Lukas Levy

LUKAS LEVY

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2023

Lukas is a sophomore at Austin Peay State University working towards a bachelors
in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. He is working towards becoming
a wildlife biologist, hopefully focusing on conservation. Outside of school, Lukas
volunteers at a wildlife rehabilitation center and takes care of his ferrets. He attended
WYSE during the summer of 2023 and is very excited to return!

LUKAS LEVY

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2023

Lukas is a sophomore at Austin Peay State University working towards a bachelors in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. He is working towards becoming a wildlife biologist, hopefully focusing on conservation. Outside of school, Lukas volunteers at a wildlife rehabilitation center and takes care of his ferrets. He attended WYSE during the summer of 2023 and is very excited to return!

Julius Rodriguez

JULIUS RODRIGUEZ

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Julius R. Rodriguez is a clinical psychology senior at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, with a background in positive psychology and comparative animal behavior. His passion lies in finding physiological, observable data to support primarily mentalistic clinical and cognitive theories. He currently leads research on how optimism can moderate body image issues and how self-objectification, measured through eye-tracking, may be reduced in romantic relationships through admiration-based interventions that promote positive body image. He’s also studied sexual harassment in fish, deep-sea conservation, and sustainable college practice (recycling, gardening, pollinating, etc). He’s worked with psychologists, zoologists, conservation biologists, and park rangers, hosted sustainability and deep-sea education seminars, and spends most of his free time traveling to aquariums. At Rollins, he blends psychology and sustainability as Sustainability Senator, and as a WYSE 2023 alum, he’s excited to return and help students explore where behavior and the environment intersec

JULIUS RODRIGUEZ

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Julius R. Rodriguez is a clinical psychology senior at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, with a background in positive psychology and comparative animal behavior. His passion lies in finding physiological, observable data to support primarily mentalistic clinical and cognitive theories. He currently leads research on how optimism can moderate body image issues and how self-objectification, measured through eye-tracking, may be reduced in romantic relationships through admiration-based interventions that promote positive body image. He’s also studied sexual harassment in fish, deep-sea conservation, and sustainable college practice (recycling, gardening, pollinating, etc). He’s worked with psychologists, zoologists, conservation biologists, and park rangers, hosted sustainability and deep-sea education seminars, and spends most of his free time traveling to aquariums. At Rollins, he blends psychology and sustainability as Sustainability Senator, and as a WYSE 2023 alum, he’s excited to return and help students explore where behavior and the environment intersec

Maddie Weller

MADDIE WELLER

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Madeline is an Environmental Science undergraduate at Georgia Tech, pursuing a
minor in Energy Systems and a Sustainable Business Certificate. She works with
the Tang Research Group, exploring rare earth element transformations for clean
energy applications. Madeline also contributes to methane emissions research
through Georgia Tech’s Methane Project team and was part of the first-place
Plastathon team developing a plastic-reduction app. She enjoys reading, hiking,
and photography. She uses visual storytelling to advocate for environmental
awareness and inspire curiosity through creativity and science.

MADDIE WELLER

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Madeline is an Environmental Science undergraduate at Georgia Tech, pursuing a minor in Energy Systems and a Sustainable Business Certificate. She works with the Tang Research Group, exploring rare earth element transformations for clean energy applications. Madeline also contributes to methane emissions research through Georgia Tech’s Methane Project team and was part of the first-place Plastathon team developing a plastic-reduction app. She enjoys reading, hiking, and photography. She uses visual storytelling to advocate for environmental
awareness and inspire curiosity through creativity and science.

Gabby Heling

GABBY HELING

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2023

Gabby is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin and is a sophomore at UW-Madison majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies with a minor in Public Policy. When she attended WYSE, she found a passion for environmental sustainability though the lense of government with policy regulations. She has experience in both sustainability and government. A fun fact about Gabby is that she is horrified of camels and will be avoiding them at any zoo. She looks forward to meeting the
Delegates at this year’s Summit!

GABBY HELING

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2023

Gabby is from Oshkosh, Wisconsin and is a sophomore at UW-Madison majoring in Political Science and Environmental Studies with a minor in Public Policy. When she attended WYSE, she found a passion for environmental sustainability though the lense of government with policy regulations. She has experience in both sustainability and government. A fun fact about Gabby is that she is horrified of
camels and will be avoiding them at any zoo. She looks forward to meeting the Delegates at this year’s Summit!

Abby Engel

ABBY ENGEL

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2023

Abby is a dedicated student who has always been interested in the environment.
She fell in love with birds after watching wildlife cameras online during the pandemic.
A high achiever in school, she wishes to continue her studies to become an avian
veterinarian focused on wildlife rehabilitation. After she attended WYSE in 2023,
Abigail went on to lead volunteers at a local program that brought speakers from
around the country to educate people in her community about problems facing
the environment and their solutions.

ABBY ENGEL

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2023

Abby is a dedicated student who has always been interested in the environment. She fell in love with birds after watching wildlife cameras online during the pandemic. A high achiever in school, she wishes to continue her studies to become an avian veterinarian focused on wildlife rehabilitation. After she attended WYSE in 2023, Abigail went on to lead volunteers at a local program that brought speakers from around the country to educate people in her community about problems facing the environment and their solutions.

Camille Kidwell

CAMILLE KIDWELL

Junior Faculty Advisor

Camille has always been passionate about sustainability, beginning as a young child with visits to local outdoor spaces. In 2019, she co-founded GreenTeenz RVA, a youth-led nonprofit organization based in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia that works to provide educational and volunteer opportunities to Richmond youth. She also was a delegate during WYSE 2021, which further fueled her passions. Now a rising sophomore at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Environmental Policy, her dedication to solving environmental problems has never wavered. She looks forward to meeting everyone and growing together at WYSE 2024!

CAMILLE KIDWELL

Junior Faculty Advisor

Camille has always been passionate about sustainability, beginning as a young child with visits to local outdoor spaces. In 2019, she co-founded GreenTeenz RVA, a youth-led nonprofit organization based in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia that works to provide educational and volunteer opportunities to Richmond youth. She also was a delegate during WYSE 2021, which further fueled her passions. Now a rising sophomore at Loyola University Chicago majoring in Environmental Policy, her dedication to solving environmental problems has never wavered. She looks forward to meeting everyone and growing together at WYSE 2024!

Dominic Westbrook

DOMINIC WESTBROOK

Junior Faculty Advisor

Dominic is a senior at Michigan State University majoring in Zoology with a concentration in Zoo & Aquarium Science. Passionate about understanding and conserving wildlife, he serves as Treasurer for the Zoological Students Association on campus. Within his academics, Dominic has collected research by conducting ethograms on zoo animals and presented his data for zoo staff. He spends his spare time hiking trails, listening to music, and teaching students the natural behavior of insects and arthropods at the MSU Bug House. Dominic attended WYSE in 2018 and was a JFA in 2023. He is joyous to return as a JFA this year, and to network and foster community with WYSE 2024!

Victoria Justiniano

VICTORIA JUSTINIANO

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Victoria attended WYSE in 2022. She is currently going into her sophomore
year at Duke University where she is pursuing a degree in Marine Science and
Conservation. She is passionate about anything marine science, environment, and
agriculture. Victoria is looking forward to being a JFA this summer!

VICTORIA JUSTINIANO

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Victoria attended WYSE in 2022. She is currently going into her sophomore year at Duke University where she is pursuing a degree in Marine Science and
Conservation. She is passionate about anything marine science, environment, and agriculture. Victoria is looking forward to being a JFA this summer!

Laney Childers

LANEY CHILDERS

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Laney is from Douglas, Georgia. She has recently graduated with her associate’s
degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and is excited to continue her
college education at a new school. Laney plans to pursue a career in social media
marketing, with hopes to tie in conservation and environmentalism, her first passion. She attended WYSE in 2022, was a member of the Youth Advisory Board in 2023,
and a JFA in 2024. She is so excited to be back with WYSE again!

LANEY CHILDERS

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Laney is from Douglas, Georgia. She has recently graduated with her associate’s degree from Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and is excited to continue her college education at a new school. Laney plans to pursue a career in social media marketing, with hopes to tie in conservation and environmentalism, her first passion. She attended WYSE in 2022, was a member of the Youth Advisory Board in 2023, and a JFA in 2024. She is so excited to be back with WYSE again!

Julia Rennels

JULIA RENNELS

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Julia is a Junior at George Mason University pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science
with a concentration in conservation. Outside of school, she spends her time rock
climbing, both indoors and outdoors. Julia enjoys her time at WYSE and feels that WYSE
encouraged her plans to study Environmental Science in college. Her most memorable
experience was the trip to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, where she is
attending a semester in the fall studying endangered species. A staff member since
2023, she is exited to be returning to WYSE as a Junior Faculty Advisor in 2025!

JULIA RENNELS

Junior Faculty Advisor, WYSE Alum 2022

Julia is a Junior at George Mason University pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science
with a concentration in conservation. Outside of school, she spends her time rock
climbing, both indoors and outdoors. Julia enjoys her time at WYSE and feels that WYSE encouraged her plans to study Environmental Science in college. Her most memorable experience was the trip to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, where she is attending a semester in the fall studying endangered species. A staff member since 2023, she is exited to be returning to WYSE as a Junior Faculty Advisor in 2025!