Grace Adams: Shifting campus culture toward sustainability and stewardship
What is your year and major? Why did you choose this program of study?
I am a senior, and I am majoring in Environmental Science with an emphasis on Leadership, Sustainability, and Communication. Growing up in the Midwest, I developed a great appreciation for the wonders of nature that has inspired me to learn about the impacts that humans have had on our planet and how our interactions have shifted/will continue to shift in light of climate change.
What are you interested in doing with your future career?
I’ve spent the summer working in Dr. Margaret Evans’ dendroecology lab, and I think it would be awesome to continue learning more about trees and the ecological and climate records they hold. In my work with the UArizona Office of Sustainability and UArizona Compost Cats, I have also found that I enjoy communicating science and sustainability topics and would be interested in following that thread into a job in the communications sector.
What other UArizona programs are you involved in?
As mentioned previously, I am the outreach and communications team lead for Compost Cats, within the Office of Sustainability. I am also currently an undergraduate research assistant in Dr. Margaret Evans’ dendroecology lab, and I am also the head drum major of the Pride of Arizona Marching Band here on campus, as well as a member of the Pride of Arizona Pep Band.
Why do you think science is relevant in politics?
To me, science is the insatiable study of our world and the things that inhabit it; it represents humanity’s undying thirst for knowledge and understanding. Through science, we discover more truths about ourselves, which can be used to inform systems of organization, government, and politics, and empower people to make compassionate decisions.
How have you been involved in the environment both on and off campus?
As an employee of the Office of Sustainability, I have been given the opportunity to participate in numerous campus engagement and education activities aimed at shifting our campus culture toward sustainability and environmental stewardship, and I have also been given the opportunity to travel off campus to sites across Tucson teaching Tucson Unified School District students about natural sciences and the environment and collaborating with other environment-focused groups on educational media.
Why do you think students should care about the environment, even if it isn't their major or area of study?
We only have one Earth! The quality of every aspect of our lives is determined by the health of the environment we inhabit. That’s something that everyone should keep in mind.