Biden School Student Association

​The Biden School Student Association is the official student organization of the school. ​The group facilitates communication between the students and faculty and staff of the school, and advocates for the interests of Biden School students. 

​Michael Michaud – President

Michael is a Ph.D. student in the disaster science and management program. He is also a graduate research assistant with the Disaster Research Center. He has a diverse background with his B.S. degree in atmospheric science and M.Ed. in educational leadership and policy. From a young age he had a deep passion for weather. Over time, he began to better appreciate the impact weather has on society. He also spent seven years working within different aspect of higher education, specifically student affairs. Today, his research interests include severe weather warning systems, education initiates around severe weather and disasters, crises in higher education, and finding the best desserts ever made.​

​Pravesh Raghoo – Vice President

Pravesh is a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant at the Biden School of Public Policy & Administration. He was a former Fulbright Scholar, graduate student and teaching assistant at the School of Public Policy, Oregon State University from 2015 to 2017. Pravesh was a research assistant at the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Mauritius. His research interests are climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy policy and economics, energy systems and power generation, especially in islander communities. Pravesh has worked as project manager for an EDULINK II funded project entitled “Lifelong Learning for Energy Security, Access and Efficiency in African and Pacific Small Island Developing States" in which he developed an online learning course on “Sustainable Energy for Small Island Developing States," organized several national and international conferences, and conducted research on energy transition of islands.​

​Kyungmin Lee – Secretary

Kyungmin Lee is a Ph.D. student in energy and environmental policy at the University of Delaware. Her research interests lie at the intersection of energy, climate change, urban development, and social sustainability. With a broad research interest covering areas of environmental planning in the international and regional contexts, she is interested in understanding dynamical interactions between humans and the environment. Her current research focuses on the impact of human behaviors and the built environment on energy use and heat in cities. With a specific interest in quantitative and spatial analysis methods, she has also developed an interest in machine learning, using big data analysis, image processing, and computer vision tools, for public policy. Prior to joining the Ph.D. program, she worked in the field of international environmental development and cooperation at the government research institute, governmental agency, and United Nations. She received a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Sungshin Women's University and a Master of City Planning in environmental studies from Seoul National University in South Korea.​

​Melissa Jurist – DISA Representative

Melissa Jurist is a second-year master's student in disaster science and management. She is focused on family preparedness, particularly for children and those living with disabilities. Her interests center upon designing cognitively appropriate preparedness content for children and supporting preparedness in families experiencing high-stress caregiving (e.g., raising a child with a disability). She is the current manager for UD K12 Engineering, designing and evaluating STEM content for children. Her previous positions include directing a state-wide evaluation of special education and being assistant director of research for Sesame Workshop.​

Ph​illip McNeil

Phillip McNeil is a second year master's student in the energy and environmental policy program. His interests include renewable energy, decentralized energy infrastructure, and climate adaptation policies in the US. He holds a B.S. in biology from the University of Mary Washington and is from Arden, Delaware.​