What Are Your Program Goals?
“After graduation, I hope to pursue a teaching position, so undergraduate research mentoring aligns most closely with my long-term career goals. I see this as a meaningful opportunity to cultivate mentorship skills and gain valuable experience in academic teaching and engagement.
In addition, I am also very interested in collaborating with organizations such as Green Building United, or firms involved in innovative facade systems, climate-responsive design, or energy-efficient building technologies. These areas strongly align with my current research on adaptive architecture and sustainable design, and I believe such partnerships can help bridge academic exploration with real-world application.
I have been mentoring a group of undergraduate students from the School of Engineering on a project in Philadelphia that focuses on using road coating materials to mitigate urban heat flux, under the guidance of Professor Dorit Aviv and Professor Russell Composto. I believe this project also aligns with the CLIMATE-CARE initiative. My main role involves guiding the students in field measurement techniques and urban environmental simulation methods.”
“My professional goal is to work in an industry setting, whether R&D or any engineering position, where I can utilize skills related to my research on porous media flows and learn new skills.
Additionally, I am eager to explore opportunities in climate and porous media flow modeling, such as simulating urban heat events and assessing mitigation strategies.
Given my multidisciplinary background, I am open to various internship or professional opportunities that could lead to a full-time position with a company or lab after graduation.”
LeAnn Dourte, NRT Climate Care Education Director, Conducts Student Mentoring Session with Fellows
Since our NRT Climate Care Fellows have expressed interest in actively mentoring undergraduate students (an “Immersive Experiences” educational component), LeAnn developed a training session based on excerpts from the “Mentoring Undergraduate Students” course developed at the University of Minnesota.
During the session, guidelines and best practices for mentoring undergraduate students were shared, focusing on both career-enhancing and psychosocial aspects of the mentoring relationship.
Key takeaways included career-enhancing mentoring that focuses on supporting mentees’ professional growth and independence and how mentors play a crucial role in guiding mentees through those career opportunities and challenges.
In addition, psychosocial mentoring was emphasized as the importance of socialization within the professional environment. Mentors play a pivotal role for mentees to understand the norms and expectations of their field.
Furthermore, building self-efficacy research in mentees, mentors modeling professional behaviors and values, establishing clear expectations in mentoring, and setting goals and responsibilities were highlighted as crucial for both mentors and mentees to ensure a productive relationship.
After the completion of the presentation, LeAnn provided attendees with a sample mentor-mentee “compact” they could utilize which was designed to help facilitate the discussion of expectations and goals and to create mutual and agreed upon commitments between mentors and mentees.
Earth Day 2025 NRT Climate Care Fellow Reflection
“I see Earth Day as a chance to reflect on the importance of the work that we do. It’s often easy to get lost in the monotony of everyday tasks, so it’s important to take a step back and see the big picture; our work strives to improve climate health and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The environment gives so much to us, so it’s our responsibility to give back through our research.” – Hannah Clarkson, NRT Climate Care Fellow
“The Earth’s ecosystem offers a variety of adaptive mechanisms that have evolved over millions of years to adjust to external changes. These mechanisms serve as a source of inspiration for creating innovative solutions in the face of today’s climate crisis. In this sense, Earth Day reminds me of the greatness of ecosystems and motivates me to conduct research with a greater sense of responsibility toward addressing climate change.” – Ji Yoon Bae, NRT Climate Care Fellow
NRT Climate Care “Open House – Meet and Greet” Luncheon
On Monday, 17 March 2025, the NRT Climate Care Program Team held an “Open House – Meet and Greet” at the LRSM building on campus with the new NRT Climate Care Fellows, sponsoring Faculty/PIs, and potential future program participants.
During the luncheon, attendees introduced themselves, networked, and shared details about the innovative projects they are working on. The major theme highlighted was the importance of cross-disciplinary interaction between engineering and architecture.
In addition, the program’s goals and mission were discussed along with upcoming events that would enhance the students’ learning experience.
Field Trip to Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA)
Approximately 20 students (including NRT Climate Care Fellow Zhan Shi) participated in a tour of the Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) led by Steve Luxton, CEO. The ECA conducts weatherization of low and middle-income households (about 1,000 energy audits per year).
The tour was in their training center, which provides classes for auditing, weatherization, HVAC repair, and PV installation. The center features a rainwater capture system, a thermal solar system, a PV system, and construction training.
Thank you to Dr. William W. Braham, FAIA, Andrew Gordon Professor & Director, Dept. of Architecture, Weitzman School of Design, for organizing this informative and interactive field trip.