Alumni in Environmental Science

Check out what some Rice alumni are doing now in environmental science.

Vicki Chuang | Program Coordinator - SingularityU

"Hi! I'm Vicki. I am responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of SingularityU Nordic's education and innovation programs.

In addition to program management at SingularityU Nordic, I am interested in the intersection of environment, communication, and human behaviour, and the design of solutions to foster and facilitate pro-environmental behavioural change with consideration for the idiosyncrasies of human nature.

I was formerly the coordinator of Climate Solutions at the University of Copenhagen, a hands-on course in which students work as consultants for local companies and organisations, helping them implement the most efficient and cost-effective solutions for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and environmental impact.

I'm an native Southern Californian who is now based in Copenhagen, having come through New York [City], Texas, Germany, and Austria on my way."

Chase LeCroy | Project Manager - CALSTART

Chase is a Project Manager at CALSTART. He is responsible for general project management, as well as technical support for the organization, such as on the Hybrid Utility Work Truck project in San Jose, CA, the West Coast Electric Fleets Webinar Series, and the Plug-In Hybrid Compressed Natural Gas Truck commercialization project, and other work. His background includes research on hybrid electric vehicle powertrain configurations, testing and development goals for web-based data mapping, data analysis and collection as a biogeochemist, and laboratory management. 

Chase holds a Bachelor of Science in Earth Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Hispanic Studies, both from Rice University, in Houston, TX. He also holds a Master of Environmental Science and Management, Energy and Climate Specialization from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Jordan Smith | PhD Candidate - Arizona State University

“I am a human-environment geographer. My interests lie in how humans and the natural environment interact with one another in arrays of complex and intricate systems and how these systems change over time. Social-ecological systems (SESs) are composed of feedback loops that can have potentially wide-reaching impacts in the wake of global environmental change. I am most interested in studying SESs in the context of global environmental change in order to gain a better understanding of how this change fundamentally affects the vulnerability and resilience of coastal regions. As our climate continues to warm and sea level rises, increased storm intensity will likely lead to greater storm surge severity. The Gulf Coast of the United States is particularly susceptible to these impacts. Certain sustainable adaptations, however, have the potential to help ameliorate some of these impacts, decrease vulnerability, and increase the resilience of this threatened area.

I possess three years of experience as an environmental geologist, conducting Phase I/II Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs), subsurface investigations, groundwater sampling, stormwater sampling, environmental compliance audits, interpreting analytical data, and assisting with regulatory compliance and permitting. 

During my time in industry, I conducted ESAs of several operating and abandoned industrial/oil and gas facilities as well as utility corridors and transportation right of ways. I have overseen the installation of soil borings and monitoring wells and am familiar with soil classification and sampling. I have conducted extensive groundwater sampling projects at hazardous and nonhazardous waste sites and have designed and participated in implementation of a detection monitoring system for a closed industrial hazardous waste storage area.

I am a registered Geologist in Training (GIT) with the State of Texas."