News

Published in the ALEI Quarterly Update | June 27, 2025

Together with the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, ALEI is pleased to welcome four interns for the upcoming Russell Brinsfield Internship Program.  Founded in 2017, the Brinsfield Internship Program engages law students from the Francis King Carey School of Law at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP).  

Named in honor of Dr. Russell Brinsfield, who was a leader in agricultural science at the University of Maryland and co-founder of the Hughes Center, the program invites law and undergraduate students to work together to develop viable solutions to a variety of complex environmental, agricultural and forestry-related issues.  

ALEI is also welcoming two additional interns this summer to work alongside the Brinsfield Interns on their projects as well as other individual projects. One intern funded by the Maryland Public Interest Law Project will engage in legal and policy research focused on issues relevant to Maryland’s Eastern Shore communities. The MPower UM Scholars will assist with research on Identifying Legal Challenges to Participation in Maryland’s Farm to Institution Local Food Purchasing Program. 

2025 Brinsfield Interns

Ilene Stark

“I just graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy, with a concentration in Politics and Policy. I am originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and I hope to attend law school next fall. In my free time, I enjoy thrifting, reading, hiking, and being outside. During this internship, I hope to hone my research skills, as well as network with like-minded professionals in the agriculture industry! I am also excited to learn more about the Maryland food system and policy/programs surrounding it.”

Isabella Trujillo

Isabella Trujillo is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland, where she majored in Environmental Science and Policy and minored in International Development and Conflict Management. Her academic interests include environmental law, environmental justice, and international environmental policy. She plans to attend law school in the future to study environmental law. Outside of academia, Isabella enjoys hiking, traveling, and spending time with animals and wildlife.  

“As a summer 2025 Brinsfield intern, I am eager to learn more about the role agriculture can play in alleviating food insecurity, reducing environmental degradation, and strengthening climate resilience in the state of Maryland. I am also looking forward to gaining hands-on experience in the policy development process, from identifying key issues and engaging stakeholders to drafting final recommendations.“

Jishan Chowdhury

My name is Abdullah Jishan Chowdhury, and I’m an undergraduate student at the University of Maryland, College Park, majoring in Environmental Science and Technology. I have hands-on experience in urban ecology, wildlife monitoring, and zoonotic disease research through both fieldwork and lab-based studies. Through my internship at the Russell Brinsfield Internship Program at the Harry R. Hughes Center for Agro-Ecology, I hope to deepen my understanding of Maryland’s agriculture, food systems, and environmental policy and contribute to making them more sustainable and effective. 

Anna Sanders

Anna Sanders is a rising second-year law student at the University of Maryland School of Law. She is pursuing a concentration in Environmental Law and Policy and has a background in economics, public policy, and law and society from Kenyon College. Through the Russell Brinsfield internship this summer, Anna is hoping to expand her work and her knowledge on sustainable land use, conservation practices, and the legal intersection of agriculture and environmental law. She is especially interested in exploring the complex and evolving topic of water law and how policy in Maryland can support local farming practices.

2025 UM Scholar

Mahnaaz Qaderi

I’m Mahnaaz Qaderi, an MPower intern collaborating with Megan Todd on the local food procurement initiative. As a senior at UMD, I am majoring in neuroscience with a minor in human development. Though I have some experience in data analysis and public health, my background is mostly in science and medicine. Through this internship, I intend to learn more about agriculture and legal procedures, develop my research and networking skills, and offer input on how various facets of health care and agriculture might be intertwined.

ALEI Intern

Patrick Hart

My name is Patrick Hart, and I am a rising 2L at Maryland Carey School of Law in Baltimore. I am originally from Lake Zurich, IL, a suburb of Chicago and ran high school and collegiate track and cross country. My family began going on vacations to the Natural Parks and other beautiful natural sights about a decade ago and those experiences have developed my deep-seeded care for the environment. I then went to the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota for my undergraduate studies, where I studied political science and communications. While there I took a handful of intriguing classes in our environmental studies department and found I was also interested in public interest law and policy. Those passions brought me to Maryland, and I am very excited to work with the folks at the Hughes Center and aid with solving agricultural issues impacting the Eastern Shore, Maryland, and beyond!

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University of Maryland Strategic Partnership: MPowering the State (MPower).  A collaboration between the State of Maryland’s two most powerful public research institutions: UMB and UMCP, MPower seeks to strengthen and serve the State of Maryland and its citizens.

Save the Date: The Brinsfield Interns will present a summary of their summer research and activities on July 11, 2025. If you’re interested in joining the Zoom presentation, you can reach out to Megan Todd (motodd@law.umaryland.edu) or Nancy Nunn (nnunn@umd.edu) to be added to the invitation list.