Isabela Miñana Lovelace is graduating from the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), where she specialized in Behavior, Education and Communication and Environmental Justice.

What did you do before coming to SEAS?

After I graduated from my undergraduate program at Brown in 2020, I moved back to my hometown of Los Angeles and worked there for five years. I worked with Lucy Jones, a seismologist who founded a nonprofit organization in L.A. called the Dr. Jones Center for Science and Society that engages in communicating and activating science to ensure communities are interconnected and capable of preparing for the next disaster. Later, I worked at an art organization called the Social and Public Art Resource Center. I supported the extension of the Great Wall of Los Angeles project—which is in the process of becoming a mile-long mural in the L.A. river channel—as a researcher focused on environmental justice history in Los Angeles. In this role, I identified and learned about important events in L.A.’s history with a justice lens to feature in the mural. I also worked in Culebra, Puerto Rico, on food accessibility and sovereignty projects with the community organization, Mujeres de Islas. These projects and my mentors inspired me to focus on bringing people together to initiate long-term action to forward social justice. 

What drew you to SEAS and the BEC track?

While I was working in L.A. and Puerto Rico, I identified gaps in my knowledge and skills that I would need to refine to accomplish my career goals. My undergraduate degree was in geological sciences and visual arts, so I had a strong science and creative background coming in, but I was missing a communications background or knowledge about environmental psychology and behavior. Doing environmental justice research in L.A. for the mural project is actually what put SEAS on my radar because the school had the first environmental justice program in the U.S. The SEAS master’s program had everything I was interested in and was able to merge them together in a really interesting and interdisciplinary way. I was also particularly interested in Associate Professor Paige Fisher’s wildfire and human behavior research because of my wildfire long-term recovery work with the Dr. Jones Center.

What has your SEAS experience been like?

Orientation at the U-M Biological Station was an amazing way to get a sense of what SEAS was going to be like. I was able to get exposure to faculty and students from each of the different tracks and learn about a lot of research projects. I loved the emphasis on being outside in the classroom and community that has been prioritized in my two years here. While facing larger challenges at SEAS and beyond, I’ve admired and aimed to support the work of my peers to build student power and make the program better for future classes. Likewise, as a specialization leader, it's been exciting to get to know the other members of my specialization and see how my fellow specialization leaders have brought people together through social events, organizing and academic collaboration. I’ve also remained involved in the visual arts. Doing multimedia and fiber arts and going to art events in Ann Arbor and Detroit has connected me with SEAS students and others who are also interested in the intersection of art, science and community work.  

What was your capstone project like? 

My capstone project is with the Institute for Research and Action in Agroecology of Puerto Rico (IALA-PR), a nonprofit community organization made up of farmers and allies in the advancement of agroecology in Puerto Rico. My work on the project majorly consisted of interviewing farmers to understand what support networks are in place and how these networks can support long-lasting agroecological change. Overall, the capstone is a very unique concept and being able to work directly with and support an organization like this is so special. Before I came to SEAS, I didn’t know much about agroecology, so working with SEAS Professor Ivette Perfecto as the project advisor and meeting these farmers has been eye-opening for me. This has encouraged me to be involved in the local food system in Ann Arbor and Detroit, joining workdays at the Campus Farm and D-Town Farm. Michigan is connected to their producers and farmers in a unique way, which is a perspective I want to bring back to L.A. with me when I graduate. 

Would you recommend SEAS to incoming students?

The capstone experience is the main thing I would recommend to students interested in SEAS. The combination of theoretical grounding and hands-on experience drew me to the program, and it has been very fulfilling to put theory into practice during this experience. Additionally, it was valuable for me to take some time between undergrad and grad school to develop a plan and identify the specific things I wanted to accomplish as a graduate student. SEAS also has an amazing alumni network and the school does a good job of facilitating connections between students and alumni. This resource has been valuable in figuring out what my next steps are. Lastly, the professors and faculty at SEAS are incredibly approachable and helpful in supporting students to identify possible professional and academic future directions.  

What will you do after graduation?

After graduation, I plan on moving back to L.A. and re-committing to the community there again. L.A. is my home and is very important to me. Returning with these new skills means I can give back to the community even more. Likewise, because my capstone project was in Puerto Rico and my family is from there, I’ve strengthened my connection to the archipelago as well. Overall, I’d like to provide my skills to these communities and aid in natural hazard preparation and recovery.