just and sustainable urban environments that empower marginalized populations in the face of climate change.

Leonardo is an environmental social scientist and geographer specializing in urban climate, human thermal comfort, and environmental justice through the lens of Critical Physical Geography (CPG). He holds a master’s degree in environmental planning and management (Geography) from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Currently, he is a Ph.D. student in Geography at Arizona State University (ASU). His research integrates qualitative and quantitative methods to examine the heat exposure experienced by street vendors in the context of climate change across three different cities in the Americas: Los Angeles (United States), Mexico City (Mexico), and São Paulo (Brazil). He is committed to understanding the social and power dynamics that expose these vendors to thermal discomfort in outdoor urban environments, and how urban form can exacerbate these conditions. In addition, Leonardo collaborates on research initiatives with researchers from Indiana University (IU), São Paulo State University (UNESP), and the National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS), particularly through the Heat Watch campaign.

Mahin is an urban planner and spatial data analyst focused on climate resilience, heat vulnerability, and environmental justice in cities. He is currently pursuing a Master of Urban and Environmental Planning (MUEP) at Arizona State University and earned his Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh. His current MUEP thesis explores how different environmental and social indicators influence spatial priorities for green infrastructure in Phoenix, Arizona. These indicators include Mean Radiant Temperature, Land Surface Temperature, 2-meter Air Temperature, flood risk from Fathom and FEMA, ecological variables such as NDVI and NDBI, and the Social Vulnerability Index. He is conducting a sensitivity analysis to understand how the choice of indicators affects spatial outcomes. His previous projects include deep learning models for urban heat stress prediction in Riyadh, vulnerability mapping of heatwaves in Bangladesh, and remote sensing analysis of deforestation in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. He is committed to using geospatial tools and data science to support more just and informed urban planning decisions.