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Schedule
2020
Tuesday, December 1st
12:00 AM

Conference Proceedings for The 2nd Global Virtual Conference of the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education

Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education

12:00 AM

Wednesday, December 9th
2:00 PM

Session 1A Sustainable Development Goal 3: Mental Health and Well-Being

Emily Faulks
Janniry Belen
Andres Sweetland

2:00 PM - 2:11 PM

The United Nations Member States created Sustainable Development Goals and they urge international leadership to commit to 17 goals that are aimed towards increasing peace and prosperity across the globe. These goals are all unique but inextricably linked to social and environmental inequality. Sustainable Development Goal 3 aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages (United Nations).” Our research consists of three unique targets that function as touchstones to achieve this goal: healthcare, traffic safety, and mental health.

2:00 PM

Session 1B The United States' Renewable Energy Utilization

Lucy Mellen

2:00 PM - 2:11 PM

I will be assessing the United States’ use of renewable energy in comparison to that of top renewable energy using countries. This analysis will explore the solar energy potential of North African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Egypt as well as other countries like Sweden, one of the top energy consumers in the world that utilizes over half of its energy from renewables.

2:00 PM

Session 1C Americans For Tax Fairness and Reducing Inequalities

Maxine Slattery
Eden Floyd
Vyshnavi Kosuri
Christine Liao
Maia Adley

2:00 PM - 2:11 PM

We examined how Americans for Tax Fairness works toward Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities. We also looked at the organization's objectives and its strategies for accomplishing those objectives.

2:00 PM

Session 1D Climate Action Plans for Universities in the YEAH! Network

Christopher Dorich
Cherrie Donoghue
Megan Farish
Rachel Cox
Ellie Orme
Kathiana Aznaran
Ursala Fiorela Navarro Abarca
Taylor Sanders
Matthew Woods
Macey Halgren

2:00 PM - 2:11 PM

Full text available.

Our presentation is based on SDG 13.3. We will assess the Climate Action Plans of each of our universities, and make a proposal if one has not been established. We will be looking to see how transparent each institution is with their progress, or lack thereof, and make comparisons.

2:00 PM

Session 1E Institutionalization of Climate Finance in the Green Climate Fund

Leo Banks

2:00 PM - 2:11 PM

Full text available.

I will investigate the institutionalization of climate finance as represented by the Green Climate Fund. I will discuss not only the practices of the GCF as the institutionalization of climate finance but also the challenges and opportunities that these practices create and how they contribute to worldwide notions of climate governance

2:12 PM

Session 1A The Power of Quality Education

Melissa Morales
Maria Fernanda Ridoutt
Alec Buttner
Bryn Bernier
Eila Sullivan
Matthew Viozzi
Hannah Masling

2:12 PM - 2:23 PM

Full text available.

The SDG 4 presenters focus on target 4.1 using a Talanoa Dialogue. This dialogue was held by a few teachers and students from across America, and they discussed where we are in education as a nation. The presenters use the Talanoa Dialogue to discuss how America’s education system can progress and what are the crucial steps to attain equitable and quality education for all.

2:12 PM

Session 1B Internet Expansion Plan Proposal in Developing Countries: Peru as a Case Study

Garion Johnson
Gonzalo Jose Manuel
Neira Chacate
Paul Lavasseur
Andrew Goodolf
Ally Murphy Pauletto

2:12 PM - 2:23 PM

Full text available.

The presentation will explore how cell phone carriers have helped countries work toward SDG 9, Target 9.c. It will be a critical perspective and will include economic, social, and political implications in the countries researched.

2:12 PM

Session 1C Climate Change and Corn: The threat to Mexican Livelihoods

Jessica McClintock-Ortiz

2:12 PM - 2:23 PM

As a result of anthropogenic climate change, a staple of Mexican diet, culture and agriculture is at stake: maize. México is predicted to be a region at risk from climate change, comparative to other regions globally, and as a result small-scale farming and agriculture are expected to be in danger. Where do vulnerabilities intersect, what are the solutions being implemented, what are the weaknesses of these solutions and how can future solutions target critical areas of need?

2:12 PM

Session 1D Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Environmental Policy in Southeast Alaska

Ben Bridges

2:12 PM - 2:23 PM

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), a concept encapsulating non-Western epistemologies related to the environment, has entered into political, academic, and activist lexicons in recent decades. This poster explores TEK in environmentally focused policies and statements in Southeast Alaska, noting the distinctions between the ways in which different parties invoke the term.

2:12 PM

Session 1E Disparate Impacts of Climate Change on Indigenous Communities in the Arctic Region

Ariana Katz

2:12 PM - 2:23 PM

In this project, I will study the topic of climate justice and the ways that Indigenous communities in the Arctic region are facing some of the most extreme consequences of climate change, yet are often left out of policy, decision-making and important conversations that heavily impact their communities.

2:24 PM

Session 1A Clean Water

Jessica O'Reilly
Kenna Malott

2:24 PM - 2:35 PM

My research will be conducted to find ways to sanitize and supply water everywhere, but especially in the places that are the most impacted by contaminated water. The research will address the processes needed to collect and sanitize water, as well as distribute it. The goal is to be able to implement clean water filling stations around the local town of Bloomington Indiana, and eventually implement the filling stations around the world.

2:24 PM

Session 1B Glitter in make up as microplastics: comparative life cycle analysis of biodegradable and plastic glitter.

Iuliia Tcibulnikova

2:24 PM - 2:35 PM

My project is about life cycle analysis (LCA) and comparison of make-up products with synthetic plastic glitter and biodegradable glitter made from eucalyptus cellulose (environmental impacts and market incentives).

2:24 PM

Session 1C Urban Green Spaces and Sustainability

Elyse Goin
Allison Ludlow
Shauna Devoy
Rodney Berger
Cassie Allson
Chenwei Z.

2:24 PM - 2:35 PM

This presentation will be an analysis of SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities and the target 7, which is aims to provide access to safe and accessible green spaces. We will introduce two case studies about green spaces.

2:24 PM

Session 1D Green Imperialism in French Polynesia

Sara Mills

2:24 PM - 2:35 PM

Full text available.

French Polynesia is currently still partially under French control. As French Polynesia is a SIDS, they are facing extreme weather events and sea level rise. French resource extraction and a nuclear test site have degraded their environment. I will examine the environmental justice components of this situation in relation to eco-governance and development projects.

2:24 PM

Session 1E Timeline of Uluru- Kata Tjuta

Merry Gerrity
Chris McCormick
Nana Ueno
Wuilian Pineda

2:24 PM - 2:35 PM

This presentation will give a timeline of the Uluru- Kata Tjuta National park and the area around it. The poster will focused on the aboriginal people, early european settlers, the rise in tourism in the 1950's, the struggle for land rites in the 1970's and 1980's, and the state of the area today.

2:36 PM

Session 1A SDG 2 - Zero Hunger; Case Study: UN World Food Programme (WFP)

G. Sarah Bredy
Rebecca Horetsky
Becky Petrou O'Rourke
Jamie Pourier
Ashley Roes
Rachel Xue

2:36 PM - 2:47 PM

The United Nations World Food Programme has a long history of commitment to meeting the objectives of SDG Goal 2. This presentation will focus on this organization’s objectives, accomplishments, and progress in working towards creating a world where no one suffers from food insecurity.

2:36 PM

Session 1B Internet Instability: The risks posed by climate change

Luke Huels

2:36 PM - 2:47 PM

This presentation will explore Australia's internet infrastructure vulnerability to climate change, chiefly to sea-level rise/storm surge and from wildfires. This is an under investigated topic in the Australasian region (and, arguably, internationally); the current research forms a baseline from existing knowledge and provides direction for future research and management actions.

2:36 PM

Session 1C The Intersectionality of Environmental and Societal Well-Being in Reducing Inequalities

Sydney Johnson

2:36 PM - 2:47 PM

I will investigate the Kingdom of Bhutan, and compare/contrast the country’s environmental and economic policies with those of the United States. Specifically, I want to focus on Bhutan’s unique approach to development, Gross National Happiness (GNH), and how GNH may promote the implementation of policies that encourage democracy and focus on combating social and environmental injustices. A research question I will explore is: How can a shift from measuring the well-being of the economy to measuring the well-being of the people shape future government and economic policies?

2:36 PM

Session 1D Preparing for the Inevitable Low-Carbon Economy: Current Actions of the United States of America, Saudi Arabia, and the Russian Federation

Beverley Thompson

2:36 PM - 2:47 PM

I will be conducting an E-Poster presentation on my semester project for Indiana University class Negotiating Climate (INTL-I420). My research question is how the United States, Saudi Arabia, and the Russian Federation are preparing for the low-carbon transition and the climate crisis?

2:36 PM

Session 1E Future Pathways for Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE)

Alessandro Caprini
Aneeqah Tariq
Cecilia Consalvo
Max van Deursen
Sofie de Wit

2:36 PM - 2:47 PM

Full text available.

Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) refers to Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. It calls for public participation, awareness, and education. Through a discursive institutionalist lens, we provide an explanation for the lack of implementation. Our work links to ACE negotiations at COP26.

2:48 PM

Session 1A Oaxaca & Climate Change: Preserving the Environment & Indigenous, Medicinal Knowledge

Annayelli Pacheco

2:48 PM - 2:59 PM

Climate change is declining the agency of indigenous communities.The indigenous peoples of Oaxaca hold cultural, traditional knowledge which is an important element of indigenous medical systems in Mexico. Oaxaca is facing drought and forest fires alongside growing infestations of the forests within the Sierra Juarez mountain range. These ongoing climate events impact the livelihoods of these indigenous groups that make up a portion of the Oaxacan population. The deterioration of natural resources impacts the use of indigenous medical systems as well as the transmission of knowledge found within these systems.

2:48 PM

Session 1D The Power of Film in the Climate Crisis

Melody Gao

2:48 PM - 2:59 PM

Films on climate change and environmental topics have been incorporated into community environmental education efforts. Individuals are able to get exposure to climate issues and available solutions through film. Using a sociological lens, individual perceptions of environmental films and actions following the viewing of such films are analyzed to gain a better understanding of how cinematic storytelling impacts climate action.

2:48 PM

Session 1E Police Brutality and State Violence: A Global Phenomenon

Casmali Lopez
Veena Namboodri
Emily Mehloop
Trevor Cunningham
Albaraa Mesawi

2:48 PM - 2:59 PM

A target of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) is to reduce all forms of violence. Our project explores the current state of this target as it relates to police brutality by identifying global case studies of this form of state violence.

3:05 PM

Session 2A Early Career Scientists Sailing with SDGs to Antarctica

Clément Astruc-Delor
Margot Legal
Baptiste Arnaud
Niels Dutrievoz
Lana Lenourry
Olivier Smith

3:05 PM - 3:16 PM

We're presenting a sailing adventure: an 8-month scientific research expedition, leaving from France towards Antarctic peninsula with 6 graduate students - from different fields - on board that will investigate the effects of climate change and human activities on the studied ecosystems. Classes will be involved and empowerment of the wide audience is scheduled. Jump on-board!

3:05 PM

Session 2B Ngorongoro Conservation Area & the Maasa

Tori Applehans
Marissa Lopez
Ethan Wagenseller
Stojan Hansen

3:05 PM - 3:16 PM

Our presentation will highlight the Ngorongoro Conservation Area located in Northern Tanzania from the perspective of the Maasai, a semi-nomadic pastoral people who raise livestock alongside wildlife (inside and outside of the park).

3:05 PM

Session 2C The Relationship Between Producer Transparency and Sustainable Consumption

Daniella Calvimontes
Zofia Frieberg
Mazey Hall
Victoria Rosa
Carmen Villalba
Christopher Wilson
Jack Kirby

3:05 PM - 3:16 PM

Our project will describe practices of information transparency in food-producing entities using case-studies on randomly selected subjects from around the globe. Objectionable and commendable practices will be shared with a population of potential consumers to explore how such information dictates their choice of commercial food materials.

3:05 PM

Session 2D Local ocean conservation- a Kenyan marine-life NGO

Aman Patel

3:05 PM - 3:16 PM

This presentation will introduce Local Ocean Conservation, an NGO in my home country that is doing amazing work to care for marine ecosystems and biota.

3:05 PM

Session 2E Effects of Deforestation on Marine Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Case Studies from the United States, Peru and the United Kingdom

Emma Conrad-Rooney
Zach Ginn
Chelsea Hill
Anna Kurkierewicz
Abby Mikolitis
Karina Calizaya Torre
Barbara Gardos Vargas
Paula Lopez Vargas
Sharon Viscarra
Ziqi Wu
Connor Zamora

3:05 PM - 3:16 PM

Full text available.

Deforestation has many unintended consequences on marine and aquatic life ranging from nutrient pollution to rising coastal temperatures. In addition to integrating the study of SDG 14 - Life Below Water and SDG 15 - Life on Land, our research group will highlight our range of geographical diversity, by focusing on case studies from Peru, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

3:17 PM

Session 2A The Kankyo Café method of environmental dialogue and SDGs

Jin Tanaka
Mituru Tada

3:17 PM - 3:28 PM

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development states the need for regional-level dialogue. Scientists and the public have been engaging in dialogues, known as “Kankyo [environment] Cafés.” The café is an event at which an environmental dialogue takes place with the aim of deepening understanding and promoting empathy.

3:17 PM

Session 2B The Influence of Urban Planning on Sustainable Lifestyles

Lauren Wisniewski

3:17 PM - 3:28 PM

Full text available.

In my work I compare the city planning of Beijing, China and Masdar, United Arab Emirates. Masdar is a zero emissions city of the future, which has attained its green certifications due to careful, environmentally conscious planning. On the other hand, Beijing was planned for rapid growth, which has created an industrial atmosphere that relies on fossil fuels.

3:17 PM

Session 2C Case Studies of Eco-Tourism in Tunisia

Anna Wysocki
Joy Pereira
Katie Greene
Emma Perme
Josh Yamada
Patalpa Somolpong

3:17 PM - 3:28 PM

Our presentation is a general overview of SDG 12 followed by a case study on Dar Zaghouan, the first eco-tourism farm in Tunisia. We touch on strategies and objectives of both Dar Zaghouan and SDG 12, and cover successes of the organization.

3:17 PM

Session 2D Climate Change and Jamaican Agriculture: Addressing Impacts on Small-Scale Farmers

Margaret VanSchaik

3:17 PM - 3:28 PM

I will be discussing how climate change is affecting Jamaica's agricultural sector and specifically the impacts of climate change on small-scale farmers in the country. I will talk about the implications of climate change impacts for the livelihoods and specifically food security of small-scale farmers.

3:17 PM

Session 2E SIDS & Changing Lands

Amy Zhou

3:17 PM - 3:28 PM

This research proposal will explore small islands developing states and the impacts of climate change on their economy, agriculture, sociopolitical environment, and overall health. Specifically, it will analyze the nations of The Bahamas and The Maldives and how they have handled their situations.

3:29 PM

Session 2A Cerro Azul Meambar

Joe Burke
Gabby Hagewiesche
Kylie Rude

3:29 PM - 3:40 PM

We will be discussing the National Park Cerro Azul Meambar. We will be focusing on general information on the park and how the park helps contribute to conservation efforts and human/animal rights.

3:29 PM

Session 2B Smart Cities Council: Creating an Impact Through SDG 11

Keeley Bombard
Abigail Kahn
Ashley Pung
Matthew Folan
Rebecca Hyatt
Xingpei Zhang

3:29 PM - 3:40 PM

Full text available.

This presentation was created as a group project for my Biology of Global Change course at Boston University, where we were tasked with finding an organization that exemplified the SDG that we were assigned to. My group focused on the Smart Cities Council, a non-governmental organization that coincides with SDG 11, sustainable cities and communities.

3:29 PM

Session 2C A Comparative Analysis of China and Indonesia's Adaptation Techniques for Rice Production

Marria Peduto

3:29 PM - 3:40 PM

Rice production is expected to decrease in the next century as a result of climate change. I will analyze the adaptive response of two countries, China and Indonesia, and compare these practices to understand the different ways countries can approach adaptation in agricultural production.

3:29 PM

Session 2D Hauscarán National Park: Chavin Culture Through the Lens of Traditional Artwork

Serena Natonabah
Marti Zolnir
Tracey Malter

3:29 PM - 3:40 PM

Hauscarán National Park is located on land once known as the Chavín de Hauntar, a cultural site for the Chavin people. This Storymap will take a look at Chavin culture through the lens of traditional artwork and its connection to the land within the park.

3:29 PM

Session 2E Bialowieza Forest

Matt Laffey
Victoria Oliu
McKenleigh Spitler

3:29 PM - 3:40 PM

This poster presentation will be about the culture and history within the Bialoweiza Forest in Poland.

3:41 PM

Session 2A Talanoa Dialogues on the SDGs

Jake Arculli
Sean Dunbar
Lucia Daranyi
Emily Faulks
Zach Ginn
Casmali Lopez
Victoria Rosa
Adel Salih
Carmen Villalba

3:41 PM - 3:52 PM

Talanoa Dialogues borrow from a Fijian conflict resolution process, and were instituted as part of the COP24 climate negotiations in 2017. Our YEAH teams convened small interpersonal dialogues related to SDGs and specific targets; here, we'll feature SDGs/targets #12 (Responsible Consumption & Production), #14/15 (Life on Land/Below Water; healthy coastlines; and #17 (violence reduction and police brutality).

3:41 PM

Session 2B Pump Underground Storage Hydro (PUSH)

Shardul Tiwari

3:41 PM - 3:52 PM

Pumped underground hydro storage (PUSH) works on the same principle as hydropower plants. We use excess electricity in the grid, during the night hours when wind power plants are generating and we use the cheap electricity to pump water from the lower underground reservoir to pump water in the upper underground reservoir. During the day when we need more electricity, we use water in the reservoir to flow due to gravity and generate electricity. We develop such a facility in abandoned underground mines in Michigan.

3:41 PM

Session 2C Shade Grown Coffee In Costa Rica

Jenna Lentz

3:41 PM - 3:52 PM

Full text available.

This presentation will focus on the role of Agriculture in Costa Rica, specifically the coffee industry. Traditional methods of growing coffee used shade, but as the popularity of coffee grew so did the need to increase production. This led to industrialized, sun-grown plantations that are harming the earth and contributing to climate change.

3:41 PM

Session 2D Experience of Application of SDGs from Theory to Practice

Tracey Hale

3:41 PM - 3:52 PM

I will be presenting my experience of working towards completing a Masters in Sustainable Development Goals at Massey University in New Zealand. It enabled me to prepare for a change in career path from accounting towards environmental sustainability through real-life applications from case studies to practicum-based approaches.

3:41 PM

Session 2E Khao Sok National Park

Elizabeth Madura
Ally Bormann
Claire Silvestre

3:41 PM - 3:52 PM

We plan to present the history and connection to SDG's in relevance to Khao Sok National Park in Thailand. We will discuss how the park was created and why it is important to discuss and what the park now is like.

3:53 PM

Session 2A The Effects of Palm Oil on the Habitats, Biodiversity, and Environment of Populations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia

Eric Salzeider

3:53 PM - 4:04 PM

The Palm Oil Industry has devastated the biodiversity, habitats, and environments of Indonesia and neighboring countries. Deforestation, plantation emissions, and unsustainable agricultural practices drive climate change in the region. I aim to describe the habitat loss, biodiversity loss, species and indigenous populations affected, and adverse effects on climate change to educate those on the consequences of palm oil.

3:53 PM

Session 2B Community Participation and Sustainable Livelihoods: A Case Study of Hiware Bazar (India)

Shilpy Arora

3:53 PM - 4:04 PM

The study highlights the success story of Hiware Bazar, a village in India. From a poor, drought-prone and water-scarce settlement, the village transformed into an economically strong and environmentally sustainable community within a decade. The community participation in governance and management of resources led to sustainable development in the village.

3:53 PM

Session 2C Agrivoltaics: Exploring the Opportunities & Barriers to Combined Solar and Agriculture Systems

Alex S. Pascaris

3:53 PM - 4:04 PM

Full text available.

Agrivoltaics, the strategic co-development of land for both solar energy production and agriculture, can meet growing demands for energy and food simultaneously while reducing fossil fuel consumption. This project explores the socio-political barriers to agrivoltaic development while also considering the potential environmental impacts of such systems using Life Cycle Assessment.

3:53 PM

Session 2D India’s current heatwave and flooding crisis

Chinmayee Sakhare

3:53 PM - 4:04 PM

I will be presenting on behalf of Indiana University on India’s climate crisis and how they are facing an increasing number of heatwaves and floods.

3:53 PM

Session 2E Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica

Allison Uri
Dasha Petrova
Alex Burks

3:53 PM - 4:04 PM

Our presentation will be about the intersections of places & people in Costa Rica and how they impact the process of management for Arenal Volcano National Park. We will share the unique aspects about the country such as their perspective on biodiversity, Indigenous culture, and issues with environmental damage.