2026 Global Sustainable Action Weekend Speakers

Tablers at the Sustainability Kickoff Event on November 7

Engaging Students in Sustainability to Make Lasting Change

Youssef Elouardighi

Youssef is a Fourth-Year student at Penn State Abington, who has done a lot of work around sustainability topics at their campus and beyond (also worked with CCSG.) Youssef is excited to share future ideas for sustainability and foster teamwork across Penn State to make lasting impact. Every campus has something they're great at that we can recognize and learn from.

Youssef is an arboretum student worker at Abington, Nature Club president and also Sustainability peer mentor at Abington. Additionally serve as a member of the Sustainability council of Abington and its Student government.

EMS Sustainability Council Student Committee

Tsunami Sharmba

Tsunami is a first-year PhD student in Geosciences and Climate Science at Penn State University Park who is passionate about sustainable practices in engineering and researching how communities can make decisions under uncertain conditions to adapt to climate change. Having also completed her bachelor's and master's degree here at Penn State, she is a long lover of dear old State (and Peachy Paterno, August Pie, and Monster Mash creamery ice cream). She has also been a member of this Student Committee for three years!

Westin Boyd

Westin is a fourth-year undergraduate student in Meteorology and Atmospheric science with minors in GIS and Geography at Penn State University Park. His research focuses on mapping and communicating impacts and vulnerabilities to extreme tropical weather, in the hopes of creating sustainable communities that are resilient to disaster. He has also engaged in ample sustainability work, having served on this Student Committee for four years and acted as the President of his high school's Climate Change Club. A Pacific Northwest native, he is an avid runner, hiker, and thrift-shopper!

Alternative Spring Break (ASB)

Kaitelynn Beely

Kaitelynn is a fourth-year student in Life Science and has been part of ASB for the past two years, as both student and student leader. She is also an RA, first-year mentor, peer mentor, Vice President of Berks Gaming Club, and student employee.

Crystal Sterling

Crystal is a third-year student in Biology working to be a pediatrician and was on ASB last year as a student. She is also a first-year mentor, President of Latinos United for Change, and a student leader on campus.

Emily Shugar

Emily is a third-year student in Mechanical Engineering and was on ASB last year as a student. She is also an RA, first-year mentor, lion ambassador, President of Berks Gaming Club, and student employee.

Penn State EnvironMentors and Penn State Commonwealth Arboreta Network Information Tables

Marry Ann Smith

Mary Ann Smith is a teaching faculty member at Penn State Schuylkill who has been a mentor with EnvironMentors for 5 years and is faculty lead for the Commonwealth Arboreta Network.

James Bell

James Bell is a senior biology major at Penn State Schuylkill who has participated in the EnvironMentors program as a mentor and worked with our campus arboretum. He is looking towards veterinary school to continue his education.

JiaYi Gong

Hi! My name is JiaYi, and I am a fourth-year student majoring in Biology with the genetics and development option at Penn State Schuylkill. I currently serve as president for the Honors Program and VP for the TriBeta Biological Honor Society at my campus. I am also a student-athlete, and I work as a Peer Tutor and Peer Academic Coach to support the academic success of the students at my campus. This past year, I participated in the EnvironMentors program, where I had the opportunity to mentor a high school student on a research project that used yeast as a model organism to investigate the microbial growth patterns and environmental interactions.

Penn State Schuylkill Beekeeping Club: A Cold Taste of Sweetness -

An Ice Cream Experience

Zach Fisher

Zach Fisher is a cybersecurity student at Penn State Schuylkill with a strong passion for environmental sustainability. As Co-President of the campus Beekeeping Club, Zach promotes pollinator health and local biodiversity as key components of a sustainable ecosystem. He also participated in the EnvironMentors program, collaborating on hands-on research that connects high school and undergraduate students through sustainability-focused projects. Zach is dedicated to merging technology, education, and environmental responsibility to create a lasting positive impact.

Noah Webb

Noah Webb is a second year Nursing student at Penn State Schuylkill. He is an active member of the campus’s Beekeeping Club and Co-President of the Sustainability Club. As a Nursing student, Noah is focused on how sustainable practices can be implemented into the nursing profession to ensure environmental factors promoting improvements in public health.

Alex Kull

As an avid sustainable action advocate and beekeeper, Alex a Third year Business-Marketing/Management student with a Minor in Criminal Justice knows how much our actions as a society contribute to the decline of our native fauna and flora. By taking the correct steps to create a sustainable climate and society, we can ensure that nature is protected and preserved for future generations to come.

CEE (Community, Environment, Economy)

Kelsey Mercurio

Kelsey Mercurio is a Ph.D. student in Ecology and International Agriculture & Development at Penn State University Park, where she studies the symbiosis between legume plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Dr. Liana Burghardt's lab. Kelsey is facilitating a partnership between CEE and the Tanzanian NGO Community Development Empowerment Organization (CDEO), where she is a core team member for a farmer participatory research and education program focused on soil health and fertility in Nghumbi Village, Kongwa District. In collaboration with CDEO, the University of Dodoma, and Nghumbi farmers, she has been working to tailor cover cropping to the socioagroecological context in Nghumbi, support farmer-driven efforts to plant nitrogen-fixing trees, and understand factors shaping root nodule microbiomes and their relationship to plant performance in variable and drought-stressed field environments. Previously, Kelsey worked as a soil conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Massachusetts and a lab technician in plant-microbe interactions at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). She holds dual bachelor's degrees in Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems and Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology from UNH, with a minor in International Affairs. Kelsey is passionate about learning from farmers and linking local knowledge to soil health, microbiome sciences, and climate resilience.

Paige Price

Paige Price is a Ph.D. student in Rural Sociology and International Agriculture & Development at Penn State University Park. She holds a Masters in Sustainability Solutions & Global Development and Technology from Arizona State University, and she has always had a strong passion for sustainable development. This passion has lead her to work on projects across the globe and for a few different nonprofits. When she met the communities in Lombok, she knew this is where she wanted to focus her efforts moving forward. Paige co-founded CEE and has been involved in various projects aimed at enhancing resilience of farmers and managing plastic pollution and waste.

Human Connection into Sustainability

Aliyah Long

I'm Aliyah Long, my current major is Environmental Systems Engineering, I chose this major due to my passion for things related to sustainability and conservation, and I truly just hope to make a difference in this world and in the environment. Aliyah is a First-Year student at Penn State Altoona.

Cecillia Zhao

Hello, I am Cecillia Zhao. I am a civil engineering major who is looking to pursue an environmental engineering minor. I intend to work in the environmental or conservational field, and hope to make a difference! Cecillia First-Year student at Penn State Altoona.

Alexia Nelson

Hi, my name is Alexia and I’m a nursing major at Penn State Altoona! After I pass the NCLEX exam and receive my bachelors, I want to go to graduate school and get my certificate for psychiatric-nurse practitioner.

Presenters at the Global Sustainable Action (GSA) Conference on November 2

Care, Culture, and Community in Student Perspectives on Sustainability

Harman Singh

Harman Singh is a PhD candidate in Geography and Climate Science in the College of Earth and Mineral Science at the Penn State University, USA. Her research focuses on sustainability education, disaster risk reduction, and water resource management. Her work has been published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction and Environmental Education Research.    

Dr. Mark Ortiz

Dr. Mark Ortiz is an Assistant Professor of Geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Science at the Penn State University, USA. His research focuses on youth politics, social movement studies, storytelling methods, and environmental and climate justice. His work has been published in journals such as Climate and Development and Humanities and Social Sciences Communication.

The Road to a Future: The Paths we Pave for a Brighter Tomorrow

Savannah Soto

My name is Savannah Soto and I am currently a Sophomore going for a major in Environmental Systems Engineering! The consensus I made to follow my major was established by my desire to help people. I believe that the first step [as developed by Moslow's Heirarchy of Needs] to getting humanity to a level in which they are able to become the best versions of themselves, is by first generating an environment in which we are able to grow, develop, be safe, and then-- ultimately-- thrive. I not only want to help people migrate to environments like this, but I also want to help create it with my own hands. Savannah is a Second-Year student at Penn State Berks.

Owen Ruiz Perez

My name is Owen Ruiz Perez, and I am a second-year Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major on a pre-med track. I ultimately chose to pursue the medical field because, for me, medicine is not only about compassion but about transforming scientific knowledge into accessible care that empowers patients to understand their own health. Modern medicine thrives on innovation, and I, the curious, plan to use this era of rapid advancement to develop new ways of educating and empowering others. Efficient healthcare is an interdisciplinary dialogue, a type of conversation I’m slowly learning how to have. Owen is a Second-Year student at Penn State Berks.

Alternative Spring Break 2025: The Importance of Sustainability and Community

Kaitelynn Beely

Kaitelynn is a fourth-year student in Life Science and has been part of ASB for the past two years, as both student and student leader. She is also an RA, first-year mentor, peer mentor, Vice President of Berks Gaming Club, and student employee.

Crystal Sterling

Crystal is a third-year student in Biology working to be a pediatrician and was on ASB last year as a student. She is also a first-year mentor, President of Latinos United for Change, and a student leader on campus.

Emily Shugar

Emily is a third-year student in Mechanical Engineering and was on ASB last year as a student. She is also an RA, first-year mentor, lion ambassador, President of Berks Gaming Club, and student employee.

Green Ship Recycling in Bangladesh: A Global Model for Sustainable Industry

Ruslan Alam

Ruslan Alam is a second-year international student from Chittagong, Bangladesh, pursuing a degree in Supply Chain Information Systems with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Beyond academics, I hold three on-campus roles. At the Office of Global Programs, I serve as a Peer Action Global Learning Network Leader, Peer Mentor, and Global Ambassador, supporting multilingual students in their transition to the American learning system and making the experience engaging and enjoyable. I am also a Peer Success Coach at the Chaiken Center for Student Success, where I guide students in time management, study strategies, and achieving academic success. Additionally, I work as a Front Desk Associate at Lions Gate Residence, assisting students and families with dorm facilities and check-ins. I am the Treasurer of the club called South Asian Student Association (SASA), helping manage club resources and supporting student activities and events.

Outside of academics and work, I am deeply faithful and disciplined, and my faith has helped me overcome challenges and remain resilient. With the support of my family, I strive to pursue my goals with high expectations, a commitment to growth, and a dedication to making a positive impact in my community and beyond.

The College Environmentalist's Guide to Defeating Climate Change

Laurence Orji

Laurence Orji is an international student from Nigeria studying computer science and applied mathematics at Penn State Abington. He is an avid short story writer whose studies have gotten him into urbanism, environmentalism, and geography. He is also a long-suffering fan of Manchester United FC.

Beekeeping Around the World

Zach Fisher

Zach Fisher is a cybersecurity student at Penn State Schuylkill with a strong passion for environmental sustainability. As Co-President of the campus Beekeeping Club, Zach promotes pollinator health and local biodiversity as key components of a sustainable ecosystem. He also participated in the EnvironMentors program, collaborating on hands-on research that connects high school and undergraduate students through sustainability-focused projects. Zach is dedicated to merging technology, education, and environmental responsibility to create a lasting positive impact.

Noah Webb

Noah Webb is a second year Nursing student at Penn State Schuylkill. He is an active member of the campus’s Beekeeping Club and Co-President of the Sustainability Club. As a Nursing student, Noah is focused on how sustainable practices can be implemented into the nursing profession to ensure environmental factors promoting improvements in public health.

Alex Kull

As an avid sustainable action advocate and beekeeper, Alex a Third year Business-Marketing/Management student with a Minor in Criminal Justice knows how much our actions as a society contribute to the decline of our native fauna and flora. By taking the correct steps to create a sustainable climate and society, we can ensure that nature is protected and preserved for future generations to come.

Connecting Sustainability Projects and How They Grow & Research in Sustainability

Youssef Elouardighi

Youssef is a Fourth-Year student at Penn State Abington, who has done a lot of work around sustainability topics at their campus and beyond (also worked with CCSG.) Youssef is excited to share future ideas for sustainability and foster teamwork across Penn State to make lasting impact. Every campus has something they're great at that we can recognize and learn from.

Youssef is an arboretum student worker at Abington, Nature Club president and also Sustainability peer mentor at Abington. Additionally serve as a member of the Sustainability council of Abington and its Student government.

James Bell

James Bell is a senior biology major at Penn State Schuylkill who has participated in the EnvironMentors program as a mentor and worked with our campus arboretum. He is looking towards veterinary school to continue his education.

Arianna Partington

Arianna Partington is currently a student at Penn State Schuylkill, majoring in Biology. Arianna's academic interests include exploring how science influences everyday life and impacts community health. Outside of class, Arianna volunteers with The Hope Center and conduct research on bacteria found in soil from various areas. Arianna's goal is to become a family physician and make a positive difference in the lives of others through compassionate, community-focused healthcare.

Youssef Amin

My name is Youssef Amin and I am a 3rd year biology major with a minor in corporate communications at Penn State Schuylkill. I have been involved in two major areas of research, namely doing water quality testing on Lake Wynonah and Fawn Lake, and now working with microbial fuel cells as a form of renewable energy. After I complete the 4-year program for my bachelor's degree, I hope to get involved in conservation and eventually pursue my master's and PhD.

Glow Up: A Lesson on Upcycling

Aliyah Long

I'm Aliyah Long, my current major is Environmental Systems Engineering, I chose this major due to my passion for things related to sustainability and conservation, and I truly just hope to make a difference in this world and in the environment. Aliyah is a First-Year student at Penn State Altoona.

Cecillia Zhao

Hello, I am Cecillia Zhao. I am a civil engineering major who is looking to pursue an environmental engineering minor. I intend to work in the environmental or conservational field, and hope to make a difference! Cecillia First-Year student at Penn State Altoona.

Alexia Nelson

Hi, my name is Alexia and I’m a nursing major at Penn State Altoona! After I pass the NCLEX exam and receive my bachelors, I want to go to graduate school and get my certificate for psychiatric-nurse practitioner.

The 7 Day Campus Sustainability Challenge

Mrigakshi Verma

Hello, my name is Mrigakshi Verma. I am a sophomore in Aerospace Engineering at Pennsylvania State University, Berks (previously at Wilkes-Barre), and I serve as Associate Director for the Council of Commonwealth Student Governments (CCSG) Sustainability Committee. I care about practical, student-led solutions that make our campuses healthier, cleaner, and kinder. I look forward to learning with you at the conference.