Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Date
October 8, 2025
A decade of discovery: Voss fellowships turn curiosity into climate and sustainability solutions
Ten years of research projects, countless ideas, one shared mission: to build a sustainable future.
Through the ongoing leadership and generosity of Peter Voss ’68, P’98 and Pamela Voss P’98, two complementary programs have flourished at IBES, creating unprecedented opportunities for emerging scholars to forge solutions to some of today’s most complex climate and sustainability challenges.
“ Just look at these students and scientists; what they’re doing is remarkable! We’re so appreciative of the time, effort, and dedication you’ve put into your studies and careers. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone here goes on to win a Nobel Prize. So keep at it, keep looking for solutions. I’m very optimistic about what’s ahead. ”
About the Voss Fellowships
Celebrating a milestone: The 2025 Voss Symposium
On Friday, September 19 the IBES community gathered at Andrews House to celebrate a remarkable milestone—a decade of impact made possible by the Voss fellowship programs. Dozens of alumni and friends came together to recognize professional accomplishments that stemmed directly from the Voss fellowships and to honor Peter and Pamela Voss for their steadfast support that has launched careers, advanced knowledge, and strengthened communities.
The day was infused with energy and connection. Alumni presented compelling research that spanned continents and disciplines, from climate adaptation strategies in coastal Indonesia to biodiversity conservation in New England forests.
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Current Voss postdoc Elodie Freymann discussed her research on non-human animals’ use of medicine and medicinal entanglements amongst the Asháninka community in the Central Peruvian Amazon.
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Ensuring that the celebration reached across distances and time zones, a virtual panel of Voss Postdoctoral and Undergraduate Fellowship alumni joined via Zoom to reflect on their experiences and share the transformative impact of their time at IBES. Clockwise from top left: Fatima Husain, Marlena Brown, John Zinda, Lina Perez-Angel, and Devon Kerins.
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Voss faculty advisor Allan Just presented his research on linking heat, air pollution, and human health through satellites and big-data epidemiology. His work underscores how improved exposure models reveal under-estimated health impacts and disparities—an effort now advanced through the Center on Heat, Health, and Aging Innovation and Research Solutions for Communities (CHAIRS-C)
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Current Voss undergraduate fellows answered questions about their research from the audience alongside IBES Director Kim Cobb.
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The IBES community reconnected during the Voss symposium.
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Alumni and students from the Voss undergraduate and postdoc fellowships enjoy conversation in speed networking sessions, intended to help spark new collaborations and reinforce bonds.
“ It [can be] hard as a multidisciplinary researcher to find an academic home, and it is so nice to be embraced by this community. I feel very, very fortunate and grateful. It's very rare to be able to study what you love without compromise. ”
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The celebration culminated in an intimate dinner at the Brown Faculty Club, where participants shared stories of breakthrough moments, lasting friendships, and the profound ways their Voss experience shaped their paths forward
Voss helped me to find my voice, and it was also about increasing the conviction in that voice. It helped me to clarify what I wanted to say, but most importantly, how loudly I want to say it.
Coordinating lead author, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report
Research making a difference
The breadth and impact of Voss-supported research yields powerful stories of scholarship. From community-engaged urban planning to paleoclimate reconstruction, from biodiversity science to climate-health research, Voss fellows are asking bold questions and pursuing evidence-based solutions alongside global partners. Here is a sampling:
- Rafael Ash '26 on rising sea levels
- Marlena Brown '25 on coral archive reconstruction
- Sidharth Siddapureddy '25 on New England forest biodiversity
- Sarah Ivory, a former postdoc and current associate professor at Penn State, on fossil pollen
- Eric Roy, a former postdoc and current associate professor at the University of Vermont, on nutrient cycling
- Kate Weinberger, a former postdoc and current lead epidemiologist at ICF, on the hidden health costs of climate change
As IBES looks towards the next decade, the Voss legacy continues to grow—one curious question, one collaborative project, one transformative fellowship at a time.
Support the next decade of discovery at IBES
The Voss programs demonstrate how philanthropy can transform student learning. Continued support will ensure that undergraduate fellows and postdoctoral researchers have the resources, mentorship, and opportunities they need to thrive.