Alessandra Santiago (Earth Systems BS '14, MS '15)

Through a combination of podcasts, films, and scientific research, Alessandra has dedicated herself to understanding and communicating environment-related social challenges to the public. Her efforts in the past 12 months have been focused on small island nations and sea level rise. In December, she worked on a film at Easter Island, analyzing the island nation as a case study of an unsustainable society and its ultimate collapse. This film is preliminary research for a larger project on climate refugees in Tuvalu and other small islands nations. Her films and podcasts bring public awareness to the very real implications of climate change on the lives of some of the world's poorest communities. Alessandra also helps give a voice to the voiceless by volunteering her time with Islands First, an organization that represents small island nations at the UN. Alessandra is passionate about discussing these issues even in her free time. She continually educates her friends and peers about climate refugees and sea level rise time and again over coffee or between Netflix binges. Alessandra's interest in the subject doesn't stop when the class bell rings.