Recent Graduates
Alex Greer
| Alex Greer graduated with a BS in Environmental Engineering from UVM in 2023. Through a Barrett Scholarship, she worked with Dr. Elizabeth Doran and Dr. Greg Rowangould collecting heat and temperature data around Burlington from an e-bike instrumented with sensors as part of a larger TRC study looking at the effects of transportation infrastructure and land use on micro-climates in urban and rural communities across Vermont. Viewing engineering as a way to improve the environment, Alex is excited to combine what she’s learning about transportation systems at the TRC with her interests in renewable energy and water accessibility. |
Sierra Espeland
| Sierra Espeland graduated with a MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering form UVM in 2023. Her research with Dr. Dana Rowangould looked at how people in rural communities are meeting their transportation needs. She seeks to understand what constraints people face in regards to vehicle access, ability to make trips, financial burdens and trip duration. One of Sierra's goals is to improve people's lives by increasing access to sustainable travel options through a better understanding of how policy decisions and the built environment impact marginalized communities. |
Holly Foster
| Holly Foster is from Mystic, CT and graduated from UVM with a BS in Community and International Development in 2023. Holly was a part of a rural transportation equity project with Dr. Dana Rowangould that focused on gathering and analyzing personal stories from rural Vermonters and migrant workers on their transportation experiences. Holly is interested in the effect that transportation access has on food security and physical and mental health. One of the goals of the project is to address the social isolation among rural Vermonters and migrant workers through more accessible and sustainable transportation so that basic needs and community ties can be built. |
Julia Lanz-Duret
| Julia LanzDuret-Hernandez is from Rochester, New York and earned a BS in Community and International Development from UVM in 2023. Their research with Dr. Dana Rowangould focused on the transportation experiences of rural Vermonters in the Northeast Kingdom and of migrant workers in the state of Vermont. Julia is interested in continuing to learn of new ways to improve communities by making them more equitable and sustainable for their residents. Julia aims to amplify rural Vermonter’s needs regarding transportation so that agencies and services can make adequate changes. |
Connie Douthwaite
| Connie Douthwaite, coming to UVM from Newtown Square, PA graduated with a BS Environmental Engineering in 2023. Her iterests in spatial analysis and transportation led to a research position with the TRC. She worked with Dr. Greg Rowangould to evaluate factors explaining differences in Vermonter’s patterns of vehicle use, vehicle preferences, and vehicular GHG emissions by looking for correlations with other spatial factors. |
Julia Clarke
| Julia Clarke earned a BS in Civil Engineering from UVM in 2022. Julia worked with Dr. Greg Rowangould as a Barret Scholar and research assistant studing how pedestrian, bicycle and vehicle travel behavior changed in Vermont during and after the Covid-19 stay-at-home period. Julia is now a Transportation Planner at Arup in the Boston office! |
Erica Quallen
| Erica Quallen graduated from UVM with a MS in Civil and Environmetnal Engineering in 2022 where she studied challanges to reducing vehicle dependance and reducing GHG emissions in small and rural communities wiht Dr. Greg Rowangould. After graduating, Erica began working in the City of South Burlington as their Deputy Director of Capital Projects in the Department of Public Works. Erica's role involves managing bicycle and pedestrian facility scoping, design, and construction projects. So far these have included projects like the bicycle and pedestrian bridge over I-89, closing gaps in our shared use path network on Dorset Street and Spear Street, and working with our bicycle and pedestrian committee. The other part of her role has been at the long-range planning and policy level working with departments from across the City to develop their 10-year capital improvement plans for all types of projects. Erica’s time with UVM and the TRC has helped me become more comfortable working in the policy realm and bridge the gap between engineers or project managers and the policy makers like our City Manager and City Council. |
Stephen Montaño | Joining the TRC from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Stephen Montaño (he/him) earned a MS. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, with a focus on transportation. He holds a BS. in Civil Engingeering from the University of New Mexico. Stephen’s research with Dr. Greg Rowangould investigated how e-bikes impact a user’s route choice, sense of safety, and the differences between e-bikers and traditional bicyclists infrastructure preferences. One goal of Stephen’s e-bike research is to help communities in Vermont identify opportunities to improve conditions for bicycling. Citing the health, economic, environmental, and accessibility benefits that come with using e-bikes, Stephen sees his research as an outlet for making positive contributions to the environment and the community. Stephen is currently a Senior Engineering Designer at Lee Engineering in Albuquerque, NM. |
Owen Palcsik
| Owen Palcsik graduated with a degree in Geography and a minor in Data Science in 2024. His interests include bringing the social justice themes of geography to the field of transportation and understanding the social and spatial implications of the transition to green transportation. Owen worked with Dr. Dana Rowangould to study how place shapes electric vehicle perceptions and adoption in Vermont. |
