Global climate change action

With a background in electrical engineering and computational social sciences, I design collective intelligence approaches to provide a data-driven, complex system-level understanding of barriers to climate action in the Anthropocene, their interactions, and how these translate to leverage points for policy and behavioural interventions at scale.

Previously, I held positions at Caltech, Cambridge Computer Laboratory, International Energy Agency, Stanford University and IIT Bombay. I received PhD from the University of Cambridge as a Gates Scholar.

Links

https://camcid.github.io
https://camcid.github.io/people.html
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramit-debnath-b1980a204

I was born in Mongolia, a country that is the most sparsely populated and has the coldest capital in the world. I studied Environmental Economics and later Environmental Policy at Whitman College and Yale University, respectively. During my years of study, I was fascinated by how the valuation of environmental services can be used as a powerful tool to influence policies. More recently, I managed a market-based conservation project called the Sustainable Cashmere Project while at the Wildlife Conservation Society Mongolia program. As an MPhil in Conservation Leadership candidate, I am very interested in further exploring ways to incorporate sustainable practices and standards into supply chains. I believe that forging strong relations with committed industries is one of the key solutions to expanding the impact and influence of conservation principles around the world. I am also passionate about further supporting young environmentalists, which will build on the Environmental Fellowship Program that I initiated while working for the Zorig Foundation. I hope to see Mongolian conservationists play a more critical leadership role nationally by pushing to incorporate climate change sensitive policies, and globally by increasing our collaboration with other countries. As a Gates Cambridge Scholar, I am very excited to be a part of a dynamic network of bright minds around the world that can cross-fertilize a rich array of ideas and experiences on innovative and pressing topics.

Previous Education

Yale University Environmental Policy 2013
Whitman College Environmental Economics 2009

I have always been inspired by the focus, tenacity and courage of wildlife. As a wildlife lawyer, I endeavour to apply that same conviction in my research into the ways in which law and policy affect wildlife, the communities that come into contact with them and the outcomes of conservation projects. While studying Law and International Studies at the University of New South Wales, I developed an appreciation of the profound and dramatic impact that the law can have on a person’s life. This principle similarly applies to animals, as I witnessed firsthand while working in Namibia, researching human-wildlife conflict, the illegal wildlife trade and endangered species conservation. As growing populations and environmental changes bring humans and wildlife into more frequent contact, proactive conservation strategies are an increasingly important factor in protecting the lives of both wildlife and the people who coexist with them. At Cambridge, I intend to research the ways in which interdisciplinary conservation approaches can deliver more effective solutions to key environmental challenges. I look forward to developing the skills to design and manage conservation projects in the future, as well as bridging the gap between conservation and the law, in theory and in practice. It is an incredible opportunity and privilege to join the Gates Cambridge community and I look forward to researching this important area to improve the lives of humans and wildlife around the world.

Previous Education

University of Copenhagen
University of New South Wales

The tales about great engineers my mom used to tell me when I was a little girl growing up in El Puerto de Santa María made me want to become an engineer and invent things to help others. During my double degree in Mechanical + Industrial Design & Product Development Engineering in Cadiz University, I developed an interest in sustainability, regarding my future responsibility on consumer products whose manufacturing, usage and end-of-life will impact our ecosystem. For this reason, I use eco-design techniques in my projects, like the design of an ergonomic infant radiant warmer, a ship bulbous bow for Navantia Shipyards or technical help for the blind (national runner up in the James Dyson Award). My work experience in INNANOMAT R&D group has taught me how difficult it is to implement eco-design strategies, as economic profitability often seems to be the only concern. However, I believe it is my duty as an engineer to use my creativity to find solutions that take into consideration the present needs (like the pursuit of social fairness) and problems (such as pollution or resource depletion) in addition to economic profits. Improving people's lives is the aim of engineering, but I think we are not doing it ok if our creations imply negative consequences for people or the ecosystem. During my MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development, I focused my dissertation research to help designers develop effective and sustainable medical devices during health emergencies in the global south. This was inspired by the scarcity of respiratory medical devices during the Covid-19 pandemic. The tool can be accessed here: sher.carlota.armillas.com/ . As Gates alumna, I am focusing my profesional career as engineer in the healthcare sector, looking for the trade-offs between 'good health for all', 'responsible consumption and production' and 'reduced inequalities'.

Previous Education

Universidad de C MechEng, IndDes&ProdDevelopEng 2018

Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlotaarmillas
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlota-armillas-b19427137

I became interested in the brain and mind when I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 13. I pursued a BA in Psychology at Ryerson University, where I became interested in the development and treatment of cognitive biases in mood disorders. While volunteering on the Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Unit of Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, I developed an interest in designing treatments for cognitive and emotional difficulties in individuals with an ABI that account for their unique impairments. To further my knowledge of ABI, I obtained an MSc in Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. Many people with an ABI have symptoms of depression, but available methods of treating mood disorders such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy fall short because they rely heavily on domains often compromised in ABI, such as mental flexibility, comprehension, and memory. As a student in the Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, I will investigate whether depression in ABI can be treated by increasing engagement in positive activities, and whether this treatment can be enhanced through cognitive training to facilitate planning and engagement in such activities. If effective, this research could immediately influence rehabilitation services worldwide.

Previous Education

Ryerson University
McMaster University