top of page
2025 Cohort
Audrey Burke
Julianna Genna
Guy Hanford
Shane Kurz
Emily Perez
Madison (Maddie) Nabors
Kristina Watkins
Daniel Phillips
Hännah Pultz
Maryann Maletta
2024 Cohort
Carrie Buckley
Jannet Chamú
Victoria Crisologo
Camille Girard
Charla Hedberg
Rachel Miller
Kassandra Sanchez
Bailey Sandstrom
Natalie Thiel
Emily Schule
Project Leaders
Odesma Dalrymple, PhD - Principal Investigator
Odesma is a Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of San Diego, where she directs the Engineering Exchange for Social Justice and serves as a Senior Faculty Liaison for the Mulvaney Center for Community Awareness and Social Action. She has co-developed and co-led two long-running STEAM education outreach programs—the STEAM Team Academy and the STEAM Youth and Community Conference. Dr. Dalrymple also served as Principal Investigator for the Engineering Science Partnership, a California Department of Education-funded collaboration among the University of San Diego, Southwestern College, and the Sweetwater Union High School District, aimed at supporting teachers in deepening their science knowledge and developing NGSS-aligned curriculum.
Bobbi Hansen, Ed.D. - Co-Principal Investigator
Bobbi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of San Diego’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences. She teaches courses in Curriculum and Methods in Mathematics and Science, as well as Cognition and Learning, with an emphasis on high-leverage instructional strategies. Dr. Hansen served as Principal Investigator for a California Math Science Partnership (CaMSP) grant focused on increasing student academic achievement by building sustainable professional development capacities among science teachers in three large urban school districts in Southern California. As a result of this work, she was invited to present at the Global Summit on Science and Science Education and in Scotland, where she delivered a paper on Problem-Based Learning. Dr. Hansen has authored or co-authored three books and was named Teacher Educator of the Year by the San Diego Science Teachers Association in 2017.
Marissa Forbes, PhD - Co-Principal Investigator
Marissa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of San Diego. She holds an M.S. and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering (Environmental Engineering focus) from the University of Colorado Boulder, where she completed an engineering education dissertation. A former NSF GK-12 Fellow and high school physics and engineering teacher, Dr. Forbes spent eight years working on the TeachEngineering digital library, ultimately serving as lead project researcher and chief curriculum editor. In this role, she collaborated with PIs from approximately 60 NSF GK-12 and RET programs and guided hundreds of teachers through the submission, review, and publication of K-12 engineering curricula, overseeing the addition of about 75 new publications per year. Her current research focuses on environmental engineering and engineering education.
Reflective Practice and Socio-Technical
Formation Co-Facilitator
Susan M. Lord, PhD
Susan M. Lord, PhD, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Integrated Engineering at the University of San Diego and a Fellow of the IEEE and the American Society for Engineering Education. Her teaching and research focus on engineering education, diversity in engineering, student pathways, service-learning, feminist pedagogy, and lifelong learning. As a Reflective Practice and Socio-Technical Formation Facilitator for EcoCatalyzers, she supports teacher-scholars and student-scholars in examining their growth as researchers, educators, and socio-technical engineering practitioners.
Evaluator
Bill Kerney
Bill Kerney currently teaches computer science at Clovis Community College and Fresno State. He has worked as an evaluator for federal and state grants since 2003, on over 50 different projects. His approach towards evaluation is a combination of getting numbers to tell a story, and also talking with participants to see how they feel, with always an aim towards making a program ever better over time.
Research Advisors
James (Jim) Kohl, PhD (Waste upcycling Track)
Jim is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of San Diego. His research interests include the mechanical properties and failure analysis of polymer materials, the adhesion of silicone coatings, and tribology. He brings significant industry experience, having served as Vice President of Airfoil Operations and Engineering, Technical Director, and Program Coordinator at Chromalloy Dallas.
Venkat Shastri, PhD (Sustainable Energy track)
Venkat is the De Sanctis Professor of Engineering and Entrepreneurship and Chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of San Diego. His current research and commercial endeavors focus on sustainability. He serves as Chairman of Darroch Medical, and co-founder, CEO, and Director of ALZPath, Inc.
Marissa Forbes, PhD (Water Justice Track)
Marissa is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of San Diego. Her research focuses on advancing water justice by addressing social and environmental challenges related to water, particularly at the intersection of water quality, data science, and water inequities
Daniel Codd, PhD (Sustainable Energy Track)
Daniel Codd, PhD, is an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at USD's Shiley-Marcos Schoolof Engineering. His research focuses on advanced manufacturing, mechanical design and renewable energy systems. His work has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, ARPA-E and the California Energy Commission, and includes collaborative research with U.S. and international universities. He maintains active ties with technology development firms in the energy, materials, automotive, consumer product and medical device industries. Dr. Codd is licensed as a Professional Engineer.
Odesma Dalrymple, PhD (Waste upcycling Track)
Odesma Dalrymple, PhD, is a Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering and Director of the Engineering Exchange for Social Justice at the University of San Diego. Her work focuses on community-partnered engineering, eco-social justice, and sustainable resource systems. She leads research and educational initiatives exploring small-scale biogas production as a waste-to-resource strategy, with connections to ongoing work in Barbados with Rum and Sargassum Inc. and the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. Her work engages students and partners in exploring localized approaches to sustainable energy, waste upcycling, and circular resource solutions.
Truc Ngo, PhD, (Waste upcycling Track)
Truc Ngo, PhD, is Vice Provost for Research and Administration and Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of San Diego. Her research interests include materials and processes involving polymers, composites, organic semiconductors, and supercritical fluids. She has extensive experience developing interdisciplinary curriculum focused on manufacturing, sustainability, and applied engineering, and she helped establish the Coffee Lab and program in USD’s Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering. Dr. Ngo has also led humanitarian engineering service-learning projects focused on sustainable solutions in water, energy, and waste.
Mentors
Siria Salas
(Mentor for teacher-scholars in the Sustainable Energy track)
Program Manager, Energy Coalition
Siria is a Program Manager with The Energy Coalition, where she oversees partnerships and projects with statewide utility contracts and serves as the Instructional Design Lead for workforce and education training programs. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Point Loma Nazarene University, an M.A. in Education from the University of Phoenix, and a California Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential with a Bilingual, Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) certification. Her career includes roles as a general manager and regional trainer with a national optical retailer, guest educator in the South Bay Union and Chula Vista Elementary School Districts, and classroom teacher with South Bay Union School District.
Program Manager, Energy Coalition
Siria is a Program Manager with The Energy Coalition, where she oversees partnerships and projects with statewide utility contracts and serves as the Instructional Design Lead for workforce and education training programs. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Studies from Point Loma Nazarene University, an M.A. in Education from the University of Phoenix, and a California Multiple-Subject Teaching Credential with a Bilingual, Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development (BCLAD) certification. Her career includes roles as a general manager and regional trainer with a national optical retailer, guest educator in the South Bay Union and Chula Vista Elementary School Districts, and classroom teacher with South Bay Union School District.
Sarah Van Horn
(Mentor for teacher-scholars in the Waste Upcycling Track)
Education and Outreach Specialist, Solana Center
Sarah is the Education and Outreach Specialist and Rain Barrel Lead at Solana Center, serving as the primary contact for City of San Diego educational programs and regional rain barrel subsidy initiatives. Originally from New Jersey, Sarah grew up gardening, camping, and kayaking, experiences that inspired her to pursue a career in environmental education. After earning a degree in Environmental Systems from UC San Diego, she spent several years at Los Peñasquitos Canyon County Preserve developing and facilitating educational programs and curating exhibits. She also volunteers as a docent and naturalist with the San Diego Natural History Museum. At Solana Center, Sarah promotes interactive, inquiry-driven learning that builds on students’ existing knowledge.
Education and Outreach Specialist, Solana Center
Sarah is the Education and Outreach Specialist and Rain Barrel Lead at Solana Center, serving as the primary contact for City of San Diego educational programs and regional rain barrel subsidy initiatives. Originally from New Jersey, Sarah grew up gardening, camping, and kayaking, experiences that inspired her to pursue a career in environmental education. After earning a degree in Environmental Systems from UC San Diego, she spent several years at Los Peñasquitos Canyon County Preserve developing and facilitating educational programs and curating exhibits. She also volunteers as a docent and naturalist with the San Diego Natural History Museum. At Solana Center, Sarah promotes interactive, inquiry-driven learning that builds on students’ existing knowledge.
Education and Outreach Specialist, Solana Center
Sarah is the Education and Outreach Specialist and Rain Barrel Lead at Solana Center, serving as the primary contact for City of San Diego educational programs and regional rain barrel subsidy initiatives. Originally from New Jersey, Sarah grew up gardening, camping, and kayaking, experiences that inspired her to pursue a career in environmental education. After earning a degree in Environmental Systems from UC San Diego, she spent several years at Los Peñasquitos Canyon County Preserve developing and facilitating educational programs and curating exhibits. She also volunteers as a docent and naturalist with the San Diego Natural History Museum. At Solana Center, Sarah promotes interactive, inquiry-driven learning that builds on students’ existing knowledge.
Education and Outreach Specialist, Solana Center
Sarah is the Education and Outreach Specialist and Rain Barrel Lead at Solana Center, serving as the primary contact for City of San Diego educational programs and regional rain barrel subsidy initiatives. Originally from New Jersey, Sarah grew up gardening, camping, and kayaking, experiences that inspired her to pursue a career in environmental education. After earning a degree in Environmental Systems from UC San Diego, she spent several years at Los Peñasquitos Canyon County Preserve developing and facilitating educational programs and curating exhibits. She also volunteers as a docent and naturalist with the San Diego Natural History Museum. At Solana Center, Sarah promotes interactive, inquiry-driven learning that builds on students’ existing knowledge.
Theresa Talley Ph.D.
(Mentor for teacher-scholars in the Water Justice Track)
Coastal Specialist, California Sea Grant
Theresa is a coastal extension specialist focused on balancing the use and conservation of marine resources. She works closely with commercial fishers, aquaculturists, agencies, nonprofits, and students to support healthy, safe, just, and resilient coastal ecosystems while advancing public education on ocean-related science issues. Her research includes the study of plastics and other environmental contaminants, barriers and solutions to resilient food systems, and coastal wetland and estuarine ecology. Although currently focused on California, her prior research and outreach have spanned coastal ecosystems across New England, California, and Baja California, Mexico.
Coastal Specialist, California Sea Grant
Theresa is a coastal extension specialist focused on balancing the use and conservation of marine resources. She works closely with commercial fishers, aquaculturists, agencies, nonprofits, and students to support healthy, safe, just, and resilient coastal ecosystems while advancing public education on ocean-related science issues. Her research includes the study of plastics and other environmental contaminants, barriers and solutions to resilient food systems, and coastal wetland and estuarine ecology. Although currently focused on California, her prior research and outreach have spanned coastal ecosystems across New England, California, and Baja California, Mexico.
Josh Franklin
(Mentor for teacher-scholars in the Sustainable Energy track)
Amazon Web Services, Head of America Central Power, Water and Carbon Free Energy
Josh has an extensive background in finance and renewable energy. His experience spans startups and large utilities, with roles in regulatory compliance, investor relations, capital markets, and renewable energy development.
Amazon Web Services, Head of America Central Power, Water and Carbon Free Energy
Josh has an extensive background in finance and renewable energy. His experience spans startups and large utilities, with roles in regulatory compliance, investor relations, capital markets, and renewable energy development.
ExSJ Student Scholars and Technical Learning Assistants
EcoCatalyzers teacher-scholars were supported during their six-week summer research experience by undergraduate engineering students who served as Student Scholars and Technical Learning Assistants. These students walked alongside the teacher-scholars as part of a collaborative scholarly community, supporting hands-on research activities, assisting with technical tools and processes, and learning with and from the teachers throughout the summer experience. Student Scholar participation was supported through funding from the ExSJ Summer Scholars Program and USD’s STAR and BURST Research Experiences for Undergraduates programs.
We gratefully acknowledge the Student Scholars who contributed to EcoCatalyzers across the first two cohorts:
-
Cam Colucci, Mechanical Engineering, Class of May 2025
-
Andrew Salinas, Mechanical Engineering, Class of December 2024
-
Kylie Kirkpatrick, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Class of May 2025
-
Rose Seaver, Integrated Engineering, Class of December 2026
-
Kai Marshall, Integrated Engineering, Class of May 2026
-
Brynn Gerty, Integrated Engineering, Class of May 2026
-
Alyssa Robertson, Integrated Engineering, Class of May 2026
_edited.jpg)
bottom of page