My Work
Throughout my studies, I have completed a wide variety of projects that reflect my interests and demonstrate my skills and capabilities.
A Conceptual Framework on Indigenous Community Well-being for First Nations Communities in Canada
At the end of my first Master’s year, my Consultancy Project group collaborated with Deborah McGregor, a leading environmentalist and Associate Professor at York University, to develop a framework for community well-being within First Nations. Recognizing that traditional metrics often overlook Indigenous perspectives, we aimed to bridge this gap by conducting a meta-analysis of existing First Nations frameworks.
The outcome was a comprehensive living document that archives 300 indicators across 6 critical themes. To ensure the framework's value for First Nations, we focused on crafting strength-based indicators in question format, which we included in a creative guide that integrates art and poetry as revelatory sources of consciousness. Looking forward, our adapted framework will be further co-created and piloted with First Nations communities.
From Colonial Biases to Inclusive Knowledge Production: The Role of Boundary Organizations in Afforestation Initiatives in the Global South
In May 2023, I embarked on the long-awaited journey of writing my undergraduate Honors thesis, drawing inspiration from the subjects that captivated me the most throughout my undergraduate program. With a focus on research that resonates personally and holds potential global significance, I set out on this challenging yet vitalizing path, culminating in an overall score of 9.
Under the guidance of Dr. Carole-Anne Sénit, my research centered around the neo-colonial assumptions that influence contemporary tree-planting projects and the way in which grasslands are perceived within them. With these insights driving me, I've chosen to explore the potential role of boundary organizations in fostering collaborative knowledge production that dismantles colonial biases within afforestation initiatives in the Global South.
Greta Thunberg And David Orr:
An Intergenerational Fight Against The Ecological Crisis
During my second undergraduate year at Utrecht University, I followed the course Philosophy of Science and Ethics, a transformative experience that led me to challenge my beliefs and confront ethical dilemmas in society that are not always immediately apparent. Within the course, a collective essay co-authored alongside my peers Esmee de Haan, Roos-Marijn Lethen, and Donna Hiraina Calis gained recognition in the new book Ethical Essays, curated by Sarah Nolan and Dr. Floris van den Berg.
In our essay, titled 'Greta Thunberg and David Orr: An intergenerational fight against the ecological crisis’, we examined the perspectives of these two prominent environmental thinkers, exploring their attitudes towards nature and the rhetorical strategies used by them to articulate their normative ethical theories. The essay can be found on page 105 of the book.
About The Book
Ethical Essays is a collection of students' work, mainly centred around case studies in applied ethics and comparative analyses of prominent philosophers. The book also contains students' philosophical drawings and poems, as well as guidelines for writing a popular essay and a mediagraphy on applied ethics. Next to being study material for the course Philosophy of Science and Ethics at Utrecht University, Ethical Essays is a wellspring for percipient, dynamic and eye-opening content showcasing critical ethical dilemmas underlying society.
Design Thinking for Supply Chain Transparency
Within the Honours Program, I took part in the Da Vinci course - a project-based course focused on applying design thinking to sustainability challenges. My team and I collaborated with Open Food Chain to identify target customers and improve their communication strategy. After conducting survey research, we designed an interactive, user-friendly questionnaire that potential customers can easily access. This tool promotes clear communication with businesses interested in enhancing their sustainability efforts, opening doors to new customer engagement for our stakeholder. Our final prototype was enthusiastically received by Open Food Chain.
Women in Sustainability: Addressing the Need For Long-term Change in Sub-Saharan Africa
During the course Politics of the Earth, completed in my first undergraduate year, I produced a policy brief directed at United Nations Women. Its aim was to provide four strategic policy recommendations aimed at bolstering regional governance in Sub-Saharan Africa to amplify the involvement of women in sustainability efforts.
I am proud to say that I achieved a commendable score of 9.7 for this assignment. Moreover, my policy brief and those of nine fellow students were spotlighted and shared on the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development's twitter account.
