UEPodcast Tufts UEPodcast

In this week’s episode, Allie sits down with Kristiana Lachiusa. She is currently a Master of Public Policy (MPP) student at UEP. Before this, Kristiana was the Director of Transit and Outreach at Livable Streets where she led the transit advocacy team.

Kristiana discusses how a near-death experience on a bike changed her perspective on access to transportation and started her on a journey in transportation advocacy.  Listen to the full episode now to hear how you can get involved in making your streets safer, the benefits of working at a small non-profit, and tips to make friends with your neighbors!

Click HERE to Become a Street Ambassador!

Kristiana’s Advocacy Orgs to Get Check Out:

Transportation focused:


Livable Streets AllianceWe advocate for innovative and equitable transportation solutions that create safe, affordable and convenient options for everyone in Metro Boston.

Boston Cyclist UnionOur mission is to transform the streets of greater Boston into equitable and inviting people-centered spaces affording access and connection for every body. We accomplish this through organizing, advocacy, public actions, and holding city and state agencies accountable to build out the network of safe, protected bike infrastructure.

Walk BostonWalkBoston makes walking safer and easier in Massachusetts to encourage better health, a cleaner environment and more vibrant communities. Our website is centered on the work we do with people and organizations in communities across the state.

TransitMattersTransitMatters is dedicated to improving transit in and around Boston by offering new perspectives, uniting transit advocates, and informing the public. We utilize a high level of critical analysis to advocate for plans and policies that promote convenient, effective, and equitable transportation for everyone.

NeighborwaysListen to this previous episode with Founder and UEP Lecturer: Mark Chase.
Neighborways’ mission is to help communities build networks of traffic-calmed streets that are inviting for people of all ages, and prioritize biking and walking. We believe streets should be beautiful places that incorporate local art and creativity, and serve as a meeting place where you can engage with your neighbors.

In this week’s episode, Allie and Peter get another water quality update from Abbie at her internship with the SFPUC. Peter explains how the death care practice of embalming became trendy in the United States. Abbie reflects on her time in the drinking water lab; they discuss the challenges the SFPUC faces in achieving its sustainability vision.

In this week's episode, Peter meets Lara for a coffee chat. 

They discover their shared love of mushrooms, not on their plates, but as an innovative building material; discuss their most impactful class of the semester and more.

Lara Isiolaotan is in her first year as a Master of Public Policy student. Previously, she has been working in the nonprofit space in her home country, Canada, advocating for the needs of marginalized communities for about 7 years. Listen now to learn more about Lara’s interests in social impact investing and hopes while at UEP.



All current students and alumni are invited to participate in coffee chats. If you’re interested in joining next semester, please look out for an email from Casey Auch or contact her directly via email: casey.auch@tufts.edu.

Peter and Allie sit down with Chelsea Spaman, MSS Candidate, and professional dumpster diver, to catch up about their current semester and learn about her experience as the Environment and Sustainability Intern at the Denver International Airport.

Listen now to learn what scope emissions are and how someone, like Chelsea, might go about collecting and analyzing information such as gallons of gas bought per week to determine the total emissions released from the Denver Airport. Later we test Chelsea's airport trivia skills and discuss the equity concerns related to private planes.

If you’d like to read more about Chelsea’s experience check out her internship profile on the Practical Visionaries Blog.

San Francisco is home to some of the cleanest drinking water in the country, says Abbie. Stick around to hear why. 



Later in the episode, hear Abbie's perspective on SFPUC's Community Benefits Approach Policies and whether a utility company can truly foster sustainable community development. 



Tune in next time to hear about Abbie's experience collecting drinking water samples during a trip with the field services team. 

In this week’s episode, Peter and Deniz meet for the first time and chat as a part of the department’s Coffee Chat series. All current students and alumni are invited to participate in coffee chats. If you’re interested in joining next semester, please look out for an email from Casey Auch or contact her directly via email: casey.auch@tufts.edu.

Peter and Deniz chat about their favorite movies, the interdisciplinary work they do at UEP, and much more!

“I'm a first-year Master's of UEP student. Currently, my interests include energy policy and transit oriented development, but I'm very open to developing new ones during my time at UEP. I'm from Ann Arbor, Michigan. I'm coming to grad school after about five years of working in the software industry and I'm excited to be back in school.”

-Deniz Karabakal.