Ryan is a PhD candidate at NYU Tandon School of Engineering in the Urban Systems program. He also works as a data research analyst at the NYU Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy and is an Urban Doctoral Fellow. Ryan's research interests include urban sustainability and climate resilience, green infrastructure, environmental justice, and public decision-making. He obtained a Master of Science in Public Policy from NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service (2018), a Juris Doctorate from Michigan State University College of Law (2016), and a Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology from Colorado State University (2013). Ryan also serves as the Chair of the Queens Solid Waste Advisory Board, a local government entity advising on Zero Waste.