How did your interest in the environment shape your experience as an engineer at NYU Abu Dhabi?
As a student interested in sustainability, my experience at NYU Abu Dhabi supported transforming my interests into tangible actions. Since my very first semester at the university, I felt a sense of belonging amongst a group of passionate and motivated environmentalists. This shaped my approach to engineering by centrally placing the environment in any engineering design. Hence, my involvement in projects and research has been closely tied to the environment such as waste-to-energy technologies, water systems, air pollution, and water sanitation and hygiene. Furthermore, the liberal arts curriculum allowed me to take courses on sustainability, which strengthened my environmental perspective.
Could you highlight some of the work you did as the Chair of the Student Government Sustainability Committee?
My work as chair of the Student Government Sustainability Committee was strongly supported by my committee members and builds on past initiatives developed by previous sustainability chairs. Our main aim was to create an open inclusive space for a spectrum of environmental perspectives and bridging them together through dialogue in order to strengthen the environmental movement on campus. Initiatives that the committee worked on are limiting printing, hosting book drives, sustainable merchandise, reducing food waste, and streamlining sustainability initiatives across different departments, student interest groups, and the Global Network University. It’s exciting to see the environmental movement on campus continue to grow and move forward.
What are you currently working on?
I am currently pursuing a graduate degree in Water Engineering and Management at Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand. Through my program I hope to develop an interdisciplinary approach to water management by utilizing my degree in engineering and experience in policy development. My research interests are focused on Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and Water-Food-Energy nexus solutions to promote a sustainable environmental agenda. Since August 2020, I have also been involved as a Research Fellow for Geopolitics and Ecology of Himalayan Water. Furthermore, I am currently an Environmental Affairs Intern at the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (Water Convention). My roles involves: supporting a number of inter-governmental meetings under the Convention and its Protocol on Water and Health being held via online platforms; conducting research, drafting and editing of key documents related to topics such as the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, as well as a global Handbook on Transboundary Water Allocation; assisting with several regional webinars on transboundary water cooperation issues and their related summary briefs; helping with the preparation and finalization of outreach materials, articles and publications; and providing general assistance to the secretariat with day-to-day tasks.
Raunak Shrestha
Raunak Shrestha is currently an Environmental Affairs Intern at the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Water Engineering and Management at the Asian Institute of Technology. He likes to utilize my technical knowledge of engineering and passion for the environment in the development sector to uplift communities.