Last week, I had the pleasure of being introduced to two very engaged students who have begun to plan seed projects about regenerative futures. As part of the Impact Network for Regenerative Futures (IN4RF), students are supported by the impact network to implement ideas for local and global challenges. By sharing their narratives here, we aim to engage students from across the globe to find inspiration and connect with seed projects that can be put into action wherever they live.
An economics student at Glasgow University, Scotland, Laavanya Varadarajan, has been getting involved with community projects such as the sustainability challenge at glasgow univeristy and summer sustainability courses at Broconni Univeristy in Milan, Italy, that address the challenges of the anthropocene and behavioral changes. Laavanya keenly shared with me her narrative:
Over the past few years, I have developed a deep interest in sustainable transformation in various sectors, particularly urban spaces and education. International exposure to multifaceted perspectives on this issue, through summer schools and Universitas 21 programmes, has led me to understand that sustainable transformation is tailored effort that requires unique solutions for different challenges. However, the best way to develop a robust solution in any circumstance is to appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of best practices internationally. This is what makes me excited to be a part of this amazing network that brings together people from innumerable backgrounds, all working towards one common overarching goal.
Laavanya has been part of projects that have been designed internally at the univeristy as well as externally including local community organisations. Together with communicty heratholders, Laavanya has plans for a new exciting project about how to revitalise urban space in the surrounding campus. More to come soon! She explained that her inspirations include creating tactile live events:
The potential of cross-disciplinary partnerships to understand and create innovative solutions for complex environmental challenges is something that excites me. For example, linking Psychology, Economics and Climate Change, I am currently exploring how socioeconomic factors influence individuals’ concerns about climate change and their perceived control over environmental outcomes. I believe in empowering local communities through education and practical initiatives, like urban gardening and sustainable practices, to enhance resilience and promote self-sufficiency.
I will regularly update my Linktree with interesting news articles, speakers, events and books that I am reading currently.
I also had the pleasure of having a dialogue with Ashley Gillis, a Business Administration student at Acadia University, Canada. Ashley’s main subject is accounting and is inspired by art. She views sustainability as rebirth, a cycle of life. Inspired by her experience growing up in a small mining town, Labrador City, the iron ore mine is a stark representation of unsustainable activities. The materials, the society, and the organizations have experienced big challenges.
Ashley explains that her seed project is inspired by her background and her interest in art. Place and community are where Ashley connects to heartholders, sharing dialogues on direction and communication. She would like to represent the dialogues held on campus through an art installation at the campus. The aim is to inspire interest in the narratives on campus had around the world, connecting to international communities and creating gear-turning ideas with our hands. More coming soon!
Upcoming event: We are holding the RegenShift Dialogue – Imagining Seeds and Scenarios for Transformation on November 22 (1:00-2:30p) at Acadia University. Approximately 8-12 students will be participating in this experiential workshop.
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