What do the next 25 years look like for the Delaware Estuary and the world? Who are the people that that future needs to include? What does the future hold for our natural resources and the people that live here? During this panel we will feature two young people gearing up for that future and having a discussion surrounding these questions.
The two speakers will be followed by a panel discussion with moderated questions and questions form the audience.
After a brief introduction from PDE Science director, Dr. Danielle Kreeger, the panel will be moderated by Korin Tangtruakul.
Korin Tangtrakul is the Sustainability Manager for the Sustainable Water Resource Engineering (SWRE) Lab under Dr. Franco Montalto of Drexel University. With experience in geography, urban planning, green infrastructure, community engagement and environmental activism, Korin's current role includes developing partnerships to further community-engaged research and seeking research opportunities at the nexus of climate change and green infrastructure. She is also working on a university-wide initiative to elevate Drexel's climate and sustainability programs, courses and research through the creation of an Office of Climate and Sustainability. She received a BA in Environmental Studies and Geography & Urban Studies from Temple University and an MS in Urban Environmental Systems Management from Pratt Institute.
Our panelists are Sabirah Mahmud and Dr. Michael Acquafredda.
Sabirah Mahmud (she/her) is a 18-year-old Muslim Bangladeshi-American climate and racial justice organizer. After discovering her own personal connection with the climate crisis, she realized that the suffering her family has endured in Bangladesh, one of the countries most vulnerable to this crisis, could not stand longer. This inspired her to found her own climate movement in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been organizing with the climate movement since February of 2019 when she founded Philly Climate Strike, now Youth Climate Action Team Philly, soon becoming the Pennsylvania Chapter Executive Director. From then she spent a period of time working nationally for the U.S. Youth Climate Strike and Youth Climate Action Team. Now she organizes locally with the Youth Climate Action Team Philadelphia and the Black and Brown Coalition Philadelphia. In the future, however, she wants to travel abroad to advocate for human rights but right now she fights for a leftist revolution starting with her home city in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Michael Acquafredda recently received his PhD in Ecology & Evolution from Rutgers University, where he studied sustainable aquaculture at the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory. His dissertation focused on ways that aquaculture opportunities can be expanded in the northeastern United States through ecologically-sound diversification. Specifically, Michael studied Atlantic surfclam (
Spisula solidissima) farming techniques, the surfclam’s vulnerability and resilience to ocean warming, and bivalve polyculture. Additionally, Michael recently completed a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship with the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program. During the fellowship, Michael integrated his aquaculture experience to advance domestic and international ocean acidification (OA) policy. Link Mike's paper.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-020-02844-w
