.png)
About our research
Our project aims to raise awareness across the University of Washington, Seattle campus about the loss of birds due to collisions with transparent or reflective glass and lit surfaces. Students and volunteers monitor 22 campus buildings for dead birds that have collided with glass surfaces from September 2022 through September 2025. The species and location data collected will help us plan future design solutions and learn which species are most vulnerable to collisions on campus and in our region. Our project seeks to create an inclusive space for everyone on campus to learn about birds and how architecture impacts wildlife. In the 23/24 academic year our project and app team were lead by all female presenting teams. All are welcome to join and everyone’s accessibility needs will be met throughout the project. Through our commitment to protecting birds, we strive to support underrepresented communities in architecture and environmental fields.
Our research assistants and leads are funded by the Campus Sustainability Fund.
Meet our team!
Judy Bowes
App Founder
Judy (she/her) is a candidate in the Built Environment Ph.D. program focusing on the impact of architecture and design on wildlife as an aspect of sustainable design. Judy’s graduate research is designing a system to evaluate a building's impact on wildlife and provide effective solutions. Judy is the founding researcher of Bird Friendly Campus and founder of Avian Impact. Judy holds an M.S. in Architecture from UW and undergraduate degrees in Fine Arts & Design and Arabic & Middle Eastern Studies.
Tap to follow Judy on instagram!
Parshvi Balu
Parshvi is studying Informatics at the University of Washington with a goal to make educational technology more inclusive for all students. This project is a beautiful connection of nature and technology and she is thrilled to work with such a diverse team of determined students. Outside of academic work, she finds deep peace and joy in being out in nature, from relaxing in her backyard to deep diving in the ocean. She loves to paint, dance, listen to Bollywood music, reading romantic novels, watching 2000s rom-coms, and South Asian movies.
Summer Delehanty
Summer is studying Human-Centered Design & Engineering, with a minor in Environmental Science & Resource Management. She’s always loved birds, so she’s super excited to work on this project! After graduation, she plans on pursuing UX/UI Design, while continuing to look for opportunities at the intersection of environmental science and design—wherever that ends up taking her. Outside of school, she enjoys birdwatching, drawing, and exploring the great city of Seattle.
Ben Pepe
Ben (he/him) is pursuing a bachelor's degree in environmental science and resource management at the University of Washington. Ben has a particular interest in ecology and ornithology and is excited to gain experience with field work through his contribution to this project. Ben has been birdwatching and photographing birds since childhood and enjoys illustrating birds in his free time. Ben strongly believes in the mission of the Bird Friendly Campus project to protect urban wildlife and foster innovation through the Avian Impact app.
Erik Rayas
Erik is studying Architecture at the University of Washington with a goal of making the Built Environments more ecological and sustainable. Through design, Erik wants to create an environment that takes into consideration the safety and well-being of both animals and humans. Erik is very excited to be involved with the project and cannot wait to make Architecture more friendly for birds! Outside of academics, he likes to Paint, Draw, Sculpt, Garden, Hike, and Travel.
Ryan Nguyen
Ryan is studying Informatics at the University of Washington aiming to build accessible technology and software for everyone. He joined this project not only to gain foundational experience but also to leave an impact on campus and improve the environment of UW campus while saving and protecting birds. Outside of school and this project, he enjoys eating food, hanging out with friends, playing games -- and anything else social related! Trying out new experiences with friends is a favorite pastime of his.
Ronit Dasgupta
Ronit is studying Electrical & Computer Engineering with a deep interest in software engineering and programming. The project is super interesting to him and he is eager to work on making the app easily accessible for users to use. He is looking forward to working in a diverse team and hopes to make positive contributions. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer (or any other sport) and loves all types of outdoor activities.
Cammi Pham
Cammi is majoring in Informatics, with a minor in Data Science! She is passionate about using her skills to contribute positively and make a meaningful difference in her community. She joined the Avian Impact team to embrace her passion and to work alongside a team of smart, brilliant women. Outside of school and work, she loves sitting in the sun, drinking matcha, and spending time with her loved ones. One thing that brings her joy is listening to music while browsing Pinterest in a room with ambient lighting!
.png)
Alex Anderson
Bio coming soon!
Maitri Dedhia
Maitri (she/her) is studying Computer Science and minoring in Ethics. Her favorite part of this project is monitoring routes and developing the collision reporting app to be more intuitive and accessible. Outside of school, she loves anything related to being outdoors--especially hiking, climbing, kayaking, and sports. She enjoys reading, cooking, and watching sunrises.
Kayla Lay
Field Coordinator (23/24)
Kayla majored in Environmental Studies and Chemistry with the goal of working in Sustainability postgraduate. She started volunteering in January 2023 and joined the project as the Volunteer and Field Research Assistant in June. She really enjoys learning fun facts about the birds on campus and helping to make UW a more environmentally friendly place. Outside of the project, Kayla enjoys hiking, tennis, and cheering on any Washington sports team. Her favorite bird is a chickadee.
Malia McArtor
Health and Safety (23/24)
Malia McArtor majored in environmental public health and biology (ecology, evolution, conservation). She joined this project as a route monitor and is now the outreach and data research assistant. Malia's favorite thing about the project is sharing a love for birds and learning about building design with volunteers and getting the public more involved in bird conservation. Malia enjoys wildlife photography, and feel free to ask her about OneHealth, zoonotic diseases, or wildlife in Southern California! Her favorite bird is a turkey vulture!