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Tag: 2022

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Faculty Advisor Staff

Keni Rienks

KENI RIENKS

Faculty Advisor

Keni Rienks teaches AP Environmental Science, Coastal Engineering, and AP Seminar at an independent school in Wilmington, NC. She also leads the Cape Fear Surfrider Foundation and is on the board for the Duke University Superfund Research Center’s Community Engagement Core. When Keni is not working, she enjoys time on the boat and at the beach with her husband and two children. Keni holds a Masters of Environmental Management degree from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.

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Speakers

Spencer Bennett

SPENCER BENNETT

Environmental Scientist

Spencer Bennett just graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BS in Environmental Science.  His passion for the environment started at an early age, way before attending WYSE as a delegate in 2017 and Spencer is very excited to be back for his 5th WYSE. Spencer was involved in EcoHusky, Friday’s For Future, and the biodiversity greenhouses at UConn throughout his 4 years. He helped organize events that spread awareness on sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice. His love for plants and photography was combined at the biodiversity greenhouses as he volunteered to help with maintenance, husbandry, and the greenhouse’s instagram. Spencer has had research experience through the university. His most recent endeavor was with the Simon Lab at UConn, where he studied the range, population size/density, and emergence of Magiciada, a genus of periodical cicada. He encourages everyone to seek research experience as it has helped him gauge what he wants to do for his future career.

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Craig Saffoe

CRAIG SAFFOE

Curator, Large Carnivores, Smithsonian's National Zoo

As the Curator of Large Carnivores (and Kids’ Farm) at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Craig Saffoe is responsible for the overall care and management of 18 species and more than 50 individual animals.  He works with a team of animal keepers to not only care for, but facilitate breeding with most of the Zoo’s large carnivores – which includes one of the most critically endangered species (Sumatran tigers) managed at the National Zoological Park. Craig started his career as an intern in 1994 and worked his way up to Animal Keeper, Biologist and now Curator. In that time, he has been a part of many successful teams including the team that managed, bred and successfully produced the first two cheetah litters ever born at the Smithsonian. Craig now leads a team that has been incredibly successful at breeding large carnivores – boasting multiple successful litters of lions and tigers and yes bears….Oh my!

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Speakers

Michael Latimer

MICHAEL LATIMER

Associate, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Michael Latimer first attended WYSE back in 2012. After becoming part of the WYSE community, he studied at George Mason University, graduating in 2017 with a major in Environmental Science and a concentration in Conservation. During his time at GMU, he was an intern for the Washington Scholars Program where he assisted in the preparation for WYSE and its sister conference, the Washington Journalism and Media Conference. Also during his undergraduate years, Michael studied abroad in Belize where he learned about the connectivity between terrestrial and marine ecosystems as well as the communities reliant on them. In 2016, Michael studied at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, where he learned about the connection between conservation and society, worked as a resident advisor, and worked with the endangered bird population on the facility.

Michael currently works at the Pew Charitable Trusts as an associate. Here, he works on multiple projects including preventing ocean plastics, reducing harmful fishing subsidies, protecting Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, and seabed mining. Along with these projects, Michael assists in the scoping of new projects and engaging the organization in international bodies such as the United Nations, Our Oceans Conference, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. He is very excited to be back to share his experience with the program that helped spark his passion in marine conservation.

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Faculty Advisor

Gary Swick

GARY SWICK

Faculty Advisor

Gary Swick used his BS in Natural Resource Mgt. from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and a MSEd in Outdoor Teacher Education as the foundation for developing a field-based High School Environmental Science suite of eight courses.  The related projects have earned numerous state & national acclaim for their innovative approaches and impressive results.  Individually, Gary has received several recognitions on the national level as an outstanding Environmental Educator. With the motto, “Environmental Action through Education”, his students have been active agents of change in their communities. His primary focus has been getting students into their local streams as “Watershed Watchdogs”, collecting data and becoming stewards. He previously taught at Northern Illinois University and is now retired. In addition to teaching, Gary spent 18 summers as a whitewater raft guide in Wyoming.  Gary serves as the President of the Friends of the Fox River, the Board President of the Elgin Math & Science Academy, and is a board member on several other non-profit conservation groups. He is an avid outdoor recreationist.

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Faculty Advisor

Corey Payne

COREY PAYNE

Faculty Advisor

Corey earned his PhD in Science Education from the University of Florida studying issues of representation in STEM.  He is currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at St. Mary’s College of Maryland leading a grant through the American Physics Society that targets professional identity and self-efficacy to increase the recruitment of K12 science teachers. His primary research interests include mentoring, developmental network analysis, and inquiry-based science education. During graduate school, he worked on an NSF-funded project to redesign the chemistry laboratory curriculum for engineering majors to increase the retention and performance of underrepresented students. Outside of his educational research interests he has also worked with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in the forest ecology lab studying canopy structures and their relation to global climate change. He has also volunteered at the Whitney Labs studying climate change and the effect of the northern expansion of mangroves into Florida. In his free time, he enjoys restoring vintage mountain bikes, tubing in the Florida springs, and swimming in the ocean with his dog Maple.

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Faculty Advisor

Erica R. McKenzie

ERICA MCKENZIE

Faculty Advisor

Erica McKenzie was originally attracted to environmental engineering to better understand human-impacted natural environments, and she is currently an associate professor at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.  She completed an environmental engineering doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) at University of California at Davis, where she researched the water quality implication of runoff from highways, urban areas, and agricultural fields (think of the water that collects in the street or flows over a lawn when it rains). Additionally, while at UC Davis, Erica was involved in Engineers Without Borders and participated in projects to improve drinking water and sanitation for rural Ugandans; she was able to travel to Uganda twice. In her current position in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Temple University, Erica teaches classes and conducts research on water quality, particularly looking at pollutant movement through the environment or engineered treatment systems. When she’s not working, Erica enjoys outdoors activities, and particularly enjoys riding bikes and running.

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Faculty Advisor

Kevin Magerr

KEVIN MAGERR

Faculty Advisor

Mr. Kevin Magerr is a professional engineer with nearly forty years of experience in environmental protection.  Kevin holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Widener University and a Masters of Science in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Villanova University, and has completed more than two dozen specialty courses and certifications throughout his career.  Recently retired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, he worked in the Water Protection Division for thirty years. His work there, his numerous publications, and his teaching experience in several universities and at the high school level have been recognized by multiple awards, including the Gold Medal for Excellence in Government. Kevin continues teaching and advising at Temple University in several areas: Biotechnology, and Civil and Environmental Engineering at the graduate level, Environmental Science at the undergraduate level, and as Senior Faculty Advisor for the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment at George Mason University. Kevin is very active in the community by working with high school students in track and cross-country programs, being on the Executive Boards of the Global Water Alliance and the Nicholas Newlin Foundation for the Historic Newlin Grist Mill, and by providing technical assistance to the Chester, Ridley and Crum Watersheds Association. When not working he enjoys hiking and kayaking.

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Faculty Advisor

Maction Komwa, Ph.D.

MACTION KOMWA

Faculty Advisor

Maction Komwa is a multi-disciplinary researcher and educator with expertise and experience in geospatial technologies in support of climate and land-use change, biophysical sustainability of food production systems, conservation of natural resource and management.  He is currently teaching in the department of Geography and Geoinformation Science at George Mason University. For the past 11 years, Maction has collaborated and conducted research with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC on various projects related to policy framework for agricultural transformation, sustainable food security and nutrition, and crop monitoring for early warning using remote sensing techniques.

He received a Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Policy from George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia and obtained a Master’s in Geographic Information Science for Development and Environment (GISDE) from Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts. Maction will be returning as a Faculty Advisor for WYSE for the eighth time and he is very eager to meet the esteemed 2023 delegates.

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Faculty Advisor

Gretchen Gorecki

GRETCHEN GORECKI

Faculty Advisor

Gretchen Gorecki (she / her) is the Natural Resource Manager at the Virginia Department of Conservation’s Division of State Parks. She works directly with district resource specialists to implement resource management activities across all 41 state parks in Virginia, including invasive species management, native species and pollinator habitat restoration, prescribed burning, and other beneficial stewardship activities. Gretchen relies on her GIS and mapping skills to provide additional support to these projects. She supports policy development, conducts regulation and guidance reviews, and promotes recreational and educational access for park visitors. She also serves as a DCR Prescribed Burn Crew Member and is working on becoming a Squad Boss. Gretchen was previously an environmental consultant, where she focused on natural resource program management, facility and environmental documentation programs, encroachment strategies, and geospatial analyses primarily for federal clients, including the U.S. Department of Defense. Gretchencompleted her MSc in Biodiversity, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Health from the University of Edinburgh. She obtained her BS from the University of Mary Washington, where she double majored in Environmental Science and Geography, and received a GISc Certificate. She is a certified GIS Professional (GISP), completed a National Fellowship with the Environmental Leadership Program, serves on the board of the Friends of Lake Anna State Park, volunteers as a Virginia Master Naturalist, participates as a judge at Virginia regional science fairs, and is a tenor drummer with the UMW Eagle Pipe Band. She is also a Master Hiker after completing Trail Quest by visiting all of the Virginia State Parks. Gretchen enjoys outdoor recreation, including hiking, backpacking, sup-ping, and rock climbing, and spending time at her backyard farm with her four dogs, horse, rabbit, and cows.