MESM 2025
Pronouns: she/her
Bio
Studying Earth Science at Washington University in St. Louis, Sam Lance discovered her passion for making science accessible while interning for UGA Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant. While there, she created educational content on wetlands for local schools and led tours for all ages, watching as each activity helped people understand and value their local ecosystems. Soon after, a professor introduced her to the documentary Damnation, which inspired her to write a paper on a series of largely unknown paintings commissioned by the Bureau of Reclamation. Focusing on their desire to change public opinion after the controversial damming of Glen Canyon, Sam’s piece received the Lynn Cooper Harvey Writing Prize for its synthesis of science and art.
After graduating with honors in 2022, Sam pursued environmental consulting in the Bronx before shifting to work for the Nashville Parks Foundation. There, she used GIS to map Nashville’s parks in relation to properties owned by a local real estate company to show their proximity to high-need parks and encourage donations. She is currently specializing in Water Resource management with a communication sub-focus to bring awareness to issues surrounding freshwater management strategies.