Sydney Prescott

BS 2025 Chemistry, Environmental and Sustainability Studies Additional Major

Sydney Prescott is a junior in the Mellon College of Science, majoring in Chemistry with an additional major in Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ESS). Sydney participates in inorganic photochemistry research in the Bernhard lab. There, she synthesizes organometallic complexes and tests them for applications in sustainable hydrogen production, organic light emitting diodes (digital screens), and other electrochemical systems. She is interested in pursuing graduate studies to earn a PhD in Chemistry in the field of renewable energy.

Through the additional major in ESS, Sydney has taken a wide variety of courses relating to sustainability both within and outside her home college. She has taken multiple environmentally focused Chemistry courses, some relating to analytical chemistry and risk assessment, and another that explores renewable energy. Outside of Chemistry, Sydney has taken sustainability coursework relating to ethics, public policy, food, and materials. These interdisciplinary courses have taught her about the many different stakeholders involved in sustainability issues. Sydney’s favorite ESS course she has taken is Environmental Ethics with Professor Derrick Gray. The course covered a wide range of philosophical theories relating to ethics and human responsibility to animals and the environment. Its written assignments and discussions really made her consider the morality surrounding sustainable solutions.

In addition to being interested in the technical and ethical aspects of sustainability and renewable energy, Sydney is interested in individual-led sustainability efforts. Through her work as a SEED sustainability leader, she has created a composting education program. The goals of this project are to teach the campus community about composting, improve waste sorting, and help raise campus diversion rates.