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Meet the LUBS Student Sustainability Architects

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Highlights 2021-2022
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Leeds University Business School (LUBS) are making significant impact in driving sustainability across the school.

As part of their LUBS Blueprint plan they recruited no fewer than 8 Student Sustainability Architects who have been hard at work delivering impactful sustainability initiatives this academic year.

Student Sustainability Architect roles are part time paid positions that help to deliver sustainability projects at the University. They bring new ideas and a student perspective to projects that align with the University’s strategic objectives.

From Carbon Literacy training to reducing the school's transport emissions, find out more about the LUBS Student Sustainability Architects and what they've been working on this year!

Asima Bashir 

Degree programme: MSc Management 

Project area: Delivering Student Sustainability Team challenge at LUBS by working with Co-op 

About me: 

My name is Asima Bashir, and I am an MSc Management student here at Leeds. I am from Kashmir, a little lovely valley bordered by the Himalayas and noted for its lush greenery. Growing up in such a place and then witnessing the beauty of my surroundings deteriorate due to pollution has always worried me.

In this fast-paced society where everyone is chasing success, we tend to overlook our responsibilities towards the planet that nourishes us. I began to adopt some sustainability practices to ensure that at the very least I am contributing and assisting others.

I enrolled in the Carbon Literacy Training (CLT) programme here in Leeds, which expanded my knowledge of sustainability and made me think more critically about the decisions I make on a daily basis and the influence our daily habits have on the environment. I became more eager to share this knowledge as I believe knowledge is useless unless it is applied and shared.

I am glad that  I will be able to contribute more to this cause as a Student Sustainability Architect. Let us join hands to conserve our Mother Earth, for future generations have an equal right to the resources that we have. 

Jacob Webb 

Degree programme: MSc Ecological Economics 

Project area: I work on a project focusing on reducing LUBS’s transport emissions. 

About me: 

My name's Jacob, and I am now in my 4th year at Leeds studying MSc Ecological Economics. Alongside lessons from my masters, completing Carbon Literacy Training last term consolidated the importance of decarbonising our ecological footprints, and becoming an SSA will provide me with a unique vehicle to personally engage with the cause. This is particularly important at an institution like LUBS, that has the capacity to change behaviours from the ground up, by inspiring the next generation of professionals, as well as from the top down, by advising governments through world-renowned research.

Whilst most are somewhat aware of the necessity to transition to net-zer0 due to climate change, many are yet to grasp the extent to which modern life is coupled to carbon emissions. It is therefore important that as SSA's, we galvanise support for LUBS' sustainability blueprint from students themselves.

As part of my project, reducing LUBS' transport emissions will be an integral aspect of the strategy that could help the University deliver their ambitious decarbonisation targets by 2030, and so is an exciting space to be involved with; I look forward to championing Leeds's sustainability agenda going forward. 

Abhinav Jindal 

Degree programme: MSc Business Analytics & Decision Sciences 

Project area: Supporting LUBS sustainability communications, establishment of LUBS Climate Action Society 

About me: 

I’m Abhinav (aka Jin) and I’m one of the LUBS Sustainability Architects, having been inspired by the Carbon Literacy Training courtesy of the LUBS Sustainability Service and Speak Carbon.

From driving a diesel chugging IC car back in the streets of New Delhi, to solely relying on my mountain bike, skateboard and the hugely reliable public transport network here in West Yorkshire, I try everyday to become a better and more sustainable version of my former self.

A former technology risk consultant, I have most recently served as a Project Manager with LCC where I helped a client deliver sustainable solutions to businesses through a digital-focused marketing strategy. I’m studying MSc Business Analytics & Decision Sciences and in my spare time enjoy scenic walks/runs through the Woodhouse Ridge, Meanwood, and on a good day (Tuesdays) you may find me popping over at the LUU Open Mics! I’m passionate about climate change and am keen on using my consulting expertise in the field of ESG in the future.

I believe in collective action, and hence have faith in the ability of fellow students to bring about attitudinal change through engagement. 

Aakanksha Gulati 

Degree programme: MSc Business Analytics & Decision Sciences 

Project area: Developing teaching materials for pupils in primary schools as part of LUBS outreach programme

About me: 

Hi, my name is Aakanksha (AK)! Throughout my life, I have lived in cities of India with AQI (Air Quality Index) ranging from 300 to 500. Here, in the UK, after stepping out of the airport, I felt the difference while breathing, and it was then that I realised how 1.38 billion people of India are breathing hazardous air every day. This realisation made me want to adopt changes in my lifestyle and make more sustainable choices.

Being aware of the alarming situation of climate change and by undertaking the Carbon Literacy training, I understood the need to not only reduce my carbon footprint but also of the people in my scope of influence. After bringing about a few changes in the lives of my family and friends, I wanted to take a step further and encourage a wider group of people. Therefore, I applied to become a Student Sustainability Architect.

As an SSA I want to initiate a chain of encouraging people to be more mindful of their choices. It is important that the value of preserving the resources be inculcated from the very beginning. Through the project I am involved with, I will be able to develop LUBS outreach by developing a program related to climate education in schools. Looking forward to making a positive difference as the SSA! 

Alexandra Woodford 

Degree programme: PhD in Economics 

Project area: Carbon Literacy Training  

About me: 

My name is Alex, I live in the ever-sunny student suburbs of Leeds and have just started the second year of my economics PhD. Over the summer I took part in the Train the Trainer programme, run by the good folks at Speak Carbon, in order to take my first tentative steps along the path to becoming a qualified Carbon Literacy trainer (a role which will involve me actively engaging and, through peer-to-peer learning, educating others about climate change and our individual contributions to it).

Recognising the profound, increasing and highly heterogenous global impact of climate change, I have given my time to this initiative because I think this is an important mechanism for enabling positive behavioural change. 

 Akshay Sarkate 

Degree programme: MA Human Resources Management 

Project area: Carbon Literacy Training  

About me: 

Hi, I am Akshay Sarkate , I hail from Oxford of East Pune, India and currently a student of MA-HRM at LUBS. I am passionate about sustainability and wish to build my career in future of HR with sustainability as its core.

With this is mind I chose Sustainable Futures and Climate Change as one of the optional modules in my course and also signed up for the carbon literacy training.  I also got a chance to become a carbon literacy trainer with the Carbon Literacy Project team.

With the skills learned in this training, I will be able to spread the awareness regarding individual, organisational and national carbon footprints wherever I work or in my circle of influence. 

Wenlin (Elizabeth) Jia 

Degree programme: BA Accounting and Finance

Project area: Carbon Literacy Training  

About me: 

Hi! My name is Elizabeth Jia. I am a third year UG student studying Accounting and Finance here in Leeds.

Last semester, I got to know about Speak Carbon and the work they did with the Carbon Literacy project. After completing the Carbon Literacy Training at LUBS, I decided to sign up for the Train the Trainers programme. The former greatly increased my knowledge about the current global carbon situation. The latter has advanced me with the necessary skills to propagate what I know to my peers.

I decided to take up further training because I recognise the urgency of carbon reduction and how much we can do as individuals to raise awareness with our pledges. We must do our bit as carbon emissions and global temperatures are rising every second of each day.  

Taqwa Elforjani 

Degree programme: Economics  

Project area: Carbon Literacy Training  

About me: 

Sustainability is a large passion of mine and it is why I chose to complete training with Speak Carbon on carbon literacy. After realising how beneficial the carbon literacy training was in encouraging me to adopt more sustainable habits, I completed more training to become a trainer myself and inform as many people as possible on the impact of carbon dioxide.

By delivering the carbon literacy training to other students at LUBS, I hope to encourage at least one person to adopt a habit of lowering their carbon emissions no matter how small it is. I think we can all agree on how serious climate change has become and I believe the world will be a better place if we all do our best to help before it’s too late.

I hope we can all work together to look after our planet so that we can still enjoy the beauty of nature, much like in the photo.  

If you're a student and you're interested in becoming a Student Sustainability Architect, sign up to our newsletter and follow us on social media to be the first to hear when we're next recruiting.

If you're a member of staff and you're interested in developing a Blueprint plan or recruiting Student Sustainability Architects to support on sustainability projects in your department, get in touch by emailing sustainability@leeds.ac.uk.  To further build sustainability into your own work, you could also explore becoming a Staff Sustainability Architect.

 

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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

We use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to guide our activity. The work of our Student Sustainability Architects is linked to all of the SDGs.

Find out more about our impact on the SDGs.