Meet Our Team

Boston College
The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-552-3503
schiller.institute@bc.edu

Office of the Executive Director

Laura J. Steinberg

Laura J. Steinberg


Seidner Family Executive Director

Laura J. Steinberg


Seidner Family Executive Director

Laura J. Steinberg is the Seidner Family Executive Director of the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Steinberg has worked extensively on research in infrastructure management, disaster preparedness and response, environmental modeling, and higher education leadership. She served on the EPA Science Advisory Board, Drinking Water Committee and as an editor and advisory board member for Natural Hazards Review, Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and the Journal of Environmental Engineering. For the American Society of Civil Engineers, she served three terms as a member of the Industry Leaders Council representing civil engineering faculty members throughout the United States.

Previously, Laura was a tenured Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University where she held several positions including Special Assistant for Strategy to the Vice Chancellor, co-founder of the Syracuse University Infrastructure Institute, Executive Director of NY State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, and Dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Dr. Steinberg holds a B.S.E. in Civil and Urban Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.S and Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Duke University.

 

Greg Adelsberger

Greg Adelsberger


Director of Finance and Operations

Greg Adelsberger


Director of Finance and Operations

Greg Adelsberger is the Director of Finance and Operations for the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. In his role, Greg oversees the budgeting and financial planning for the Institute. He also works closely with the Seidner Family Executive Director on strategic planning and other initiatives led by the Institute.

Prior to joining the Schiller team, Greg served as the Associate Director of Finance and Administration for the National Research Mentorship Network (NRMN), a multi-million dollar NIH grant, administered by the Boston College Biology Department. He previously worked as a Senior Associate at PwC in their assurance practice in Northern Virginia.

Greg holds an MBA from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College and a BS in Accounting from the University of Maryland.

 

Kaley McCarty

Kaley McCarty


Assistant Director, Programs

Kaley McCarty


Assistant Director, Programs

Kaley McCarty is the Assistant Director, Programs for the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. In her role, Kaley manages Schiller’s programming, including coordinating BC’s delegation to the annual United Nations climate conference (COP) and associated activities as well as the Working For and With Communities: Community Engaged and Project Based Learning for the Common Good course sequence.

Prior to working at Boston College, Kaley worked in higher education at University of Oregon as the Undergraduate Coordinator for the Oregon Consortium for International and Area Studies (OCIAS) before a stint in the university’s Human Resources Department. Her professional experience has been wide-ranging and has additionally included roles in two law firms, a multinational corporation, fine dining, and even a couple small organic farms. Most recently, she was the Employment Law Support Manager for the Law Offices of Scott Warmuth.

Having received her MA in Sociology from the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences at Boston College, Kaley is thrilled to remain connected to the BC community and support Schiller’s work. She also holds a BS in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon.

Erik Sjostrom

Erik Sjostrom


Administrative and Fiscal Assistant

Erik Sjostrom


Administrative and Fiscal Assistant

Erik Sjostrom is the Fiscal and Administrative Assistant for the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. Erik provides support for the Schiller team and Schiller's collaboration with associated departments.

Prior to Boston College, Erik held various roles with Harvard University Health Services, coordinating wellness offerings for students, faculty and staff.  Erik holds a BA from Davidson College.

 

Javiera Garcia-Meneses

Javiera Garcia-Meneses


Senior Research Fellow

Javiera Garcia-Meneses


Senior Research Fellow

Dr. Javiera Garcia-Meneses is a Senior Research Fellow at The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Social Transformations from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. Her research interests include affect theory (post)qualitative methods, interdisciplinary research, creative writing, and gender and decolonial organization studies.

During her academic career, Dr. Javiera has aimed to deepen into higher education and social policy workers' subjectivity production in a market-based and neoliberal society. Following feminist epistemologies, she is also interested in using art to communicate research to society. In 2020, she directed a documentary film called "More than a Machine: experience of SENAME Subcontracted Workers," which shows the heart-wrenching experience of child welfare workers in Chile. In 2022, she created and produced the art exposition "Them, the Shapeshifters" in the City Hall of Valparaíso, Chile - which is currently being transformed into a book album with a team of Chilean visual artists.

 

Stylianos (Stelios) Syropoulos

Stylianos (Stelios) Syropoulos


Postdoctoral Researcher

Stylianos (Stelios) Syropoulos


Postdoctoral Researcher

Stylianos (Stelios) Syropoulos is a postdoctoral researcher working for the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. He also works for the Morality Lab and the Social Influence and Social Change. His research focuses on the individual differences and social influences that drive intergenerational, environmental, prosocial and moral decision-making. He conducts research on how perceptions of past and future generations influence can motivate us to engage in prosociality or proenvironmentalism, even when that action comes at a personal cost. Other research interests include how people think about and try to construct their personal legacy, how climate change influences people's mental health, as well as what gives rise to different forms of national identification and what its consequences are. Stelios has considerable expertise in quantitative methodologies, having worked as a methodology consultant for two years. He is skilled in and frequently employs multilevel/hierarchical linear modelling, longitudinal, dyadic (APIM) designs, and structural equation modelling. Stelios received his BA in psychology from Franklin and Marshall College in 2018 and received his PhD in Social Psychology with a concentration in the Psychology of Peace and Violence from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Fall 2022.

 

Kimberly Black

Kimberly Black


Undergraduate Assistant

Kimberly Black


Undergraduate Assistant

Kimberly Black is an undergraduate assistant for The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. Her responsibilities consist of creating graphics and marketing materials, performing administrative tasks, and offering student insight for developing projects. 

As a member of the Boston College Class of 2024, Kim is currently pursuing a Bachelor of the Arts in Communications and Film Studies. Her other campus involvements include producing content as Co-President of Boston College Television, creating graphics for the progressive student newspaper; The Gavel, and singing with the Boston College University Chorale.

 

Jesse Julian

Jesse Julian


Schiller Institute Poet Laureate

Jesse Julian


Schiller Institute Poet Laureate

Jesse Julian is the poet laureate for the Schiller Institute for Integrated  Science and Society. In her role, she composes poetry, covering topics relevant to Schiller’s research and focus.

As a 2026 member of Boston College, Jesse plans to pursue an English major with a Chemistry minor. She received the Schiller Prize for the top submission on energy, environment, & health, responding to “What the Constitution Means to Me.” Prior to Boston College, she graduated from Trabuco Hills High in California with an International Baccalaureate Diploma. She enjoys listening to music, playing the ukulele, and spending time with friends.

 

Sara Zakaria

Sara Zakaria


Undergraduate Assistant

Sara Zakaria


Undergraduate Assistant

Sara Zakaria is an undergraduate assistant for The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. Her responsibilities consist of providing research support, performing administrative tasks, and offering student insight for developing projects.

As a member of the Boston College Class of 2024, Sara is currently pursuing a Bachelor of the Arts in Communication. She attended the University of Massachusetts Boston for two years before transferring to BC. Outside her academics, she serves as a council member for The Laughing Medusa, BC’s literary magazine featuring works from female-identifying and nonbinary artists. She is also a member of the Quiz Bowl competition team.  

 

Institute Core Faculty

Yi Ming

Yi Ming


Institute Professor of Climate Science and Society

Yi Ming


Institute Professor of Climate Science and Society

Yi Ming is the Institute Professor of Climate Science and Society and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Ming uses climate models, observations and theories to elucidate the physical mechanisms governing Earth’s climate system and applies the fundamental understanding to practical issues of societal and policy importance. A current focus is on how climate change may affect precipitation patterns (e.g. droughts and floods) and extreme events (e.g. hurricanes, wildfires and winter storms). He has authored more than one hundred peer-reviewed papers, and mentored a number of Ph.D. students and postdocs. His honors include the U.S. Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Norbert Gerbier-Mumm International Award, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Henry G. Houghton Award and the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Ascent Award. Previously, Dr. Ming was a Senior Scientist and Divisional Leader at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL). He was also a faculty member of the Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) at Princeton University. 

Dr. Ming holds a B.E. in Chemical Engineering (with a second B.E. in Environmental Engineering) from Tsinghua University and a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Princeton University.   

 

Jier Huang

Jier Huang


Institute Professor of Renewable Energy and Sustainability

Jier Huang


Institute Professor of Renewable Energy and Sustainability

Jier Huang is the Institute Professor of Renewable Energy and Sustainability and Associate Professor of Chemistry. Dr. Huang’s research focuses on developing cutting edge materials with atomic/molecular precision to address fundamental challenges in sustainable energy and climate change. She is particularly interested in using advanced physical methods to understand how solar energy is captured by the materials, how it travels through the materials, and how it can be directed to perform solar energy conversion. She has authored more than 80 peer-reviewed journal papers and is a recipient of NSF CAREER and DOE career research award. Dr. Huang has served as Chair of Energy Subdivision in ACS Physical Chemistry, Executive Committee Member At-Large in ACS Physical Chemistry Division, Advanced Photon Source Users Organization Steering Committee, etc. Previously, Dr. Huang was a Wehr Distinguished Professor and Associate Professor of Chemistry at Marquette University.

Dr. Huang holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Lanzhou University (China) and Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Emory University.

 

Hanqin Tian

Hanqin Tian


Institute Professor of Global Sustainability

Hanqin Tian


Institute Professor of Global Sustainability

Hanqin Tian is the Institute Professor of Global Sustainability and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Dr. Tian’s research and teaching concentrate on the broad area of climate and sustainability sciences. He has been pursuing a data-driven systems approach to understanding, quantifying, and predicting drivers and effects of global-scale changes in the biosphere, climate, and human activity. He has worked across the disciplinary lines of ecology, biogeochemistry, hydrology, economics, earth system modeling and data science. His research covers a wide range of topics, including studies of climate change impacts, mitigation and adaptation at multiple scales from local to global.Through the integration and communication of knowledge across the physical, ecological, and human systems, Dr. Tian intends to advance scientific understanding of complex interactions among climate, ecosystems, and humans for providing science-based solutions to climate change and sustainability challenges. His research has resulted in over 300 peer-reviewed journal papers, including 30 papers published in Nature/Science/PNAS and their sister journals, with over 35,000 citations and an H-index of 91 (Google Scholar).

Dr. Tian is a coordinating lead author for the International Nitrogen Assessment and a contributing author for IPCC AR6. He has served on the Scientific Steering Committee of Global Carbon Project (GCP) and as Co Chair for the international consortium of Global Nitrous Oxide Budget Assessment  supported by GCP and the International Nitrogen Initiative (INI). Dr. Tian is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Geophysical Union (AGU), and the Ecological Society of America (ESA). He was named an Andrew Carnegie Fellow (Brainy Award) in 2019.

Previously, Hanqin Tian held the Solon and Martha Dixon Endowed Professorship and Alumni Professorship at Auburn University. He also held several leadership roles at Auburn, including serving as Director of the International Center for Climate and Global Change Research, and Leader for the interdisciplinary cluster of the Climate, Human and Earth System Science (CHESS), which consists of over 40 faculty members from five Colleges at Auburn University.

 

Global Public Health and the Common Good

Philip J. Landrigan

Philip J. Landrigan


Director

Philip J. Landrigan


Director

Philip J. Landrigan is the Director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good. In addition to leading the program, he advises students, and teaches and conducts public health research within the Program. Dr. Landrigan is a pediatrician, public health physician and epidemiologist.  His research uses the tools of epidemiology to elucidate connections between toxic chemicals and human health, especially the health of infants and children.  He is particularly interested in understanding how toxic chemicals injure the developing brains and nervous systems of children and in translating this knowledge into public policy to protect health. He is a member of the National Institute of Medicine. Please see his faculty page for further information.

 

Heather Jones-Lawlor

Heather Jones-Lawlor


Fiscal and Administrative Assistant

Heather Jones-Lawlor


Fiscal and Administrative Assistant

Heather Jones-Lawlor is the Fiscal and Administrative Assistant for the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good. Heather provides support for the GPHCG team and also provides guidance and assistance to the students in the GPHCG academic minor.

In addition, Heather is the Managing Editor for Annals of Global Health, a peer-reviewed, open access science journal focused on global health supported by Boston College.  Prior to joining the team at Boston College, Heather was a marketing professional in the consumer products industry. Heather holds an MBA from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College and a BS from Babson College. 

 

Kurt Straif

Kurt Straif


Research Professor

Kurt Straif


Research Professor

Kurt Straif is a physician and epidemiologist who teaches and conducts public health research with appointments in the Global Public Health and the Common Good Program, the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, and the Biology Department. Dr Straif served for almost two decades as a senior scientist with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyons, France. There he directed the flagship unit within IARC that evaluates the carcinogenic hazards of environmental exposures and oversaw the writing and continuous updating of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.

 

Tara Casebolt

Tara Casebolt


Core Fellow/Visiting Assistant Professor in Global Health

Tara Casebolt


Core Fellow/Visiting Assistant Professor in Global Health

Tara Casebolt is a Core Fellow and Visiting Assistant Professor in Global Health. She has a PhD in Maternal and Child Health with a minor in Population Studies from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health. 

Her research is focused on access to reproductive health services for people with disabilities in low- and middle-income countries. During her PhD program, she was a Pre-doctoral Trainee at the Carolina Population Center and served as an adjunct professor at Elon University in the departments of Public Health Studies and Poverty and Social Justice Studies. 

Before beginning her PhD, she spent two years as an ASPPH/CDC Allan Rosenfield Global Health Fellow serving in the Ethiopia and Zambia CDC offices. Her work with the CDC focused on HIV prevention, gender-based violence, and monitoring and evaluation. She also spent a year as a William J Clinton Fellow for Service in India, working with a children's health and sanitation education program in Darjeeling, India. 

Tara also holds bachelors degrees in social work and women and gender studies from Ohio University and a Masters of Public Health and Masters of Social Work with an emphasis on international development from Washington University in St Louis.

 

Elizabeth Perez

Elizabeth Perez


Graduate Assistant

Elizabeth Perez


Graduate Assistant

Elizabeth is the Graduate Assistant for Global Public Health and the Common Good. She primarily supports efforts around communication and other administrative tasks.

Elizabeth is  currently pursuing a Master's of Social Work and Master's of Theology and Ministry through the dual degree program at Boston Collegeand received a BS in English and Philosophy (through the Perspectives Program) from Boston College. Prior to pursuing the dual degree

program,Elizabeth worked in education and healthcare fundraising.

Global Observatory on Planetary Health

Philip J. Landrigan

Philip J. Landrigan


Director

Philip J. Landrigan


Director

Philip J. Landrigan is the Director of the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good. In addition to leading the program, he advises students, and teaches and conducts public health research within the Program. Dr. Landrigan is a pediatrician, public health physician and epidemiologist.  His research uses the tools of epidemiology to elucidate connections between toxic chemicals and human health, especially the health of infants and children.  He is particularly interested in understanding how toxic chemicals injure the developing brains and nervous systems of children and in translating this knowledge into public policy to protect health. He is a member of the National Institute of Medicine. Please see his faculty page for further information.

 

Kurt Straif

Kurt Straif


Co-Director

Kurt Straif


Co-Director

Kurt Straif is a physician and epidemiologist who teaches and conducts public health research with appointments in the Global Public Health and the Common Good Program, the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, and the Biology Department. Dr Straif served for almost two decades as a senior scientist with the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyons, France. There he directed the flagship unit within IARC that evaluates the carcinogenic hazards of environmental exposures and oversaw the writing and continuous updating of the IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention.

 

Ella Whitman

Ella Whitman


Research Assistant

Ella Whitman


Research Assistant

Ella is a 2023 Boston College graduate who pursued a major in Global Public Health and the Common Good and a minor in Medical Humanities. Discovering the unique web of biological, environmental, social, and economic, factors that drive community health outcomes piqued her interest in planetary and public health. Ella is most passionate about addressing the impact of environmental changes on vulnerable populations to advance global health equity. Ella has conducted clinical research with the Divisions of Newborn and Pulmonary Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital where her work used geographic information systems to quantify the effects of residential particulate matter exposure on pulmonary function in children born with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. As an undergraduate student, Ella served as a co-author of the Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health and held internships at the Region I Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit as an Environmental Justice Climate Change Scholar and the Planetary Health Alliance at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Native to Vermont, Ella enjoys running, paddleboarding, and exploring the Green Mountains. 

 

Institute Development

Sally Murray

Sally Murray


Director of Development

Sally Murray


Director of Development

Sally Murray is responsible for advancing philanthropic initiatives for the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society. She brings significant higher education development, alumni, and event experience. She most recently served as Vice President of Advancement at Curry College. Prior to this, Ms. Murray was the Director of Development for Boston College's Lynch School of Education and Human Development, the School of Social Work, the School of Theology and Ministry, and the McMullen Museum of Art. She holds an MPA from Bridgewater State University.

 

Thalia Chaves

Thalia Chaves


Student Board Member

Thalia Chaves


Student Board Member

From the first day I learned of the Schiller Institute, I was captivated by its mission of bringing together interdisciplinary and diverse perspectives to get to the root of our society’s most pressing issues. The manner in which Schiller integrates science and society through an equitable lens is the modern embodiment of Boston College’s core Jesuit values, by empowering students and faculty to work across disciplines and differences to make a genuine social impact that transforms communities and our world. As an aspiring environmental attorney, the Schiller Institute has been the most formative program for me on campus, equipping me to be a woman for others. Through Schiller I have been a UNCOP27 delegate, taken innovative coursework, and received mentoring, so I applied to be on Schiller’s board to bring others to take advantage of Schiller’s wonderful resources and contribute to its mission.

 

Hayoung Cho

Hayoung Cho


Student Board Member

Hayoung Cho


Student Board Member

The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society has allowed me to study human-centered engineering and participate in multi-disciplinary research. My education trains me to become a global citizen with social leadership, equitable problem-solving skills, experience working with stakeholders in project-based courses, and proficiency in advanced technical engineering courses.

 

Laura Clerx

Laura Clerx


Student Board Member

Laura Clerx


Student Board Member

Because scientific research and development always take place in particular societal contexts and the more conscious we are of the many factors that shape our search for knowledge, the more we can direct that research toward the common good.

 

Alyssa Eamranond

Alyssa Eamranond


Student Board Member

Alyssa Eamranond


Student Board Member

Every social issue we face today is complex and inextricable from one another. Simply put, everything affects everything. If we want to progress towards a society where communities and the planet thrive we must work across disciplines, borders, and other perceived divisions. Schiller provides a space to bridge these gaps and focus on some of our world’s most pressing issues.

 

Mikayla Fahrenbruch

Mikayla Fahrenbruch


Student Board Member

Mikayla Fahrenbruch


Student Board Member

The Schiller Institute enables an official platform for interdisciplinary collaboration at Boston College, where the insights of specialized experts across multiple departments can be fused to generate uniquely effective solutions for relevant societal issues. Each professor within the institute offers distinct expertise to promote energy, health, and the environment. Due to the inherently inclusive atmosphere, a wide range of people can identify with the community offered by the Schiller Institute, through research, courses, and events. Personally, my research of environmentally benevolent energy storage materials within the chemistry department has been greatly supported by the faculty members and resources offered by this institute.

 

Lily Fleming

Lily Fleming


Student Board Member

Lily Fleming


Student Board Member

I applied to be on the Schiller student board because I love the Institute's focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration! I hope to take my passion for climate justice and see how it can be integrated into different programs and projects.

 

Kelly Gray

Kelly Gray


Student Board Member

Kelly Gray


Student Board Member

As a doctoral student and instructor in English, I came to Schiller through the environmental humanities. To me, the Schiller Institute enables interdisciplinary dialogue between science and the humanities through prioritizing questions of society and human experience. As a board member, I hope to raise these questions through humanities-based programming as well as to highlight the importance of art and culture in navigating the Anthropocene.

 

Rowah Ibnaouf

Rowah Ibnaouf


Student Board Member

Rowah Ibnaouf


Student Board Member

The scholarship we do at Boston College has the potential to create positive impact in and beyond the campus community. The opportunity for increased collaboration between undergraduates only beginning to enter the field, graduate and faculty experts, as well as researchers across departments can create an environment where curiosity is fostered. I’m excited to have a hand in shaping  an environment that exemplifies Schiller's multidisciplinary and innovation-focused nature.

 

Munachi Onyiuke

Munachi Onyiuke


Student Board Member

Munachi Onyiuke


Student Board Member

It takes a community to create progress. Schiller has the unique goal of taking a diverse perspective to advance science and technology to better serve the people in this world At Boston College, you will hear the words “interdisciplinary” more than a couple of times. It is beautiful to experience it and be a part of honing in on how it will not only advance the BC community but also the world. As a public health major, I know that it takes time to solve the global issues we face now, but it also takes decisive action. That is why I am here, to be a part of the solution using the wonderful platform the Schiller Institute has to offer alongside my fellow board members.

 

Oluchi Ota

Oluchi Ota


Student Board Member

Oluchi Ota


Student Board Member

I’m at Schiller because I want to interact with and uplift the innovative and diverse work my peers, professors, and faculty outside of my major are pioneering in. Although the institute is just kicking off, I've already gained so much knowledge from an eclectic group of academics focusing on issues of energy, health, and the environment.

 

Elliana Steely

Elliana Steely


Student Board Member

Elliana Steely


Student Board Member

As a management and environmental studies double major I am passionate about new and innovative ways to improve our lives and our connection to the environment. I am honored to be a part of the Schiller institute’s student board because of the opportunity to support initiatives towards the vision of addressing complex issues in the fields of energy, health, and the environment.

 

Jake Supino

Jake Supino


Student Board Member

Jake Supino


Student Board Member

Schiller is a great place to better understand the intersection of science and society. As a scientist, I’m passionate about making sure that our science is communicated effectively and can be implemented across broad scales to improve the livelihoods of others.