ACE is really excited to be partnering with the Princeton Energy & Climate Scholars (PECS) on live updates from Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development.

Meet the PECS team members who will be heading to Rio below. 

Minghui Diao is working on her PhD in Princeton’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department on aircraft measurements of the atmosphere. She did her undergraduate degree at Peking University in China in Environmental Sciences, and enjoys playing piano and cooking. In addition to the Rio+20 conference, she’s excited to experience the city of Rio de Janeiro and see the Christ the Redeemer statue!

Hang Deng is working on her PhD in Princeton’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department on carbon capture and storage. She did her undergraduate degrees at Peking University in China in Geography and Economics, and enjoys traveling, cooking, and reading. At Rio+20, she’s looking forward to finding out what’s happening in the “real” world of governments and NGOs to combat environmental and climate crises. She believes it will help us put our research and future career plans in context.

Mary Kang is working on her PhD in Princeton’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department on carbon capture and storage. She did her undergraduate degree at the University of Waterloo in Canada in Civil Engineering, and enjoys art, music, and pickling things. At Rio+20, she’s looking forward to meeting people from all over the world and experiencing Rio de Janeiro.

David Kanter is working on his PhD in Princeton’s Science, Technology and Environmental Policy program on extending the Montreal Protocol to include nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance. He did his undergraduate degree at the University of Bristol in the UK in Chemistry and Law, and enjoys making and listening to music and traveling. At Rio+20, he’s looking forward to seeing the next generation of activists, policymakers and academics in action.

Megan Konar is working on her PhD in Princeton’s Civil and Environmental Engineering department on how water and food systems are linked by trade. She did her undergraduate degree at the University of California Berkeley in Conservation and Resource Management with a minor in Forestry, and enjoys reading, walking and swimming. At Rio+20, Megan is very excited to experience her first international, environmental conference and is looking forward to seeing how it unfolds!

Victor Oyeyemi is working on his PhD in Princeton’s Chemical and Biological Engineering department on biodiesel fuels. He did his undergraduate degrees at Goshen College in Indiana in Math and Physics, and enjoys dancing the tango. In addition to the Rio+20 conference, he’s looking forward to going dancing in Rio de Janeiro.

Geeta Persad is working on her PhD in Princeton’s Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences on the impact of particulate air pollution (or aerosols) on the climate. She did her undergraduate degree at Stanford University in California in Geophysics, and enjoys dancing, theater, and cooking. At Rio+20, she’s looking forward to getting a glimpse of how international environmental negotiation works and experiencing some Brazilian culture.

Joe Roy Mayhew is working on his PhD in Princeton’s Chemical and Biological Engineering department on solar cell technology. He did his undergraduate degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston in Chemical-Biological Engineering, and enjoys board game nights, running, and anything else outdoors. At Rio+20, he’s looking forward to experiencing the scale of it all, immersing himself, and hopefully getting lots out of it!