NYU Students Tackle Climate and Sustainability Across Continents

Lucy Whitney is a Global Liberal Studies major concentrating in sustainability, health, and the environment. She’s also minoring in Francophone Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies. When she studied away at NYU Accra, she wanted to combine her varied academic interests. So, she sought an internship that would allow her to research climate change while deepening her understanding of the local culture.

Lucy interned at the Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling, a Ministry of Education agency. There, she helped expand access to quality education for Ghanaian students through digital learning. “Being at NYU Accra was integral to this work,” she says. “Here, faculty and staff get to know their students and put so much time and care into making sure we can achieve what we hope to.” But Lucy’s work didn’t end in Ghana. “I used this experience as a jumping-off point for my senior thesis,” she says. “It focuses on how to best integrate local and cultural knowledge and traditions into Ghanaian environmental education,” she explains. Ultimately, Lucy hopes to expand her research. “I want to create a more nuanced and rich understanding of an ecosystem and how humans can reduce their harmful impact,” she says.

As an NYU service ambassador, Michaela Greenlee leads service events that promote social justice across the University. So, when the Global Public Health and Sociology major studied away at NYU Sydney, she decided to take Environmental Health in a Global World. It introduced her to “how physical and social environments influence health disparities in Australia, particularly among vulnerable groups.” Inspired by the course material, she decided to act. “I wanted to find a way to recognize and support Australia’s environmental and sustainability efforts,” she explains. As a result, she partnered with local nonprofit Clean Up Australia to host a daylong cleanup event for students.

The NYU Sydney team supported Michaela. They helped her spread the word and fund the event, yielding spotless streets for the neighborhood and new skills for Michaela. “Service can be very rewarding, especially if it’s undertaken abroad,” she shares. “You get to learn about a different culture’s social justice issues. Then, you start to understand their means of combating such problems. What’s more, this can stir up ideas to bring back to your own country to initiate meaningful change. I want to get other students excited about giving back to the global community.”