Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Date
October 7, 2024
Honoring Peter and Pamela Voss for a decade of transformative support in research and training at IBES
The Voss undergraduate fellowship and postdoc programs at IBES have turned curiosity into climate solutions, individual passion into collaborative forces, and academic research into pathways for a more sustainable world.
Through the sustained 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 one of today’s biggest challenges: building a sustainable future.
“ 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 the Voss programs’ impact. Dozens of Voss alumni and friends came together to honor Peter and Pamela Voss for their decade of 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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Former 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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Voss alumni and students 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 on fossil pollen
- Eric Roy on nutrient cycling,
- Kate Weinberger 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.