Immersion
Immersion is an opportunity for undergraduate students to pursue their passions and interests through experiential learning. Each student takes a self-directed project from proposal to completion in and beyond the classroom with the guidance of a Vanderbilt faculty member. Immersion projects can include a wide range of experiences, including study abroad, internships, and research projects. Some Immersion experiences bridge actionable research and apply real world problem-solving.
Some students have completed Immersion projects with faculty guidance at The Wond’ry, Vanderbilt’s Innovation Hub. These take the form of two or three semesters in a design studio, where undergraduate students collaborate with each other, faculty, and communities on a range of projects aimed at advancing climate, energy, and health equity. Past projects have tasked students with developing conceptually new approaches to corporate and institutional decarbonization. Students have worked to create decarbonization approaches that generate economic, environmental, or health co-benefits for marginalized communities.
Immersion Stories
Maya Maciel-Seidman
For her Immersion project, Maya conducted independent, community-engaged research on the energy and carbon savings from energy efficiency upgrades to low-income rental housing. She worked as part of an undergraduate team under the supervision of CHEEL Lab co-directors Zdravka Tzankova, Carol Ziegler, and James Muchira. Within her research team, which also includes CES majors Aaditi Lele and Samuel Lu, Maya was in charge of developing and implementing a new methodology for calculating the energy and carbon savings from low-income energy upgrades based on publicly available data sources. Maya’s success in developing this methodology is partly reflected in a Frontiers in Energy Research peer-reviewed paper, for which Maya is first-author. Her project’s practical impact continues to unfold, as the CHEEL lab pilots the market-funded energy efficiency intervention in low-income rental housing in Nashville, and prepares to scale it up with the help of community nonprofit & business partners, and startup partner WattCarbon—a leader in the quantification and verification of carbon offset credits from distributed energy resources.
Caitlin Scannell
For her Immersion project, Catie attended Climate Week NYC. She prepared to make the most out of her participation through conversations with faculty like Prof. Zdravka Tzankova, fellow undergraduates, and Vanderbilt enviro alums who were also attending Climate Week NYC that fall. Following her attendance, Catie presented her insights to her peers in person and in an excellent online tutorial & insights integrator.
Lily Capiola
Lily Capiola completed her Immersion experience with a research project on how climate change can affect common mental illnesses, among them anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance dependency. Although conventional treatments for these illnesses are effective, she also found that researchers are beginning to explore new types of interventions that specifically address climate change. For example, taking action on climate change reform and avoiding “doom-scrolling” can alleviate symptoms of climate anxiety.
Internships
Various organizations offer paid summer canvassing internships, including the Public Interest Research Groups, Green Corps, and Environment America. Green Corps also offers placement for paid and unpaid summer positions with local environmental groups. The program’s director of undergraduate studies can provide a more complete overview of internship possibilities, both within and beyond Nashville.
Internship Stories
Sarah Jones
Sara completed an internship with the Nashville Tree Foundation, a local nonprofit dedicated to advancing urban forestry and equitable tree canopy coverage across Davidson County. In this role, she contributed to a range of outreach, communications, and programmatic efforts, including supporting tree planting initiatives, developing social media content, and assisting with community engagement campaigns. Sara drew on her coursework in climate studies and communication of science and technology to translate environmental goals into accessible, community-centered messaging. She also received guidance and mentorship from her faculty adviser Zdravka Tzankova, and NTF executive director Kelly Tipler. Sara compiled her work into a portfolio highlighting her contributions to environmental communication and urban forestry initiatives. Sara remains actively involved with NTF and continues to explore urban forestry as a pathway for climate mitigation, environmental justice, and community-based resilience.
Charlotte James
“I worked for the Georgia Sea Grant and UGA Marine Extension Summer as a coastal resilience intern. Working under Dr. Jill Gambill, I gained practical experience in coastal resilience to flooding, sea-level rise, and storm surge. I was also a member of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation-funded Tybee Back River Study team developing innovative solutions to coastal resilience, where we conducted focus groups for a residential flood resilience survey to gather public input. We developed a set of gray, green, and hybrid infrastructure recommendations including living shorelines, levees, culverts, sea walls, and increased recreational greenspace. I created content for the project website, presentation graphics, and Tybee Island ArcGIS Storymap. I also interned at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History as a research intern in the Amphibians and Reptiles Section with curator Dr. Jennifer Sheridan. I conducted field and collections-based research on the impact of climate change on habitat alteration and organism size. This work included specimen collection, measurement, data input and analysis.”
Allyria McBride and Sarah Alfonso
Two Vanderbilt undergraduates, Allyria McBride and Sarah Alfonso, engaged in program development, grassroots activist training, and environmental justice advocacy as interns for Girl Plus Environment (GPE), a nonprofit that focuses on empowering young Black and Brown women and nonbinary individuals to get involved in climate and environmental justice work. Working under the mentorship of Danait Issac—a GPE staffer and recent Vanderbilt alum—the two interns gained valuable policy, research, and nonprofit management skills while deepening the exploration of their academic, civic, and professional interests and commitments.
Clubs and Organizations
There are many opportunities for students to become involved with climate and environmental issues across campus and in the wider community. Below are climate and environmental-related student organizations you might consider.
- EPSILON ETA is a professional and social fraternity focused on environmental careers, community service, professional development, and meaningful connection. From career panels, mentorship, and resume reviews to invasive species cleanups, park service, and chapter wide bonding events, they support their members while making a positive impact on campus and the broader community.
- Plant Futures is focused on helping students connect with plants, sustainability, and the local community. They host speaker events with people from both campus and the Nashville community so students can learn about topics like sustainable food and environmental work. They also spend time actually getting their hands dirty by learning how to garden and work together on planting projects. Overall, it’s a space where people can learn more intentionally about sustainability in an approachable way.
- SPEAR (Students Promoting Environmental Awareness) is dedicated to advancing environmental awareness at Vanderbilt and promoting environmentally sustainable habits and infrastructures on campus and in the broader community.
- Vandy Bird Club, a student-run birdwatching club, allows students to learn about birds and nature through lectures and hikes.
- Vanderbilt Community Garden allows students to learn sustainable gardening methods.
- Vandy Energy Transition Society is a network of energetic students and professionals interested in a robust energy transition.
- Vanderbilt Student Government Environmental Affairs Committee advocates for current and future generations of Vanderbilt students by enacting sustainability solutions on campus.
- WILSKILLS (Wilderness Skills) is a student-run outdoor education organization at Vanderbilt that makes adventure and environmental engagement accessible to all students (no prior experience required). Through weekly lectures and affordable weekend and day trips, members learn skills like backpacking, climbing, paddling, and caving while building a deeper appreciation for nature and responsible stewardship of the environment.
Awards
The Program in Climate and Environmental Studies awards prizes each spring to recognize the accomplishments of our undergraduates. Students are nominated by CES faculty.
Outstanding Undergraduate Major in Climate and Environmental Studies
The award is given to the CES graduating major who best embodies the values of intellectual excellence, scholarly discipline, and community engagement in the subject of climate and environmental studies.