Student Associates
Students are at the heart of what we do.
Real world experience is essential for a student to begin a sustainability-focused career, yet these experiences are not part of a typical university curriculum. IBE engages at least one CSU student on every project, and engages graduate fellows in developing professional resources, such as whitepapers. Our staff mentor students through their work, giving them a jump start on advancing the industry even before they graduate.
Emma Castiblanco
Horticulture
Annabelle Bradford Brunschwig
Interior Architecture & Design
Carla Galvanoni
Design & Merchandising
Eleanor Sitter
Political Science
Gareth Boys
Landscape Architecture
Anya Kaplan-Hartnett
Political Science
Kera Hopkins
Construction Management
Amelie Guinee
Psychology
Alea Schmidt
Interior Design
Hannah Curcio
Applied Social & Health Psychology
Katie Bond
Construction Management
Our student program is truly interdisciplinary.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration creates the most innovative solutions to sustainability challenges. IBE students represent nearly every college at CSU. Our students learn from their staff mentors, their projects, and each other. They graduate ready to impact their communities.
“IBE was instrumental in my college and professional career. I got to contribute to projects that made a positive impact on the future of companies and communities. I’m beyond grateful for the experience and connections IBE provided.”
“IBE provided a solid foundation for my career in sustainability. At IBE I learned to speak about various components of sustainability to different stakeholders. My IBE internship was a great launching pad to my current role as a sustainability consultant.”
Apply for an Internship
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from CSU graduate students and upper-level undergraduate students who can commit to at least 12 months and at least 5 hours per week toward a paid internship. Experience is not necessary, but successful candidates demonstrate exceptional enthusiasm and initiative, good communication and writing skills, and a commitment to learning.
Alumni
Our student associates have gone on to create meaningful impact at leading organizations. Here is where just a few of them are now.
Alea Schmidt
Interior Design
Alea is a graduate student in the Design and Merchandising program at CSU, pursuing an MA in Interior Design. Interested in both environmental and social sustainability in design along with circular economy principals, Alea’s graduate research will cover the adaptive reuse of buildings as a circular design strategy and its relationship to issues of environmental gentrification. Alea spent her undergraduate time at CSU, earning a B.S. in Interior Architecture and Design with a minor in Global Environmental Sustainability. She hopes to earn both her LEED and WELL credentials and become an NCIDQ certified designer. When she’s not working, you can most often find Alea outside skiing or backpacking, or working on an art project.
Hannah Curcio
Applied Social & Health Psychology
Hannah is a PhD candidate in the Applied Social & Health Psychology program, where she focuses specifically on Environmental Psychology. She received her B.S. in Journalism at Northwestern University with a minor in Psychology and a certificate in Integrated Marketing Communications in 2019. Outside of IBE, her research thus far includes projects on household energy usage, meat-eating behavior, and community-based social marketing. Wthin IBE, she is excited to be working on applied research with various organizations.
Amelie Guinee
Psychology
Amelie is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a concentration in Mind, Brain, & Behavior, as well as a minor in Data Science. Amelie values sustainability, with past research and interest in meat consumption behaviors and insect farming. She is a drummer, climber, and writer who recently published her second novel. During her time at IBE, Amelie hopes to strengthen her understanding of environmental advocacy and apply it through an interdisciplinary lens.
Emma Castiblanco
Horticulture
Emma is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Horticulture, focusing on urban forestry and its with municipal policies and public transportation. She is a graduate of Haverford College, where she majored in biology and minored in environmental studies. During her time with IBE, Emma looks forward to engaging with community members and local municipalities on a variety of sustainability projects.
Anya Kaplan-Hartnett
Political Science
Anya is pursuing a B.A. in Political Science with minors in Interdisciplinary Environmental Affairs and Music Performance. On the IBE team, she is excited to learn community engagement and facilitation skills. After CSU, Anya hopes to work with local stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to complex urban issues. In her free time, Anya loves exploring the outdoors and playing music with her partner.
Annabelle Bradford Brunschwig
Interior Architecture & Design
Annabelle is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture and Design with minors in Global Environmental Sustainability and Spanish. After graduating, she hopes to work in environmental design using an integrated sustainability approach. She grew up in Boulder, CO, surrounded by a community that values nature and the environment and that has inspired her to focus on community-scale change in her career. At IBE, Annabelle looks forward to working on LEED and WELL projects to prepare for her future endeavors.
Kera Hopkins
Interior Architecture & Design
Kera is pursuing a B.S. in Interior Architecture & Design with a minor in Construction Management. As a veteran, she is passionate about building a better world through universal design and sustainable design practices. Kera is excited to earn her WELL and LEED credentials while at IBE with the ultimate goal of applying this knowledge to a graduate degree in architecture. In her free time, Kera enjoys road trips around the U.S. with her husband and two dogs.
Katie Redman
Interior Architecture & Design
Katie Redman is working towards a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture and Design with a minor in Construction Management at Colorado State University. Her areas of interest lie at the intersection of environmental psychology and the built environment, examining how universal design, sustainable design, and well design shape us as individuals and communities, and how we can better utilize and implement these principles through all phases of a project. Katie earned a B.A. in Interpersonal and Organizational Communications from the University of South Florida. She is a member of the student chapters of ASID, IIDA, is Vice President of SHN for the ’19-’20 term, as well as Studio Lead for CSU’s chapter of Design for America. Katie’s long-term goal is to pursue credentials as a LEED Green Associate alongside her work with LEED based projects at IBE, and intends on pursuing a graduate degree after graduation.
Carla Galvanoni
Design & Merchandising
Carla Galvanoni is a practicing designer and business owner with over 12 years of professional practice in residential and commercial interiors. Carla is pursuing a master’s degree in design and merchandising with a focus on sustainable design, specifically sample and sourcing methodologies. Her professional goals include teaching and mentoring interior design students as well as continuing to implement sustainable practices into design projects. Carla recently earned her LEED Green Associate and WELL AP certifications.
Katie Bond
Construction Management
As a Masters candidate in Construction Management, Katie is focusing on circular economics in the built environment. Her research is focused on deconstruction and re-use of buildings and materials. At IBE, Katie is excited to work with the interdisciplinary CAIRNS team (formerly SRS-RN) and to gain experience working on LEED and WELL certification projects. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Colorado with her husband and kids.
Gareth Boys
Landscape Architecture
Gareth Boys is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture and is fascinated by the transformative power of infrastructure projects within cities and their ability to shape communities. He is inspired by projects that are inclusive of all people and that enhance the urban experience. With a keen interest in travel, he also draws inspiration from different landscapes and cultures around the world. Exploring diverse environments fuels his creativity and informs his approach to designing sustainable and functional spaces.
Throughout his studies, Gareth has been actively engaged in learning about the intersection of design, urban planning, and community development by harnessing the principles of landscape architecture. While at IBE, he aims to learn more about LEED certification in hopes of further contributing to sustainability projects in the future. Gareth is originally from Chicago but has lived in Colorado for more than 15 years.
Eleanor Sitter
Political Science
Eleanor is pursuing a B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Environmental Politics and Policy, as well as dual minors in Environmental & Natural Resource Economics and Geospatial Information Systems in Natural Resources. After graduating, she hopes to pursue environmental public policy or policy analysis.
Eleanor is passionate about learning and enjoys asking tough questions. In addition to her work with IBE, she is a senior associate for the Center for Public Deliberation, where she has been developing facilitation skills in practical public deliberation.
In her spare time, Eleanor is a lover of nature – of any and all outdoors-related activities. Ideally, she hopes to combine her passion for nature with her education and experience into a flourishing career.