Michigan Chapter Welcomes Two Doris Duke Scholars

Gabby Buendia

My name is Gabbie Buendia and I am senior at Rollins College in my hometown of Orlando, Florida where I study Environmental Studies and Women and Gender Studies. I am working with Sierra Club in Detroit this summer as part of the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (DDCSP) based at the University of Michigan. DDCSP gives undergraduate students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the environmental field through research and internship experiences spanning two summers. This is my second summer here in Michigan after working at the University’s Center for Sustainable Systems my first year. My work this summer is focused on the Great Lakes Program and involves mapping, researching, and taking inventory of Detroit’s rain gardens and other green stormwater infrastructure.

My passion for this work was sparked by a class on Culture and the Environment. Since then, my interests have extended to environmental justice, environmental feminism, access to green spaces, and education. As I prepare for the workforce, I look forward to gaining more experience in community organizing and research. I have already been challenged this summer by the introduction of many new skills including how to conduct market research and how to construct and program a water sensor.

In my spare time, I love to go hiking and do Pilates. I also keep myself busy on campus with my involvement in managing the campus Women’s Center and serving as a sustainability coordinator. I am so excited to be working with the Sierra Club and hope to adapt the skills I gain this summer to improve my local community. 

Emily Rau

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My name is Emily Rau and I am a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar interning at the Great Lakes Program in Detroit. I am currently a Senior at University of Wisconsin-Madison majoring in Environmental Sciences with a certificate in Sustainability.

This is my second summer in Michigan apart of the Doris Duke Scholars Program at the University of Michigan. DDCSP is a 2-year, fully-funded research and internship program for undergraduate students interested in conservation and the environment. Last summer I conducted research on component use patterns used in case studies for the Michigan Sustainability Cases in the School for Environment and Sustainability.

I am ecstatic to be working with the Michigan Chapter’s Great Lakes Program this summer! Growing up a mile away from Lake Michigan has allowed me to appreciate what the Great Lakes have to offer and to understand how important it is to take care of the freshwater we have for the public good and conservation. I also am interested in water management and freshwater ecology making this internship the perfect fit for me by helping out with green stormwater infrastructure projects. Throughout the next two months I will be working on taking inventory of the 50 rain gardens the Sierra Club has helped build, mapping green infrastructure around Detroit, and developing a market analysis report on green infrastructure jobs.