Make a Green Noise Speaker Bios
Charette Part 2: Charging Ahead
October 25, 2025
Dr. Emily Ralston
Dr. Emily Ralston, Research Assistant Professor in Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences at Florida Tech, began her undergraduate degree at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg FL, studying marine science. She took the opportunity to do a semester abroad at James Cook University (JCU) in Australia. She enjoyed it so much, she transferred her degree, staying for 3 years & completing both her undergraduate & thesis in Townsville at JCU. Before going back to school, she spent time in American Samoa and worked for a garden center in Memphis TN. She began doctoral studies at Florida Tech in 2005, and eventually joined the faculty in 2015. She’s enjoyed great opportunities participating in research using natural mechanisms to solve human problems including restoration, ecology and biology of fouling communities, biomimicry, and invasive species control. Dr. Ralston serves as co-chair of the University Sustainability Council and as faculty advisor for Society for Women in Marine Science (SWMS) & Student Organization for Sustainability Action (SOSA). She teaches courses in restoration, sustainability, and oceanography. Her hobbies include native gardening and permaculture, diving, hiking, and photography.
Dr. Emily Ralston
Dr. Emily Ralson is Co-Principal Investigator for the Space Coast RESCUE Project. Together with Dr. Ralph Turingan, Dr. Ralston will share updates on the development of a Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture System (IMTA) at Cheif Corner Stone Missionary Baptist. The IMTA will grow oysters, clams, fish, sea grasses-- accomplishing sustainable food production and ecosystem restoration. Dr. Ralson will also provide updates on the resilient prairie planting project at Stone Magnet Middle School. The presentation will highlight the importance of native plants, showcasing their ecological value, beauty, and role in building climate-ready landscapes.
Dr. Ralph Turingan
Dr. Ralph Turingan is a professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, specializing in fish ecological morphology and physiology, invasive species biology, fisheries, and aquaculture. He earned his B.S. from the University of the Philippines, M.S. from the University of Rhode Island, and Ph.D. from the University of Puerto Rico. Since joining Florida Tech in 1995, Dr. Turingan has served as program chair for marine biology and the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences. He is the Florida Sea Grant Program Coordinator, Fulbright Program Advisor, and Director of Aquaculture Laboratories at the university. Notably, he received Fulbright Senior Faculty Fellowships in 2006 and 2013.
Dr. Ralph Turingan
Together with Dr. Emily Ralston, Dr. Ralph Turingan will share updates on the development of a Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture System (IMTA) at Cheif Corner Stone Missionary Baptist. The IMTA will grow oysters, clams, fish, sea grasses-- accomplishing sustainable food production and ecosystem restoration.
Dr. Steven Lazarus
Dr. Steven Lazarus is a Professor at the Florida Institute of Technology in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences. He spent the summer of 1984, during his undergraduate studies at Florida State University, as a fellow working with the originator of the tornado 1=-scale, Dr. Theodore Fujita. He received his MS and PhD degrees (in Meteorology) at University of Oklahoma (chasing tornados!). As a post-doc at University of Utah, he worked on forecasting tools for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Having arrived at FIT in 2001, he has research projects involving hurricane impacts on structures; coastal radar (NOAA); and upward propagating lightning. He is a member representative for the University Center for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), American Meteorological Society, & American Geophysical Union. He teaches courses in air pollution and climate. Dr. Lazarus’s hobbies include native gardening, biking, hiking, & kayaking. As a quasi-vegetarian (eating some sustainable fish), he volunteers for the Sea Turtle Preservation Society and serves on the board of directors for the Friends of the Carr Refuge.
Dr. Steven Lazarus
Dr. Steven Lazarus is the Principal Investigator for the Department of Energy–funded Space Coast RESCUE project. This Make a Green Noise forum, he will provide an overview of the grant’s progress to date and how its components fit together to build community resilience. With several months of weather station and rain gauge data now collected across South Melbourne, the presentation will explore why this information is essential for addressing future challenges such as flooding, heat stress, and building energy demands. Dr. Lazarus will conclude with a roadmap for how the project aims to deliver meaningful, community-centered outcomes.
Joe Nisbett
Joe Nisbett is a licensed landscape architect, certified city planner, and permaculture designer whose work bridges sustainability, commerce, and community. As Principal of Nisbett Design, he leads multidisciplinary projects that integrate ecological principles into real-world development—ranging from high-performance commercial spaces to mixed-use master plans and regenerative landscapes. Joe founded his firm in 2021 to combine his technical background in landscape architecture and urban planning with his passion for permaculture and long-term community resilience.
Alongside his design practice, Joe serves as Managing Partner of the Nisbett Family Partnership, a private investment entity with decades of experience in retail and real estate development. His work across design and development gives him a unique perspective on aligning profitability with environmental stewardship. He’s particularly interested in projects that turn income-producing properties into models of sustainability and education, like the Little Growers Food Forest and Coastal Resilience Project in Melbourne, Florida.
Joe holds dual master’s degrees in Landscape Architecture and Community Planning from Auburn University, where he founded the university’s first permaculture student group. Today, he continues to merge technical expertise with a grounded, values-driven approach—helping communities and organizations build places that work in harmony with both people and the planet.
Joe Nisbett
Joe Nisbett is the Technical Delivery Partner (TDP) for the Project: Planning for Flood Resilience and Habitat Restoration in the Indian River Lagoon (FL). The mission of the project is to identify and prioritize up to 10 nature-based resiliency projects across Brevard County’s Indian River Lagoon that are ready for site assessment and design, with the goal of protecting communities from coastal flooding, and protecting and enhancing fish and wildlife habitats. As the TDP, Nisbett Design's role is to provide 5 site designs, including permitting and contractor recruitment. Joe will present 2 updated design alternatives for one of the 5 sites: the Crane Creek Restoration Project– featuring designs and solutions informed by community input.
Dr. Hamidreza Najafi
Dr. Hamidreza Najafi is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Innovations in Sustainable Energy and Thermal Systems (ISETS) group at the Florida Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the design and optimization of thermal and energy systems, computational heat transfer, and sustainable built environments. He has authored or co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, as well as a book (Wiley, 2023) and a book chapter (Springer, 2021). Dr. Najafi's work has been funded by prominent agencies such the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), NASA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), ASHRAE, and various private industries. He is an Executive Committee member of the American Society of Thermal and Fluids Engineers (ASTFE), Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities and co-chair of the ASME Computational Heat Transfer Technical Committee. In the past, Dr. Najafi has held prominent roles, including General Conference Chair of the 2023 ASME International Conference on Energy Sustainability, Chair of the ASME Renewable Energy and Energy Conversion Technical Committee, Technical Program Chair of the 9th Thrmal and FLuids Engineering Conference (TFEC 2024) and Guest Editor for both the ASME Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer and the Journal of Energy Resources Technology. He is also serving as the ASHRAE Student Branch Advisor of Florida Institute of Technology since 2015 and served as the Vice-Chair of the ASHRAE TC 9.13 Space (2022-2024). Before joining Florida Tech, Dr. Najafi was a lead graduate student and engineer at the Alabama Industrial Assessment Center (funded by the U.S. DOE) from 2011 to 2015, where he worked on improving the efficiency and decarbonization of industrial energy systems.
Dr. Hamidreza Najafi
Dr. Hamidreza Najafi is part of the Space Coast RESCUE Team. This Make a Green Noise, he will discuss the critical role of energy efficiency and renewable energy in shaping resilient communities. His talk will highlight practical energy-saving measures, pathways toward zero-energy buildings, and how these strategies reduce costs and environmental impacts—especially in a warming climate. A special focus will be on the Space Coast RESCUE initiative and its role in advancing sustainability and affordability. Interactive elements will invite participants to reflect on their own household and community energy use.
Queriah Simpson
Queriah “Que” Simpson, was born and raised in Melbourne, FL, and graduated from Florida A&M University (FAMU) in 2017 and 2020. Having obtained a Bachelors in Pre-professional Biology with a Chemistry minor and a Bachelors in Environmental Science in 2017, and her Masters in Environmental Science concentrated in Marine and Estuarine Environments in August 2020 as a NOAA-CCME Graduate Scholar. During undergrad as a part of NOAA-ECSC, she completed a project titled Evaluating the Eastern Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) as a Biodindicator Species for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals. Proving that chemicals from a paper mill in Perry, FL, have detrimental effects on Mosquitofish and the water quality of the Fenholloway River She successfully defended her thesis, the Application of Habitat Suitability Models for Benthic Communities in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico: Linking Bioprospecting and Modeling Research. A project that allowed her to work with scientists from NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Biogeography Branch in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Florida State University for The Hydrodynamics & Habitat Suitability for Meiofauna And Corals (HydroSMAC) Mission. Queriah is now a Ph.D. candidate and NOAA-CCME graduate scholar at FAMU, the Program Director for Black in Marine Science (BIMS), on the Executive Board for Little Growers Inc., a member of an NAACP EJ Committee, and a Private Chef.
Queriah Simpson
Que is a member of Little Growers Inc (LGI) staff as the Executive Science Expert and will act as science communicator throughout the forum and answer any communitiy questions. Through Black in Marine Science (BIMS), she led several days of LGI's Summer Earn and Learn Program. She is also the Community Collaborator for the Space Coast RESCUE Project.