I am a 5th year Hons. Biochemistry student. CityLAB Semester in Residence has been a very enjoyable course for me due to its unique structure and the smaller class size relative to my regular classes. It was very congenial to spend my working hours everyday in a friendly environment where I could build good relationships with my colleagues. Moreover, working on one project for the entire semester and producing tangible results was a welcome change compared to the hustle during my previous undergraduate years. At the beginning of the semester, I was very doubtful about my potential contribution to the CityLAB SIR project since I did not have much of a background in climate change and sustainability. As I started working on my project, I grew confident that my transferable skills would be of use, and I was also convinced that having a beginner's view on the topics we covered helped bring a rather unconventional voice and creativity, one that is unbiased, to the discussions.
My primary motivation towards Community Engagement was the climate change protest in Gage Park. I was really impressed by the diversity of people, of all ages and experiences, participating in the protest with a strong will to raise awareness about climate change. After this strike, I felt fortunate to be part of CityLAB; since I am working directly with the City, Environment Hamilton staff and community members, I can bring quantitative solutions to the climate change issue. The current project I am working on is Climate Ready Hamilton, where we are improving the Beasley neighborhood's resiliency to extreme weather. I feel proud of my work since it will exist even after I move on in my life, and the outputs from my project will be of help to a lot of people during times of need.