Environmental Research & Education Foundation Awards 23 Scholarships to Graduate Students Advancing Waste and Sustainability Research
Raleigh, NC (September 24, 2025) – The Board of Directors of the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF) is proud to announce the award of 23 scholarships to Master’s and Doctoral students pursuing education and research in solid waste management.
Since 1997, EREF’s Scholarship Program has funded nearly 200 graduate students, making it the largest program in North America dedicated to funding solid waste research and education at the graduate level. EREF Scholars conduct critical research that advances innovation, informs policy, and strengthens sustainable materials management systems worldwide.
Meet the 2025 EREF Scholars
Master’s Scholars
- Meaghan Amaral, Earth and Environmental Science, St. Francis Xavier University – GFL Scholar 2025
Using Drone-Based TDLAS Column-Sensor to Measure Active Working Face Emissions at Canadian Landfills - Julia Darabaner, Biology, Carleton University – EREF Scholar 2025
Microbe-mediated Contaminant Cycling: Assessing Microbial Effects on Ontario Landfill Leachate Toxicity - Patience Adjo Darko-Budu, Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina – EREF Scholar 2025
Analyzing Affordability Variations of Landfill Tipping Fees Across the United States through Three Novel Indicators - Bethany Egge, Microbiology, Southern Illinois University – Smith + Gardner Scholar 2025
Increasing Production of Digestor Methane and Digestate Decomposition Efficiency with Oxidative Hydrothermal Dissolution - Punmadara Karunaratne, Civil Engineering, University of Windsor – EREF Scholar 2025
Life Cycle Thinking Based Decision Making Framework for Organic Waste Management in Canada - Samantha McAvoy, Environmental Studies, Ohio University – EREF Scholar 2025
Talk isn’t Trash: Aligning Messaging with Cultural Values to Improve Waste Behavior at Ohio University Move-Out - Tawsif Sultan Raaz, Civil Engineering, University of Delaware – Robert P. Stearns/SCS Engineers Scholar 2025
Investigation of Spatiotemporal Variability of Methane Emissions from Different Landfill Covers and Impact on Whole Landfill Emissions Estimates
Doctoral Scholars
- Shubhangi Venkatchari Arvelli, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Kansas State University – EREF Scholar 2025
Sustainable Food Waste Valorization: Fermentation-Based Strategies for Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Circular Bioproduct Development - Muhammad Umer Aslam, Environmental and Conservation Sciences, North Dakota State University – EREF Scholar 2025
Biopolymer-Based Composite Adsorbent for Selective Microplastic Removal from Landfill Leachate - Siddhesh Shirish Borkar, Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University – EREF Scholar 2025
Assessing Scalability of Waste Plastic Upcycling through the Mechanistic Understanding of Catalytic Conversions - Catherine E. Bond, Systems Engineering, Colorado State University – EREF Scholar 2025
Analyzing Material Tradeoffs and Existing Material Banks in the Urban Built Environment to Develop Decision-Support Tools to Inform Circular Economy Policy and Building Codes - Muhammad Elius, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley – EREF Scholar 2025
Assessment and Management of Emissions from MSW Landfills: Direct Measurement and Modeling - Oluwatosin Folorunso, Environmental Science Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley – EREF Scholar 2025
Addressing Textile Waste: An Analysis of Emerging Policies and Recycling Innovations - Treves Li, Civil Engineering, University of California, Berkeley – EREF Scholar 2025
Quantifying the Impact of Landfill Waste and Cover Conditions on Methane Emissions through Robot-Enabled Remotely Sensed and Geophysical Data - Sameena Manzur, Technology, Policy and Innovation, Stony Brook University – Anne & Robert Reithmiller PTR Scholar 2025
Impact of Socioeconomic Factors on Food and Organic Waste Generation in the United States - Xiaowen Ni, Bioresource Engineering, McGill University – EREF Scholar 2025
Food Waste in Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Sectors: Generation, Valorization, and Management - Marc Nolan, Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University – RUTERRA Group Doctoral Scholar in honor of Joe Frola 2025
Application of Pulsed Wave Ultrasound for the Enhanced Sonochemical Degradation of PFASs in Landfill Leachate - Joshua Ocheje, Environmental Chemistry, Florida International University – EREF Scholar 2025
Investigation of Types and Levels of PFAS in Electronic Waste for Effective Solid Waste Management - Deepshikha Ola, Environmental Sciences, The Ohio State University – EREF Scholar 2025
Modeling PFAS Atmospheric Deposition from Waste Management Sources - Fabiola Yancel Rodríguez Rodríguez, Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida – Evergreen Surety Bond Scholar 2025
Fate, Transport, Behavior and Mechanochemical Degradation of PFAS in Biosolids - Fernanda Silva Pimenta, Chemical Engineering, University of South Florida – Mitchener Doctoral Scholar 2025
Carbon Capture and BioFuels: Unlocking the Energy Potential of Municipal Solid Waste - Yinyu Sun, Civil Engineering, George Mason University – EREF Scholar 2025
A Comprehensive Framework to Assess Potential Risks that Landfills Face Due to Climate Change - Nathalie Tuya, Earth & Environmental Engineering – EREF Scholar 2025
Enabling Li-Ion Battery Recycling through Electrochemical Mediated Leachate Production
About the EREF Scholarship Program
EREF scholarships recognize and support students who demonstrate excellence in solid waste research and show promise to contribute meaningfully to the future of the field. Scholars are selected through a rigorous, competitive review process and join a distinguished network of alumni who have gone on to leadership roles in academia, industry, and government.
To learn more about the EREF Scholarship Program and past recipients, visit: https://erefdn.org/scholarships.
