Advancing Sustainability Education

Hi, I am a second year Economics student at The University of Glasgow. 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.

Inspiration:
Interdisciplinary Collaboration: 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.

Community Empowerment: I believe in empowering local communities through education and practical initiatives, like urban gardening and sustainable practices, to enhance resilience and promote self-sufficiency.

Projects

Past activities and engagement with sustainability related fields:

1. University of Glasgow Sustainability Challenge (Participant Perspective):

This was initial introduction to understanding the magnitude of the seriousness and urgency of climate change. The fact that many modern developed nations are still not completely clear on a framework just to quantify Scope 3 emissions made me realise how far behind we are in terms of progress towards reducing emissions. Consequently, I realised that if we are not already settled on a practical plan to quantify and thus, be able to reduce emissions in some sectors, taking the next step to reverse the impact of climate change is very far away. The paucity of up-to-date information in many institutions regarding best practices also came to the forefront during this exploration.

2. Summer Course on Sustainability Transformation, ESG Finance and Energy Management at Università Bocconi

The course educated me about the evolution of sustainability from the days of Triple Bottom Line (TBL) in the 90s to CSR in 2010 and the more sophisticated concepts of ESG and Integrated Reporting prevalent today. In addition to giving me a wealth of practical industry experience and insights from experts in academia, corporate impact investment and family businesses, it helped build a network with others equally passionate about sustainability transformation.
Most importantly, it changed the way I looked at sustainability. It led me to reflect on some day-to-day activities that I could engage in to make a small but measurable impact on our collective effort to reverse climate change.

3. Sustainable Gardening Initiative with Enactus Glasgow:

As Head of Project Development at Enactus Glasgow, I am overseeing the development and implementation of Sprout Glasgow. This is a social initiative aimed at revitalising derelict urban spaces in the peripheries of Glasgow City, transforming them in sustainable gardens that enable individuals and communities to grow their own fresh produce. This aims to introduce communities to environmentally friendly gardening practices while solving food insecurity and the numerous health problems that arise from eating cheap high processed foods.