She aspires to be both a visionary and a skilled communicator, translating complex data into inclusive, accessible narratives that center lived experience while shaping transformative solutions for a sustainable future.

Adriana C. Nieto is pursuing a masters in environment and sustainability at UM-Ann Arbor, where she specializes in sustainability and development (SusDev) and geospatial data sciences (GDS). She is a School of Environment and Sustainability merit scholar, a member of the Next-Gen Scholars Program, and a SusDev track leader, coordinating professional development and community-building events. Through these opportunities, she has built strong connections with faculty, peers, and mentors while expanding her skills as both a leader and collaborator.

Adriana’s academic and professional experiences reflect a deep commitment to water, community, and justice. Selected into a competitive theme-based capstone course, she now works alongside her team to ensure ethical use of socioeconomic data in spatial analysis. As a research assistant to Dr. Mike Shriberg, she led interviews with alumni, instructors, and clients to gather a range of experiences to inform a plan to strengthen student professional competency development through theme-based capstone projects.

Adriana’s passion for environmental issues is rooted in childhood, when she followed her abuela into the garden, magnifying glass in hand, eager to observe and learn. Those early moments of curiosity, paired with the resilience instilled by her mother and the women who have mentored her, continue to guide her path today. She credits the Next-Gen Scholars Program for providing invaluable mentorship and resources as a first-generation student. She has since joined the program’s team of peer advisors to help with programming and offer support for the current Next-Gen cohort.

Looking ahead, Adriana envisions a career advancing just and equitable environmental solutions, particularly at the intersection of water, sustainability, and community engagement. She aspires to be both a visionary and a skilled communicator, translating complex data into inclusive, accessible narratives that center lived experience while shaping transformative solutions for a sustainable future.

CEW+ applauds Adriana’s commitment to environmental justice and names her an Irma M. Wyman Scholar.