Faithwin Gbadamos is a PhD student in the Department of Geography. Her research is centered on the nexus of sustainability, health, and development. Her research seeks to answer questions about environmental degradation linked to food security, livelihood impacts, and adaptation strategies. She uses the power of geospatial analysis to gain insights into the relationship between spatial dynamics and social factors. At the Food lab, Faithwin is responsible for tasks involving geographic information.Prior to starting her PhD, Faithwin explored diverse sectors, including energy and telecommunications, providing her with firsthand insights into these sectors and the critical need for sustainable practices. This experience solidified her unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability and health. Faithwin graduated from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria with a bachelor’s degree in Geography.
Carlos J. Calderon Jr is an undergraduate student at UB majoring in biomedical sciences and pursuing minors in public health and urban planning. A life-long resident of the East Side, he is invested in understanding the social and environmental determinants of health and putting this knowledge to action in the field of medicine. His lived experiences drive his passion to strive for equity in the physical areas where he grew up, which have shaped his academic pursuits. His long-term goal is to influence legislative change for health equity. Carlos is a McNair Scholar and a member of the Honors College and Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program. In the Food Lab, Carlos is beginning preliminary work on a research project which aims to explore the impact of people’s inaccessibility to food on public health in the East Side. In his free time, Carlos enjoys running, biking, and eating at new places.
A doctoral student in urban and regional planning, Kahad Adamu is interested in the political ecology of gold mining in Sub-Saharan Africa and managing natural resources (land and water), land management and administration, and affordable housing.
At the Food Lab, Kahad works on a variety of analytical projects. He is currently investigating the racial disparities in the spatial distribution of retail food destinations in Erie County. He is also involved in the Healthy Corner Store Initiative (HCSI) project.
Before joining UB, Kahad earned an MSc in Urban Development Planning from University College London (UCL) and a BSc (Hons) in Land Economy from KNUST in Ghana. Kahad previously worked as an adjunct lecturer at Kumasi Technical University in Kumasi, Ghana, where he taught courses such as Land Use Planning and Administration and Property Rating and Taxation. He also worked with the Land Resources and Management Center (LRMC) on projects that examined urban governance and informal settlement in Ghana’s capital city.
Dr. Alexandra Judelsohn pursues community-based research at the intersection of urban planning, public health, and environmental studies, centering the voices of community members. Her interests are around how cities facing austerity urbanism market themselves to potential residents, and her current research examines the role of refugee-led community organizations in U.S. refugee resettlement and the gaps these organizations fill in delivering services.
Judelsohn has been published in numerous journals, including the Journal of the American Planning Association, Community Development, and Frontiers. She is a co-editor on a book, Planning for Equitable Urban Agriculture in the USA: Future Directions for a new Ethic in City Building, which will be published in 2024. Prior to coming to the University at Buffalo, she earned her PhD in urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan.
Matthew Tilly graduated from Binghamton University (SUNY) with a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies – Environmental Policy & Law, and Geography – Urban & Regional Planning. Since completing his undergraduate studies, he has worked for the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation in Albany, and is currently employed with the Warren County Government in Lake George, both positions utilizing Geographic Information Systems. Before going back to school, Matthew planned to acquire years of experience in the professional world. His career trajectory moving forward is to pursue a Master’s Degree in Sustainable Urban Planning. In the Food Lab, Matthew will be working alongside the GIS team to update and maintain the two dashboards for the CHEER project, in addition to completing data analysis tasks as needed. His hobbies include video and board games, playing tennis, and spending time with his family’s two labrador retrievers.
