Scott-Buechler Lab Members

Abena Appiah-Ofori is a second-year Master of Public Policy student at Duke's Sanford School of Public Policy, concentrating in energy and environmental policy. A proud global citizen with roots in Ghana, she spent most of her formative years in Virginia, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Global Development and Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. Before beginning graduate school, Abena completed a gap year on a State Department fellowship in Germany, an experience that deepened her appreciation for cities and communities that invest in sustainable infrastructure, making environmentally friendly choices more accessible for everyone. This past year, she has focused her research and engagement on climate resilience and financial well-being in the Appalachian region. Through the lab, she hopes to weave together her interests in policy, storytelling, and grassroots advocacy to better support vulnerable communities. When she's not working, you can find her on the yoga mat, wandering through a sunny garden, or catching up on the latest binge-worthy show.

Ava Betanco-Born is a sophomore at Duke University from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She is majoring in Public Policy and Environmental Sciences & Policy and hopes to better understand how environmental laws and policies can be more effective to better serve both people and the planet. She has interests in international environmental agreements and natural disaster response policy. Her work in the Scott-Buechler lab seeks to understand how Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) is framed in national policy documents, and how this implicates addressing residual emissions, CDR governance, and international commitments. At Duke, she is involved in the Climate Coalition and Undergraduate Law Review. Outside of academics and professional work, Ava enjoys staying active, spending time outdoors, and collecting vinyl records.

Irene is in her final semester of the Master of International Development Policy at Duke University as a Fulbright Foreign Student, with a strong interest in Latin American development, environmental justice, and community-centered approaches to social change. She believes that lasting reductions in inequality require affected communities to become protagonists of transformation rather than passive recipients of externally designed solutions.

She brings over ten years of professional experience in anti-corruption initiatives, community engagement, and education governance in Paraguay, working at the intersection of transparency, civic participation, and public policy. Outside of her professional work, Irene enjoys spending time outdoors, playing with dogs and cats, reading poetry, and practicing creative writing as a form of reflection and free fun therapy.

Lily Mefford is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is pursuing degrees in Public Policy and Geography & Environment. Her work in the Scott-Buechler lab is framed by gaining a deeper understanding of sustainability challenges and the policy frameworks needed to address them. She studies the ways in which global organizational narratives shape the trajectory of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) governance, and under what conditions discourse translates to policy action or inaction. Her global interests are complemented by an Appalachian upbringing which have shaped the way in which she thinks about just transitions at home and abroad. Her goal is to forge a career in environmental governance rooted in public service, where she can use her passion for science-based solutions, along with community engagement and advocacy, to drive just transitions. Outside of academic work, you can find her (trying to become better at) water coloring, frequenting local gardens, planning her next trip, spending time with friends and family, or being humbled at UNC Club Triathlon practices.

Lola Castorina is a third-year undergraduate at Duke University from Los Angeles, California. She is majoring in Public Policy with a minor in Environmental Science, focusing on energy and environmental issues. For her Honors Thesis, she will examine how existing state policy frameworks shape the energy mix and emissions of large AI data centers. At Duke, Lola is involved in the Undergraduate Energy and Climate Club, Undergraduate Law Review, and Puppy Kindergarten. Outside of academics, she enjoys spending time outdoors and working with animals.

Stephanie Yang is a Master of Public Policy Candidate ('27) at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy, with a concentration in Environment & Energy Policy. Her interests include renewable energy policy, just transitions, and environmental justice. Stephanie's research at the Scott-Buechler Lab is focused on the policy implications of clean infrastructure and just transition projects in fossil fuel-dependent regions and alternative ownership models within these communities. Prior to Duke, Stephanie was Chief of Staff at Public Rights Project, a non-partisan non-profit helping local government officials advance civil rights, where she managed strategic planning, interdepartmental collaboration, organizational systems and processes, and special projects. Previously, she was a management consultant at A.T. Kearney. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys painting, photography, working on her Cantonese, and advocating for a clean and just future.

Taylor DeRouen is a first-year MS Environmental Health Sciences student at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She is interested in just energy transition and sustainable climate solutions, but aims continue her studies to better understand the process of achieving a cleaner future from both a science and policy perspective. Taylor is currently serving on the UCLA Sustainability Board as the Graduate Student Association Representative, and is a current Leaders in Sustainability Certificate Candidate. She currently holds a BS in Biology, with a Minor in Applied Mathematics, from Loyola Marymount University.