On Sustainability Research Network

Dr. Christal Mischelle Omni is an Environmental Embodiment Educator, eco-autoethnographic researcher, and public health scholar whose work explores the intersections of nature, wellbeing, ancestral memory, and intergenerational learning. She is the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award from the International Association of Autoethnography and Narrative Inquiry for Black Joy in Green Spaces. Her scholarship integrates eco-autoethnography, environmental education, and Black elder wisdom to advance more relational approaches to sustainability. Through teaching, research, and community engagement, she is developing a program of scholarship that reimagines sustainability as a practice of belonging, reciprocity, and collective wellbeing.

Ioana Tatarciuc is a Romanian researcher, youth worker, and community development practitioner pursuing a PhD in Economics at Ștefan cel Mare University of Suceava, in Romania, focusing on the socio-economic transformations shaping sustainable rural development. She is the founder and president of Hope 4 Humanity Association, where she leads community and youth initiatives, with a focus on participation, cultural identity, and sustainable local development. Her work combines academic research with grassroots practice and European cooperation, including projects exploring rural communities, social economy, cultural heritage, sustainable tourism, and Via Transilvanica. She is particularly interested in connecting research, community action, and sustainable development to create meaningful change

Munashe Catharine Kurehwatira is an emerging sustainability scholar whose work and research interests centre on food systems transformation and sustainable rural development. She lectures at Africa University in Zimbabwe and is currently pursuing a PhD in Rural Development at the University of Venda, South Africa. Her current research examines the intersection of food systems and disturbances in low- and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on understanding how food environments respond to shocks and stresses. Through her research and academic engagements, she seeks to generate evidence-based insights that inform policies, strategies, and interventions for building more resilient, sustainable, and equitable food systems at local and global levels.

Leah Murphy is an Irish designer and recent MA Visual Communication graduate from TU Dublin, with a BA in Fashion Communication with Business from the University of Brighton. Her research explores how editorial design can communicate sensory experiences and expand understanding of unilateral hearing loss. Drawing from her own experience of hearing loss, Leah investigates how experimental print and publication design can simulate the sensory and cognitive shadow effects of unilateral deafness, while challenging assumptions around communication and accessibility. Alongside her research practice, she has worked across editorial publishing, fashion media, and visual storytelling, exploring the possibilities of visual communication beyond traditional representation.

Padam Prasad Paudel is a Ph.D. student and Graduate Research Assistant in Biosystems Engineering at Clemson University, USA. His current research focuses on life-cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of bio-based materials, including sustainable packaging films and coatings. He earned his master's degree in Biosystems Engineering from Kangwon National University, South Korea, where he investigated microwave pyrolysis of agroforestry residues for biochar production. He has also served as an agricultural engineering instructor at Agriculture and Forestry University and worked on agricultural mechanization and extension initiatives in Nepal. His broader research interests include biowaste valorization, circular bioeconomy, and sustainable agricultural systems.

William Thornburgh is an Associate Professor of Science Education at Eastern Kentucky University whose scholarship focuses on preparing educators to create authentic, equitable, and innovative STEM learning experiences. His research examines science teacher education, professional learning, environmental and outdoor education, informal science learning, and the integration of emerging technologies to enhance teaching and learning. Through collaborations with educators and community partners, his work bridges research and practice by promoting experiential learning, NGSS-aligned instruction, and reflective teaching. His scholarship aims to strengthen teacher capacity, build AI and scientific literacy, and expand meaningful STEM opportunities for learners across diverse educational settings.

Sharon M. Manuel is an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP). She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering. She is currently a PhD student in Environmental Engineering at UP Diliman. Her research interests include environmental safeguards, environmental impact assessment, sustainable development, and water pollution control technologies. Her professional experience includes serving as an environmental safeguards consultant for development projects supported by multilateral development banks. Her current research examines first-year university students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Dr. Denisha Shah, DO, MPH, PhD, is a multidimensional scholar-practitioner bridging clinical medicine, public health infrastructure, and advanced conflict transformation. Dr. Shah serves as Board Director for Newsom Educational College and an Academic Advisory Board Member for Beal University’s graduate tracks. Her pioneering systems research introduces a proprietary "Cinematic Alchemy" matrix—triangulating Hollywood and Bollywood film analysis with international executive data to resolve workplace disputes. Recently featured as an international presenter for the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) 2026 conference, Dr. Shah integrates non-linear human needs science to dismantle occupational segregation and foster sustainable organizational dignity worldwide.