Each spring, the University of Washington recognizes the Husky 100, honoring 100 undergraduate and graduate students across all three UW campuses who are making the most of their time at the University. Through leadership, service, research, and community engagement, these students demonstrate how classroom learning can translate into real-world impact.

In 2026, the Program on the Environment celebrates a new milestone: eight Environmental Studies students were selected for the Husky 100. This year’s honorees – Sonali Agarwal, Sarah Desai, Ethan Hynes, Kaija Koenigberg, Cillian Mullen, Mathilda Myerhoff, Lorin O’Leary Stephens, and Farrah Tung – reflect the depth, diversity, and impact of interdisciplinary environmental work at UW.

Their Capstone projects, developed through partnerships with organizations ranging from local governments and public health agencies to NOAA and The Nature Conservancy, tackle urgent challenges including climate resilience, environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, inclusive workforce development, and community-informed governance. While their projects span different systems and scales, they share a commitment to connecting people, policy, and science in meaningful ways.

“This is the Program on the Environment at its best,” says PoE Capstone Instructor, P. Sean McDonald. “These students are boundary spanners, working at the intersection of disciplines, communities, and ideas to move environmental solutions forward.” 

Sonali Agarwal: Linking Aging and Sustainability for Healthier Communities

Sonali Agarwal’s work asks an important and timely question: how can cities better support both an aging population and a changing climate?

Through her capstone with Age Friendly Seattle, Sonali explores the overlap between environmental sustainability and age-friendly initiatives in Seattle. Her research, advised by PoE faculty Yen-Chu Weng, highlights how respectful inclusion of older adults in environmental efforts, such as volunteerism, low-emission transportation, and climate adaptation, advances community well-being while also contributing to sustainability goals.

“Mutually beneficial partnerships build strength and momentum. In a time of limited resources across environmental and social justice spaces, aligning priorities helps us heighten our impact,” Sonali shared. “Through my capstone research, I identified ways age-friendly efforts and environmental efforts can collaborate to benefit people and the planet. I am inspired to keep approaching problems with an interdisciplinary approach and turning research into meaningful action.”

By combining interviews, policy analysis, and community engagement, Sonali is developing practical tools to help city leaders build systems that are more inclusive, efficient, and resilient. Her work demonstrates that addressing climate change and demographic change together can lead to smarter, more equitable solutions.

Sarah Desai: Mapping the Enduring Legacy of Redlining in Tacoma

Sarah Desai is turning complex environmental data into accessible, community-centered storytelling.

Working with The Nature Conservancy and advised by Earth and Space Sciences professor, Dr. Steven Walters, Sarah is developing an ArcGIS StoryMap that visualizes how historic redlining continues to shape environmental health in Tacoma. By analyzing PM2.5 air quality, tree canopy distribution, and temperature, her project reveals how past policies still influence present-day inequities.

 “Decades of redlining and systemic disinvestment mean that some neighborhoods inherently have less access to greenspaces, experiencing higher temperatures, and worse air quality. In my capstone, I analyzed these effects in hyper-detail through the Tacoma Mall neighborhood. Data tells scientists a story but it isn’t always decipherable to others. Creating spatial maps via GIS enables me to visualize inequities in a way that can be deciphered by any audience,” Sarah shared. 

“People deserve healthy living environments that are conducive towards their well-being. Through my capstone, I’ve learned that we need grassroots movements, scientific research, environmental communication, in conjunction to overarching pieces of legislation to promote lasting systemic change.”

Her work bridges science and communication, making technical research serviceable for local communities, policymakers, and advocates. By visualizing the data collected, Sarah’s work highlights environmental disparities and helps direct attention, government funding, and resources toward communities that need them most.

Ethan Hynes: Strengthening Heat Resilience Through Governance

Ethan Hynes is focused on one of the most pressing climate risks in the Pacific Northwest: extreme heat.

Through his work with Pierce County, Ethan examined how local governments plan for and respond to heat events. His research identifies a key challenge: a disconnect between long-term planning efforts and short-term emergency response systems.

“Working with the Pierce County Council on my capstone project was such an amazing experience! I gained real-world knowledge in what it takes to develop environmental policy and was able to drive real change at the county level”, Ethan said. “Additionally, I worked with some of the most caring and hardworking folks I’ve ever met, including my fellow PoE students. This experience allowed me to funnel my care for my community into real institutional change, and that’s something I’ll carry with me into the rest of my career.”

By interviewing practitioners and analyzing policy frameworks, Ethan highlights opportunities to improve coordination, communication, and funding structures. His work shows that building resilience requires not just better plans, but stronger collaboration across institutions.

Check out Ethan’s Capstone presentation, This is how we Cool It: Comparing Heat Planning and Heat Response in Pierce County.

Kaija Koenigberg: Rethinking Soil Health from the Ground Up

Kaija Koenigberg’s research brings attention to one of the most important, and often overlooked, ecosystems: soil.

Through fieldwork across multiple organic farms, Kaija investigated how farming practices affect soil health, focusing on the role of invertebrates as bioindicators. Their findings show that intensive tillage reduces soil biodiversity and fertility, while lower-disturbance practices support healthier, more resilient systems.

“Farming can, and should be, an inherently radical act. Throughout my time at UW, I have grown deeply intertwined with the UW Farm community and regenerative agriculture as a whole, in them finding my purpose as both a person and academic. I strive to use research and education as tools to reshape our currently broken food system, and further support the humans and nonhumans who are essential to the growing of our food.”

Their work contributes to a growing body of research advocating for regenerative agriculture and demonstrates how science can inform more sustainable food systems.

Kaija received an honorable mention for their Lightning talk presentation, Soil, Bugs, & Rock ‘N’ Roll: In-Soil Invertebrates as Bioindicators of Cultivated Soil Fertility, at the Autumn 2025 Capstone Symposium.

Cillian Mullen: Elevating Oral Histories in Arctic Policy

Cillian Mullen is working to expand how environmental policy is informed and whose knowledge counts.

Through his internship with NOAA Fisheries, Cillian examines how oral histories can strengthen environmental governance in the Arctic. His work highlights the importance of incorporating Indigenous knowledge and lived experience into policy frameworks that have traditionally relied on Western scientific approaches.

“Working with NOAA fisheries has allowed me to have hands-on experience with how knowledge is archived, whose knowledge is taken seriously, and what can be done to change how we understand knowledge”, Cillian shared. “This experience has allowed me to better understand how Indigenous communities throughout the Arctic can be better represented and integrated into western based knowledge archives to help push for their equity within spaces of environmental policy creation and land stewardship. Yet, while oral histories have the potential to help make a step in the right direction, no true equity can be had without sovereignty.”

By connecting oral history, research, and policy, Cillian’s project, advised by PoE faculty, Lubna Alzaroo, offers a pathway toward more inclusive and effective environmental decision-making in complex, culturally diverse regions.

Mathilda Myerhoff: Integrating Community Knowledge into Governance

Mathilda Myerhoff’s work also centers on the power of lived experience, focusing on coastal Washington communities.

Through interviews and collaboration with Washington Sea Grant and the Willapa-Grays Harbor Estuary Collaborative, Mathilda is documenting oral histories to better understand how community knowledge can inform environmental management. Her project, advised by PoE faculty, Eli Wheat, explores how storytelling can complement scientific data and lead to more holistic, equitable governance.

“Bridging the gap between ecological and sociological research is a critical step toward creating effective climate and governance solutions. My research with Washington Sea Grant analyzed structural methods for building community voices into governance as a tool to bypass research gaps, improve stakeholder-decisionmaker relations, and lead to more effective and holistic policy implementation, results that emphasize the broader value system and importance of including diverse perspectives in research and policy within the scope of the environment and beyond.”

By translating these narratives into a StoryMap and archival contributions, Mathilda is helping elevate voices that are often missing from formal decision-making processes.

Lorin O’Leary Stephens: Expanding Access to Green Careers

Lorin O’Leary Stephens is addressing a critical challenge in the transition to a sustainable economy: who gets access to green jobs.

Working with Partner in Employment, Lorin investigates barriers faced by immigrant and refugee youth when entering environmental careers. Her research highlights issues such as credential recognition, language barriers, and limited access to professional networks.

“Climate change is a fundamentally international phenomenon,” says Lorin, “A wide array of diverse perspectives is crucial to informed environmental decision-making, and that starts with making sure that immigrant and refugee youth feel a sense of belonging in the environmental movement here in Seattle.”

By identifying strategies to better support these communities, Lorin’s work contributes to building a more inclusive and equitable environmental workforce.

Farrah Tung: Creating Healthier, Climate-Ready Classrooms

Farrah Tung is focused on how climate change is reshaping everyday learning environments.

Through her work with Public Health – Seattle & King County, Farrah examines how extreme heat and indoor air quality affect student health and academic performance. Her project identifies practical strategies schools can use to improve conditions, from low-cost interventions to long-term infrastructure changes.

“As an international student who arrived in the U.S. for college just three years ago, I am still amazed by how much I have been able to accomplish in such a short time. I am especially grateful to the Environmental Studies major for giving me the opportunity to work with Seattle & King County on heat mitigation strategies for K–12 schools. Because healthy buildings have always been a passion of mine, learning about building operations in the Pacific Northwest has been incredibly meaningful and has greatly expanded my perspective.”

By translating research into actionable guidance, Farrah’s work supports more equitable, climate-resilient schools across King County.

A Milestone Year for the Program on the Environment

Having eight Environmental Studies students selected for the Husky 100 reflects the strength and impact of the Program on the Environment.

These students demonstrate what it means to connect disciplines, engage communities, and apply knowledge in ways that matter. Their work spans local to global scales, integrates science with policy and storytelling, and centers equity and collaboration.

Together, they represent the future of environmental leadership: interdisciplinary, justice-driven, and grounded in real-world impact.

“The Program on the Environment is proud to celebrate these eight exceptional students,” says PoE Director, L. Monika Moskal. “They exemplify the promise of community-engaged research,  bringing together diverse perspectives to create environmental solutions that are inclusive, impactful, and grounded in place.”

Congratulations to the Program on the Environment’s 2026 Husky 100 honorees. We look forward to seeing how their work continues to shape communities, systems, and solutions in the years ahead.