What was your education and background in before you completed the CSP program?
Prior to CSP, I obtained a Bachelor's in Environmental Studies with a minor in Business from the University of Washington in Seattle. I also interned with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct historical research on influential figures in early federal fisheries policies, namely Miller Freeman. Academically, prior to the program, was mainly environmental policy focused; I didn't have a particularly strong background in quantitative research.

Why did you decide to apply to the CSP program?
CSP was my top choice when I was applying for grad schools because it was a shorter program and offered opportunities to strengthen my quantitative skills. I also finished my Bachelor's a year early and didn't feel ready to join the workforce yet.

What has your career path looked like following the program?
I was hired onto WM's (formerly Waste Management) Sustainability Services team in the San Diego area a few months before I wrapped up the program. I've since transferred into WM's Advisory Services where I work as a Sustainability Analyst for some of our larger venues customers, such as the MLB.

How did the program prepare you for your current role/career?
The program gave me a really thorough understanding and background of current/upcoming paths for reducing our emissions, which has been useful contextual knowledge for my industry. With my Capstone, I also had the opportunity to work with real emissions data which was very useful experience to have, especially in my current career path, as I regularly handle emissions data now.

Were there any specific courses or projects that you completed during your time at Scripps that significantly impacted your career path?
Energy Systems and Innovation was an incredibly challenging course that I did not do particularly well in; I definitely wouldn't recommend it unless you have a strong calculus background, but it was really useful to gain an understanding of the kinds of policies and decision making processes that go into our energy system, especially now that I work with a lot of energy data. Also, it didn't significantly impact my career path per se, but anything taught by Dr. Geoff Cook (especially his Volcanology course) I would definitely recommend as a fun elective that isn't hard to comprehend but I can say with confience you will learn in. Dr Cook is a really engaging lecturer and really cares about his students. I had a really good time in his courses.