Mrs Laura Rambaran-Seepersad, a graduate student and a member of staff at UWI St Augustine’s Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), has been selected from a group of outstanding applicants to participate in the inaugural cohort of Project Green Course (PGC), a virtual programme for students from around the world. She is one of only 24 participants chosen to take part in the course, and the only one from the Caribbean
Speaking on being selected for PGC, Laura said she “proudly represents the region as the only participant from the Caribbean and Trinidad and Tobago”. Reflecting on her experiences, she said that the students “bring with them passion, diverse experiences and a commitment to addressing environmental issues in their home communities, countries and region.”
PGC is “an interactive, interdisciplinary virtual course for undergraduates, master’s and PhD students to explore climate and social justice, sustainability, advocacy, and public health”, a statement from Turning Green, the movement responsible for the initiative explained.
The 24 participants, now official Turning Green members, will collaborate across disciplines for the 15-week course that will increase their knowledge of environmental and social justice topics, and sharpen their critical thinking, leadership, and communications skills.
Presently reading for a PhD in Climate Change and Finance, Laura spends her time working to educate Caribbean youth in science, technology, climate change, health and safety, and environmentalism. In her professional capacity, she serves in the area of graduate studies, research and innovation, and outreach, at FST. She is the coordinator of the Trinidad and Tobago Chemistry Olympiad (Techno), public relations officer of CARISCIENCE, Project Action Officer of the Chaguanas Chapter of Soroptimist International, and Executive Director of Abhisafe Marketing Limited.
Turning Green is a global movement devoted to cultivating a healthy, just and thriving planet through education and advocacy around environmentally sustainable and socially responsible choices. Their programmes include Project Green Course, Project Green Challenge, TG Internships and Conscious Kitchen.
PGC is a 15-week independent study for students from five continents to offer equal access to information and resources and to mobilize next generation leaders around climate action. For the final six weeks, participants will collaborate on Climate Action Projects to design, create, and implement campaigns to benefit their communities.“The purpose of this course is to bring a global collective of students who care about our planet together in a communal context for conversations and to learn from, and inspire one another during a challenging moment in time on planet Earth,” said PGC facilitator Natasha Mmonatau. Students taking part in PGC come from academic institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology, the University of Amsterdam, the University of Finland, Colorado University and Ebonyi State University in Nigeria among others.
Speaking on her motivation to take part in the programme, Laura said that “individually and collectively, we can all make a positive impact. Climate Change is real and urgent and we have a responsibility not just for our generation but for the future generations.”
For more information on Project Green Course and Turning Green, visit https://turninggreen.org.
