Ellen graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2021 with a B.S. in Environmental Science, a B.A. in Spanish, and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
She became interested in urban ecology and GIS through her undergraduate thesis project, which included a tree survey and ecosystem services summary of the urban forest and led to suggestions for the maximization of the forest resources on campus. She then got to work with Southern Kentucky Community and Technical College to complete a tree survey of their campus for a Tree Campus USA application using QGIS, which reinforced her interests. Ellen is interested in urban ecosystems and how greenspaces can benefit the populations surrounding them, as well as how community participation and education alongside intelligent maps in planning can lead to more equitable and sustainable cities.
At the Ohio State University, she is studying urban pollinators and how pollinator-aimed greening can help contribute to healthy and equitable urban ecosystems. She is also exploring the use of Survey123 to involve community members in collecting pollinator data throughout Ohio. Starting in March, 2024 she will be moving to Chile for a Fulbright Chile Science Initiative Award.