Sameena Manzur, a PhD research assistant at the Waste Data and Analysis Center (WDAC), has been awarded the Anne & Robert Reithmiller PTR Scholarship by the Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF). This highly competitive scholarship provides $15,000 a year to support promising graduate students pursuing research in sustainable waste management studies.
Sameena’s scholarship-winning proposal examines the impact of socioeconomic factors on food and organic waste generation in the United States. Her research explores how variables like household size, income, education, and population density correlate with organic waste production. The goal is to identify key drivers of waste generation and provide data-driven insights to inform targeted waste reduction strategies.
The scholarship will directly support Sameena’s current doctoral work under the mentorship of WDAC Director Dr. Elizabeth L. Hewitt and WDAC founder Dr. David J. Tonjes.
Reflecting on the award, Sameena shared, “The scholarship will support my current work as this research is what I will be focusing on for Part A [pre-dissertation research], and hopefully I can eventually build on it and maybe publish a paper or make it go towards part of my thesis and dissertation work.”
EREF is a leading organization that funds scientific research and educational programs to advance sustainable waste management practices.
Congratulations on this outstanding achievement, Sameena!