Young Environmentalists Tackle Complex Issues: Undergraduates Propose Solutions to Science Policy Problems

Recently, the Journal of Science Policy and Governance published a collection of papers that included contributions from undergraduate students at the University of Pittsburgh’s spring 2023 Environmental Law and Policy class. The goal of this class was to encourage students to identify science policy problems and propose potential solutions. The class attracted a diverse group of participants, including undergraduate students, graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and faculty from top-ranked science departments, medical schools, and policy programs.

One team of undergraduate students, consisting of Yasmine Florent, Mackenzie Nemoto, Ana Rowley, Vanessa Pratt, and recent graduate Maria Isabel Villegas (A&S ’24), wrote a paper titled “Dangers of Oxybenzone in Sunscreens on Coral Reefs: Proposed Policy Approaches.” Another paper titled “Mitigating the Invasive Method of Hydraulic Fracturing Through a Phase Out Policy Plan” was written by Ashlynn Moretti, Madilyn Cianci, Mina Kimak, and Savannah Johns (A&S ’23).

These undergraduate students studying environmental studies, environmental science