As we approach the commencement ceremonies for the College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences Class of 2026, we are excited to share these senior spotlights of some of our exceptional students from each CEMS program.

How did you choose your major?

I have majors in data science and statistics, and I always find it interesting in retrospect that I ended up choosing these majors. Growing up, I never really considered myself to be a "math" person. In fact, all throughout high school, math was my weakest subject, and I was fairly certain I would end up in some field focused on English and writing. Funny enough, I still feel I am naturally more inclined to study in those fields. However, when I turned 16, I started tuning into national news a little bit more, and I started, more specifically, paying attention to the state of the environment on both a local and global scale. Like most people in Vermont, I care very much about the outdoors- I love hiking, camping, climbing, and enjoying the limited sun Vermont has to offer. That is why it was so alarming to me when I became attuned to the climate emergency we are facing today. It was at this point in my life that I realized this is the thing I care about, and if I did not do something in my life to help a cause I so strongly believe in, I could not be happy with my career. That is when I started to get into statistics.

Although the connection between environmental conservation and statistics/data science might not be evident initially, I always knew I was interested in higher education after undergrad, and I realized that what most schools were looking for in their climatology programs wasn't environmental science, but it was math and physics. There is a certain interdisciplinary aspect of climate research that I feel often gets overlooked in terms of environmental science's intersection with mathematics, and my degrees have given me the skills to "play in everyone's backyard," so to speak. Put plainly, it's allowed me to talk to every type of person doing this work (activists, statisticians, programmers, politicians, physicists, meteorologists, etc.). I truly believe that these interdisciplinary methods are the only way to make progress in terms of climate restoration, and I am so happy to have chosen a degree path that allows me to do just that.

I am now about to graduate with my degrees, and I plan to begin getting my PhD in the fall of 2027, studying climatology and atmospheric sciences. I hope that from this, I can make connections, engage in open dialogue, and use the data science and mathematics skills I've gained these past four years to help connect experts from different fields who are so passionately working, but may not know how to communicate with diverse groups of academics and community members. The degrees I have pursued are both incredibly versatile, and I am thankful I decided to pursue them in my first year at UVM, so I now have such incredible opportunities years down the road.

Did you choose to include a minor or certificates?

I have minors in computer science and pure mathematics. Both of these minors have given me a strong technical backing for my majors and the content areas I want to pursue post-grad. Taking classes in programming, data structures and algorithms, database systems, and number theory/analysis have given me the ability to do the mathematics behind the systems I'd like to study. 

I ended up declaring a minor in computer science after my first year at UVM. I had my introductory programming class with professor Clayton Cafiero, and although I had no programming knowledge prior to my college experience, he made it incredibly easy to catch up and get to a point where I felt comfortable learning how to program past a basic level. 

I then added a minor in mathematics my senior year, only last fall semester, when one of my professors Karen Benway pointed out that I was only six credits away given my double major and minor I was already close to finishing. The mathematics minor also gave me the opportunity to take two proof-based classes that were very challenging for me, which have served as a necessary learning opportunity and have made me more confident in my mathematics skills in a rigorous sense.

What extracurricular organizations and activities did you enjoy at UVM?

I do a few things at UVM! I am a tour guide, an orientation leader, a College of Engineering and Mathematical Sciences peer mentor, an undergraduate researcher for the Prison Research and Innovation Network, a member of the Golden Key National Honors Society, a member of the UVM Quiz Bowl team, a member of the data science/stat club, a member of an intramural volleyball team, and on occasion I will attend a debate team practice. I have loved being involved with clubs and organizations while on campus, and I love talking to people from many different parts of UVM. Being a member of these organizations has helped me to find my place and my people, and I'm so grateful for all of the people I've met through these activities!

Is there a class or professor who had a significant impact on your academic journey at UVM? 

Professor Abigail Crocker has truly helped shape my experience and allowed me to grow during my time at UVM. During my junior year, I went to her office hours to ask her a question about a quiz I had taken, and within the hour, she somehow onboarded me onto her research cohort. I have continued to do research with her for the past year-- both over the summer and for the past two academic semesters. She is such an incredible mentor, and I admire her passion and interpersonal skills just as much as I admire her intelligence and professionalism. She is one of the most influential people I've met at UVM, and I will absolutely continue to stay in touch with her and view her as a mentor after graduation.

Do you have a memorable research experience from your time in CEMS?

My most memorable experience I've had at UVM was my time abroad in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. I got the opportunity to go abroad with Round River Conservation Studies and study herbivores, carnivores, and birds of concern around the delta in Botswana. We went to 5 different community concessions and camped for the whole 84-day period we were conducting research. This experience was so unique in the sense that it combined everything I've ever been interested in-- field research, statistics, being in the outdoors, camping with friends, and getting super sunburnt. It was so incredible, and it helped illuminate the career path I want to take post-grad.

Has an internship helped to guide you on your career path?

My sophomore year I completed a semester-long internship with a local nonprofit called Run On Climate. In this internship, I worked as a social media management team member where I focused on the way climate policy was being talked about by policymakers online, and the way nonprofits can reiterate this information in an unbiased, digestible way. It was very interesting to do more of the policy/social media work behind climate activism, and it helped me understand a different perspective on how climate work could be done.

Audrey approaches the world with a deep curiosity and attentiveness that shapes how she engages and learns across many spaces. Working with her is genuinely energizing. She asks thoughtful questions and offers new perspectives that create clarity, deepen understanding, and draw meaningful connections in complex situations.

—Professor Abigail Crocker
Director, Justice Research Center

What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I am moving to Steamboat Springs, CO for five months to join a field crew with Rocky Mountain Youth Corps. In this program, I'll be doing trail restoration, general conservation crew work, and various environmentally-focused projects for AmeriCorps. I love doing field work, so I knew I wanted to take a few months after graduation to do one of these conservation programs.

After this, I plan to move to New York City to pursue a PhD in atmospheric and oceanic sciences, where I plan to do research in climate systems, doing both field work and data analysis/computer modeling. Eventually, I hope to become a professor in this field and help encourage the next generation of climate scientists to do their best work.

Is there an achievement during your undergraduate years at UVM that you are particularly proud of?

At the end of my junior year, I had the honor of winning the Carolyn Donahue award. This award is given to two tour guides every year who exemplify leadership and kindness in the program, and I was honored to have been nominated for the award by my peers and bosses.

How do you envision your future in the next five years?

I hope to continue my academic journey after a year off doing field work. I love learning, and although I know you can be a lifelong learner in many ways, I do want to stay in academia, and I hope to continue doing research at a University that prioritizes the environment as much as UVM!

Is there any advice you would share with incoming first-year students?

Join clubs and spend time outside of your dorm room! My first year on campus, I mostly spent time in class, with friends, or in my room. Although this experience was still lovely, I only started really growing as a person once I put myself in those uncomfortable situations and tried new clubs/jobs/activities. Because I put myself out there, I have met so many incredible, unique people that I wouldn't have gotten to meet otherwise, and my time at UVM is much better for it.

Would you like to include any "shout-outs" to people who helped support you?

The tour guides! Love y'all!