ESE GSO
Ecological Sciences and Engineering Graduate Programs
The Ecological Sciences and Engineering Graduate Student Organization (ESE GSO) includes all students conducting research or pursuing advanced degrees in the ESE Interdisciplinary Graduate Program at Purdue University. The GSO supports social connection, professional development, academic engagement, and community involvement. Its purpose is to enhance graduate experience, foster communication among students and faculty, and provide a forum for student concerns and expectations.
Ariana Lazo
GSO President
Ariana is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Ecological Sciences and Engineering Interdisciplinary program and is housed in the Department of Agronomy. Ariana graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Plant & Environmental Soil Science from Texas A&M University in 2022. Under the direction of Dr. Linda S. Lee, Ariana’s research focuses on the plant uptake of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in biosolid-applied agricultural systems.
Sarah Grimes
GSO Vice President
Sarah joined the ESE program as a PhD student in Fall of 2023. She is a second-year PhD student in the Forestry and Natural Resources department where Dr. Bryan Pijanowski advises her. Her research is centered broadly upon applying soundscape ecology to land management. Sarah’s major projects involve using acoustics to model habitat selection of threatened birds and investigating sustainability and biodiversity in vineyards. She graduated in 2023 from Hope College with a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Psychology
Adebola Esther Adeniji
GSO Secretary
Adebola Esther Adeniji started her Ph.D. program in the fall of 2023 in the Ecological Sciences and Engineering interdisciplinary program with Forestry and Natural Resources serving as her home department. Her primary advisor is Dr. Bryan Pijanowski, and her research focuses on Soundscape and Spatial Ecology. She holds a master’s degree from the Federal University of Technology Akure in Wildlife Ecology and Range Management. Adebola enjoys singing, cooking, and playing table tennis outside of work.
Ayomide Adepeju
GSO Treasurer
My name is Ayomide Adepeju. I started my doctoral studies in the Ecological Sciences and Engineering program in the fall of 2023, with Agricultural and Biological Engineering as my home department. My research focuses on strengthening wild rice resilience in the great lakes under the supervision of Dr. Keith Cherkauer and Dr. Laura Bowling. Aside from what I do at Purdue, I love cartography or mapmaking, having earned my master’s degree in Geographic Information Science and Geoenvironment from Western Illinois University, and I enjoy spending quality time with loved ones and friends at leisure.
AJ Inanc
GSO Outreach Activities Coordinator
AJ Inanc is a PhD student with the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics: she joined the Ecological Sciences and Engineering Program in the fall of 2024. Under the guidance of Dr. William A. Crossley, she studies the environmental impact of aviation. In her free time, AJ enjoys trail riding and flying.
Carly Frank
GSO Mentoring Chair
Carly joined ESE GSO in January of 2023. She is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences. Her research focuses on the intersection between coproduction, heat stress in West Africa, and the resulting socio-economic impacts and equitable distribution of these impacts. She has her B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science from Purdue University and a M.Sc. in Quaternary and Climate Studies from the University of Maine.
