Hi! For those of you I haven’t met, I’m Elise, the departing Program for Climate Change (PCC) undergraduate assistant and a graduating senior in oceanography. I’ve been working in the PCC for the last three years, and during that time I’ve learned and grown a lot.

I started at UW as a transfer student during my sophomore year. I moved to Seattle not knowing a single person. Oh, how my community has changed. Through my involvement with the PCC, I have gotten to know so many amazing people and gained incredible insight into what it means to be a scientist, an advocate, and an educator. With the support of this community, I’ve helped grow an undergraduate network with UCo as we strive to build an involved, climate-conscious student community. Working with the PCC’s framework and guided by the ideas and initiatives of undergraduate students, we’ve hosted community and professional development events. Our work aims to reduce the barriers to climate education, science, and professionalism, creating a welcoming environment for climate-curious students to flourish. These efforts live off the energy and dedication of individuals, which I think is strengthened in young generations. 

In the last few years I’ve also grown in my understanding of the breadth of climate. I’ve learned how climate change requires interdisciplinary perspectives, and this has guided my experiences at UW. In pursuing the climate science minor, I’ve explored courses in ocean, earth, atmospheric, and biological sciences that have furthered my understanding of how these systems work together. I’ve taken climate classes that center perspectives and action through thoughtful communications and justice. This was enriched by attending the past two Summer Institutes, diving deeper into topics of geoengineering and paleoclimate constraints. These experiences shape my personal perspectives on climate and have built an understanding of the role I want to take in furthering climate science and education. I think the interdisciplinary nature of climate science remains at the forefront in finding innovative climate solutions, projections, and adaptations. These experiences continue my passion for early, widespread, and accessible climate education, in both classroom and informal settings. I think this is key to collective action and long-term systematic change. In fighting the climate crisis, quality education remains vital to prepare communities to make informed decisions in the face of climate impacts and plan for their futures.

I’ve found strength in UW’s offerings for experiential learning, which have guided my long-term goals of continuing in science and academic settings. I’ve had opportunities to participate in cool field work, grow my foundational science and lab skills, and write and present my undergraduate thesis (read my cruise blog posts!).These have reinforced my interests in science and highlighted how unique an environmentally focused education can be. Prioritizing these experiences and finding ways to support students through fellowships is incredibly important in maintaining a strong force of environmental advocates, policy makers, and scientists in a population who experience and influence climate change. I encourage programs like the PCC, the College of the Environment, and the broader UW to continue to support initiatives that engage and support students at all levels of their education.

My time at UW and my interactions with all of you have shaped who I want to be as an involved scientist. This has molded me into someone who deeply appreciates how important communication and collaboration are to meaningful and impactful science. Through this experience, I’ve gained so many great connections, research insights, professional skills, and maybe a bit too much unsolicited advice that I will carry forward into my future. 

And as many of you asked at the Winter Welcome… what am I doing next? This August, I will be moving to New York to begin graduate school at Columbia University and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. I will be starting a PhD in Earth & Environmental Science, working with Dr. Laramie Jensen on Arctic marine geochemistry. I’m excited to bridge my education in chemistry, oceanography, and climate science while researching trace metal influences in such a dynamic region. I’ll be headed out on my first long cruise this November on the Northern Alaskan coast aboard the R/V Sikuliaq!

I am incredibly thankful for my last three years in the Program on Climate Change, and I’m excited to continue learning, researching, and building community in graduate school.

Written by Elise Herzfeld, a now alum of the PCC and UW Oceanography. As the undergraduate assistant, Elise has been involved in strengthening the climate minor and self-directed climate education resources to better serve students. She helped lead the Undergraduate Cohort, UCo, and has supported other events, initiatives, and projects in the PCC office.