For Henry Hartzler, what started as a passion for both teaching and climate science eventually transformed into the opportunity of a lifetime. This August, he will be serving in the Peace Corps as an environmental education primary teacher in Nicaragua.

For Dr. Kendra Strand, one of the best things about living in Iowa City is being able to walk to and from her classes on a nice day, taking in the scenery. But it’s not just the daily strolls she loves the most—rather, it’s being able to take a different street each day and discover new places, views, and perspectives wherever she goes.

Diane Jahnel, originally from Anamosa, Iowa, graduated from the University of Iowa in 1977, where she studied psychology and art. After a 34 year career in IT at Pearson, Jahnel retired and is now living in Paris, France, where she’s spent the past two years teaching English as a volunteer, taking French classes, and traveling.

Originally from Irbid, Jordan, Nayef Saleh Al Gharaibeh graduated from the University of Iowa in 1988 with his Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics. He returned to his home country where he currently teaches physiology at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), and has also held positions as the chairman of the Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, director of the JUST Health Center, and the vice dean of Faculty of Medicine.

Dr. Darren R. Grafius is originally from East Lansing, Michigan, and graduated from the University of Iowa in 2012 with a degree in geography. Today, he resides in the United Kingdom, where he moved to be with his partner, and now works as a post-doctoral research fellow at Cranfield University. The focus of his work is conducting environmental modeling and ecosystem services assessment as part of a government-funded consortium project studying biodiversity in urban landscapes.