SIRI Practicum Student Reflections
In their own words, students share their reflections on their SIRI Practicum experiences!
The success of a city lies not in its size but in how sustainably it uses its resources to nurture businesses and develop its talent, economy, and infrastructure...
This semester, I am excited to join the Sustainable Investing Research Institute, working on solutions to address the intersection of energy poverty, conflict risk, and environmental vulnerability in fragile countries...
The project focuses on helping a purpose-driven organization that has developed a multilingual worker-voice application designed to collect standardized, actionable data directly from supply chain workers. The tool enables companies to address issues such as responsible recruitment, gender equity, and workplace conditions, and is positioned as a critical component of human rights due diligence (HRDD)...
The reason I chose the SIRI Practicum is that I want to apply my learning and previous working experience to real-world applications and make a real impact on the industry. I had two years of research experience in the sustainable finance field before I started my Columbia journey. However, I never had a chance to apply those experiences to real-world applications, something that I was thrilled to gain from my journey at Columbia University.
Forests are the vast breathing ecosystems that sustain life, regulate our climate, and hold centuries of wisdom within their roots. They stand as some of the most vital carbon sinks on Earth, sheltering extraordinary biodiversity and supporting resilient communities who have long been their stewards. Through our Sustainable Investing Practicum, a project centered on sustainable forest management in Latin America, I’ve stepped into a space where ecology meets economy, where forests are not merely landscapes but living systems shaping our collective future.
This semester, I have been working on a consulting project with a non-profit organization dedicated to designing systems that align environmental conservation with sustainable economic development. The client is leading an ambitious initiative in Guyana, home to some of the world’s most intact tropical forests, to develop a replicable model for sustainable forest management - one that keeps forests standing while improving livelihoods and strengthening local economies.
The world of sustainability reporting has undergone a seismic shift over the past few years. While the practice was formerly exclusively associated with 'do-gooders' and ethical business practices, now even the historically villainized, profit-driven corporations, are reporting on sustainability metrics.
We are in week four of the Sustainable Investing Research Initiative (SIRI) practicum and I would like to start off my first key learnings with the soft skills required to be a constructive member of a group consulting project...
I never imagined a course could take you out of the classroom and drop you into the real world...
While reviewing the roster of clients for my SIRI Practicum course, one project clearly stood out and I was fortunate to be matched with it. It is an opportunity to work with a US-based nonprofit that positions renewable energy as a driver of both climate action and peace in areas like sub-Saharan Africa...
Our partner organization is dedicated to advancing 'responsible capitalism,' with a core mission to align corporate political influence with the goals of social prosperity, fair competition, democratic stability, and sustainable development. Amid growing attention to corporate ESG (environmental, social, and governance) issues, many companies actively disclose their environmental and social performance while overlooking a critical dimension: their role in policy-making and political influence.
Before entering graduate school to study Sustainability Management, I spent nearly a decade working in pharmaceutical advertising and marketing, where I focused on understanding how patients and healthcare professionals make decisions, and how to communicate with them effectively. As a brand strategist, I dug into the motivations, barriers, and emotional needs that shape decision-making in healthcare. A key aspect of my job was to deeply understand my customers and be their voice. I enjoyed uncovering: What do people value? What do they fear? What messages resonate?