students

Hello! I am a fourth-year student majoring in environmental studies and minoring in law and justice at the University of Washington in Seattle. I am originally from the Los Angeles area in California, but desired a cooler, more green space which led me to the PNW. I have taken a special interest in social sustainability over my academic career with the intention of making people a main component of the environmental narrative.

Hi everyone! I’m Lee Hardisty (they/them), and I’m excited to join UW Sustainability as student graphic designer. I’m a junior Visual Communication Design major with a minor in Urban Ecological Design, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to do work with the intersection of my interests! Furthering human-focused, equitable sustainability has always been a cause I’ve been passionate about. I’m also the Design and Illustrations Editor for the Daily at UW, and a lot of my practical design experience comes from the newsroom.

Hello everyone! My name is Elena Hamblin, and I’m thrilled to join UW Sustainability as the Outreach and Events Intern! Born and raised in Seattle, I’m a senior double majoring in Political Science and International Studies, bringing a deep passion to intersectional sustainability. My previous experience as a NextGen Climate Equity Intern at the King County Department of Natural Resources allowed me to dive into community-centered climate action, helping implement the county’s strategic climate action plan.

The University of Washington has begun developing its new Energy Transformation Strategy. This multi-year strategy will transition how the Seattle campus heats and cools buildings - from burning natural gas to produce steam, toward a new clean energy system that will use electricity to heat and cool the campus.

Cole Young is currently a junior pursuing a double degree in Industrial Design and Sociology, and has recently begun working as the UW Sustainability Graphic Designer. Cole is especially interested in exploring how sustainable practices and goals can inform design and lead to more positive outcomes for both consumers and the environment. With his studies in Sociology, he also hopes to better understand social structures and how design could be used to address different societal issues in order to make positive and lasting impacts on vulnerable communities.

The University of Washington is starting the process of transforming and decarbonizing our energy system, and we want student voices to help guide the process. 

Francis Abugbilla is a Ph.D. candidate in international studies in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies at the University of Washington. He is currently a Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation 2021 Emerging Scholar and a Visiting Researcher at the German Development Institute in Bonn, Germany. His dissertation research is on conflicts and peacebuilding in post-conflict societies. He researches sustainable conflict resolution mechanisms in Africa.

Hey! I'm Leena, the new UW Sustainability Graphic Designer.  I will be going into my senior year at UW, finishing up a double degree in Marketing and Interdisciplinary Visual Arts.  I'm passionate about accessible and inclusive visual communication, and have the main aim of creating spaces for conversation and vulnerability in my work.  After graduation, I'm hoping to pursue a career in visual design that allows me to combine my fields of study and solve problems with business thinking rooted in creativity.

Hi everyone, I’m Kalina and I am the UW Sustainability Project Assistant. I am a first year graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration through the Evans School. Before coming to Seattle, I lived in Wisconsin for all of my life and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where I received a BS in Community and Nonprofit Leadership. My passions are directly related to community health and how we can better our systems to improve the lives of those around us.

This Fall, UW Recycling staff once again guest-taught students in the Nutritional Sciences 302 Food Systems class - led by faculty members Yona Sipos and Jennifer Otten - regarding the composting process and how to sort compostable materials on campus.