Nyasha Milanzi

I am originally from Zimbabwe and also have roots in Malawi. I am an interdisciplinary graduate student researcher at Michigan Tech. I am an AGU Voices for Science Fellow and Catalyst Leadership Circle fellow at the University of Michigan. I use geoscience and social science methodologies to investigate socio-ecological and socio-technical systems. My research journey began with a focus on energy while studying electrical engineering at Ashesi University in Ghana where I was a Mastercard Foundation Scholar. Since then, I have shifted my research to encompass environmental justice (EJ) issues in black, indigenous, and low-income communities in the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa.

My EJ work is deeply inspired by my parent's commitment to education and social justice. My father (may he rest in peace) was a committed primary school educator who supported disabled students, including those who were blind, deaf, or had learning disabilities during their formative years. My mother has devoted more than 25 years to teaching at a rural high school in Zimbabwe, where resources are scarce compared to urban areas.

Outside of work, I enjoy exploring sustainable fashion with friends and catching up on African literature and writers I missed while focusing on science during high school and undergraduate studies. I just completed the famous Tsitsi's Dangarembga Trilogy & Violet Gonda Sequel!