As Spring Quarter comes to an end, the Program on Climate Change (PCC) Undergraduate Cohort (UCo) reflects on its year and looks forward to the next. Each year, UCo is guided by a different set of students and their unique interests in supporting the undergraduate climate science community. As new students join the team, the goals of the group change, always welcoming new ideas and energy. This year, the group organized and developed events around a set of goals based on what the leadership felt was needed within the undergraduate space. From the UCo site, the 2024-2025 mission statement was:

“This year, we strive to further build an interpersonal community of students and direct our events around the interests of our members. We will continue to uphold our tradition of student networking and professional development, this year with events focused on internships and campus resources. We plan to host casual social events to engage with our student community and branch out by partnering with other environmental RSOs. We strive to work alongside and serve our greater Seattle community by working on environmental service projects. Finally, we want to pursue peer education events including paper and current event discussions.”

You can read more about the UCo’s event to achieve these goals on the Past Events Page, which includes descriptions and posts with further details. Some of the unpublished notable moments from this year include a $400 award from SEFS for RSO activities. UCo plans to use this award to support professional development and community events in the coming year. UCo also had some fun community events, including a tour with the UW Biology Greenhouse, a clean-up with Green Lake Litter Patrol, and attending P-GraSC Third Thursdays.

Elise Herzfeld

Reflecting on their year, UCo is thankful for all the students who attended events and the UW grad students, faculty, and staff who helped make these events possible. The groups’ goals for the next year will build on the framework of past events. Due to the current state of the world, UCo will be changing its core professional development to emphasize the varied opportunities and pathways to incorporate climate science into students’ futures, including non-profits, local and state governments, and private sector opportunities. Education and connections in climate science will continue to be a priority.

Looking ahead, UCo is excited to welcome new students during Dawg Daze with a climate trivia event. Hosted during the first week of classes, this event will feature group bar-style trivia, time to connect with other undergrads, snacks, and prizes for the top trivia team. In early October, UCo is excited to get involved outdoors and will be inviting undergrads to join in an on-campus service project focused on ecological restoration or clean-up.

The final event on their Autumn calendar will be a climate careers panel featuring professionals working in climate science and policy at the local, state, and private sector levels. The goal of this event is to connect students with opportunities to incorporate climate considerations into their careers, beyond traditional research and academic avenues. The hope is that this event will share different pathways, perspectives, and experiences to guide students in thinking about their futures. UCo welcomes conversations of change, uncertainty, and honesty, especially in the current state of climate funding. If you or someone you know would be interested in participating in this panel, please email uwpccuco@uw.edu. This event is scheduled for early November.

As always, the UCo planning and leadership team is welcoming of new members and their ideas. If there is an event you’re interested in planning or ideas you would like to bring to the group, email us at uwpccuco@uw.edu to be included in the planning meeting scheduling. Stay up to date with UCo and climate events by following the Instagram @uwpccuco and joining the climate undergrads listserve.

Written by Elise Herzfeld, PCC Undergraduate Assistant, with support from UCo leaders Luciana Calle, Carmen Jimenez, Lorenzo McCleese, and Chris Wang.