Sustainable Development Program Hosts Annual Alumni Career Conversations Panel – State of the Planet

The Undergraduate Sustainable Improvement Program (SDEV) just lately hosted its annual Alumni Profession Conversations panel. Open to any and all undergraduate and graduate college students occupied with sustainable improvement profession paths, the occasion facilitated publicity to numerous sectors and tasks within the sustainability subject and offered attendees with invaluable insights.

The panel was composed of three alumni from SDEV: Chelsea Jean-Michel (CC ’19), Autumn Moore (CC ’22), Lauren Ritchie (CC ’22), with Hannah Friedman (CC ’19, SPS ’21) serving as moderator.

Jean-Michel, an affiliate on the wind group at BloombergNEF, focuses on strategic analysis overlaying world commodity markets and applied sciences driving the transition to a low-carbon economic system. She manages a subscription-based platform and synthesizes developments throughout the wind trade, drawing on her earlier expertise as an power, sustainability and infrastructure advisor.

Moore, an affiliate in local weather information and know-how at KPMG US, helps shoppers in enhancing their information and know-how to realize their environmental targets.

Ritchie is the founding father of the Eco Justice Mission, a digital platform devoted to sharing the tales of underrepresented communities and selling intersectional local weather advocacy. She additionally co-hosts the society and pop-culture-centered podcast, Black Lady Blueprint, amplifying the views of Gen-Z Black girls. Ritchie has labored as a future rising senior fellow with Lady Rising, the place she produced a brief movie.

Friedman is the founding principal of newly launched Planeteer Capital, a local weather enterprise capital fund, the place she supplies strategic steerage to executives as they scale up their local weather tasks. Earlier than this, she spent round 4 years investing within the round economic system at Closed Loop Companions, a multi-asset class funding agency.

The panel aimed to equip present college students occupied with sustainability with sensible instruments and data to construct their skilled portfolios and navigate job searches successfully. Panelists shared insights into how the talents acquired from this system have transferred into their work.

“The 2 most necessary expertise I’ve developed throughout my time with the SDEV program had been to current analysis successfully and learn to speak about local weather with completely different audiences,” Jean-Michel mentioned.

Panelists additionally talked concerning the significance of extracurricular actions and each formal and casual networking occasions in shaping their profession trajectories. They inspired individuals to have interaction in actions associated to sustainable improvement, in addition to extra artistic actions, akin to soccer, appearing and examine overseas experiences, to domesticate transferable expertise and a singular profile.

“I studied overseas in Iceland to study extra about renewable power economics, and this expertise enormously helped me change into snug with public talking,” Jean-Michel mentioned.

After an outline of the newest developments of their respective industries and what a day of their lives would possibly appear to be, the alumni shifted the dialogue to the position of internships for skilled and private improvement. They shared suggestions on the best way to finest strategy these alternatives.

“My internship experiences, though not associated to the work I presently do, had been very helpful in instructing me the best way to be articulate a few subject, which is essential in my position as a client-based advisor,” Moore mentioned.

With its numerous panel and insightful discussions, the Alumni Profession Conversations panel offered invaluable steerage and inspiration for college students navigating the complicated panorama of sustainable improvement careers. Sylvia Montijo, the SDEV program supervisor, expressed delight within the accomplishments of the alumni, highlighting the significance of inclusion within the subject of sustainability.

“This annual occasion serves as a particular platform to focus on the distinctive achievements of our alumni. The sector of sustainability is extremely numerous, evident within the some ways our panelists have interaction with this work. It’s essential for the SDEV program to persist in centering these numerous voices and inclusive views,” mentioned Montijo.

Following structured discussions, individuals had the chance to have interaction in open conversations with alumni, delving deeper into their transition from the SDEV program to their present roles. This section fostered a secure and candid dialogue on the nuances of various careers throughout the sustainable improvement sphere.

“The thorn is that there must be extra funding and funding going to the artistic aspect of local weather. The rose is that I really feel I could make an affect at numerous ranges, even with youngsters, and that’s promising for our future,” mentioned Ritchie.