Cairngorms to Classrooms

Meet Cambridge Zero's 2024 Future Leaders

Cairngorms landscape. Credit: Gabriel Rowlands, 2024 Future Leader.

Cambridge Zero has welcomed 17 students onto its 2024 Future Leaders Programme to support climate and sustainability initiatives at the University of Cambridge and beyond, to gain green skills and valuable research and professional experiences.

As their projects pass the mid-way point, some of the Future Leaders reflected on their experiences so far, the skills they have developed and where they hope to take their careers in the future.

Cambridge Zero has placed 17 project assistants in the fifth year of the Future Leaders Programme at vital climate-related institutions across the University of Cambridge and the UK.

Project destinations include the Centre for Landscape Regeneration, Cambridge Centre for Science and Policy (CSAP), the Public Map Platform and Aldersgate Group.

The assistants work for eight weeks from mid-July to September 2024 on a range of projects, from climate film production to landscape mapping in the Scottish Cairngorms.

The Future Leaders Programme is dedicated to equipping the next generation of climate and environmental leaders with the skills and experience they need to contribute to a more sustainable future.

“Whether they're learning to measure peat depth in Scotland or editing policy reports, this summer is all about building new skills for a net zero future,” said Beth Simpson, Cambridge Zero’s Student Engagement Coordinator.

Our 2024 Cohort

Credit: Beth Simpson/Cambridge Zero

Meet Issy

Issy Stuart is working at the Centre for Landscape Regeneration (CLR) and Cairngorms Connect to understand peatlands health in the Scottish Cairngorms.

Stuart graduated this summer from the University of Plymouth, where she studied Environmental Management and Sustainability BSc.

The CLR is a £10 million British countryside restoration project, working in the Cambridgeshire Fenlands, the Lake District and the Scottish Cairngorms. A continuing partnership between Cambridge Zero and the CLR has welcomed seven project assistants to assist with their projects in the Fenlands and Cairngorms.

Peatlands, sometimes described as the UK's rainforests due to their ecological richness and rarity, provide important nesting sites for many birds and habitats for rare insects and plants.

The Cairngorms is also home to 25 percent of the UK's rare and endangered species, including native woodland grouse called capercaillie, pine martens, Scottish wildcats, golden eagles, lapwings, dotterels and black grouse.

Healthy peatland soils are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth, having a net cooling effect on the climate by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They also have the potential to reduce flood risk and support biodiversity.

The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology estimates that 80 percent of the UK's peatland has been affected due to human activities. Damaged peatlands are now a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, due to the way they have been managed now and in the past.

The project Stuart is working on, seeks to understand the soil's health and suggest ways that the landscape could be managed to restore its carbon storage function and preserve biodiversity.

Issy Stuart, 2024 Future Leader.

Cairngorms National Park. Credit: Gabriel Rowland, 2024 Future Leader.

In a small town in the Scottish Cairngorms known for its secluded lochs, ancient forests and ruined castles, Gabriel Rowland is spending his summer also conducting fieldwork and data collection with the Centre for Landscape Regeneration and the RSPB.

Rowland graduated this summer from Leeds University, where he studied Environmental Science BSc. His project on the Future Leaders Programme explores the impact of human-activity on the Cairngorms landscape and how it can better serve nature, people and the local economy.

Rowland has been interviewing local landowners to understand how they manage their land and their views on different landscape management techniques. He hopes to gather a holistic understanding of land management and conservation from the local community.

Four weeks into the Future Leaders Programme, Rowland said he has benefitted from the project's unique opportunities, such as working with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) on tasks like tree regeneration surveys.

"I believe that these experiences and skills development opportunities on the project, have better prepared me for my Master’s degree in Biodiversity and Conservation next year,” Rowland said.

Meet Rebecca

Rebecca Lowack is working in Cambridge Zero’s Education department for the summer, focusing on strengthening climate education at the University of Cambridge.

Lowack has been collaborating with departments across the University to identify existing initiatives and find opportunities to incorporate more climate and sustainability education across courses.

Lowack recently graduated from St. Andrew's University, where she studied for her Economics MA. During her time there she campaigned to include climate economics in the curriculum. She is applying this experience to her project on the Future Leaders Programme.

“The FLP has been a great opportunity to develop skills that are essential for being successful in any professional workplace," Lowack said. "I am also learning some qualitative data analysis skills which I find really interesting.”

Rebecca Lowack, 2024 Future Leader.

COP28 in Dubai. Credit: Millie May, 2024 Future Leader.

Millie May at COP28 in Dubai. Credit: Millie May, 2024 Future Leader.

St John's College, Cambridge graduate, Millie May, is working on the ActNowFilm project, a collaboration between Cambridge Zero and the University of Bath’s Institute for Policy Research. The film brings youth voices to the forefront of climate negotiations and is screened each year at COP, the international climate conference held by the UN.

Last year’s film featured youth voices in conversation with climate experts, including Christina Figueres, Mary Robinson and Johan Rockström, among many others. This year, Millie is contributing to the film’s production, researching potential contributors and creating educational resources for young people at COP.

Millie studied her undergraduate in Human, Social and Political Sciences BA at St John’s College and attended last year’s COP28 in Dubai. There she represented the Cambridge Climate Society at a panel discussion on their efforts to bring climate education reform to Cambridge.

“Having protested and engaged in bilaterals at COP28, the Future Leaders Programme has empowered and inspired me to channel my existing experience to support a project that will have a lasting impact at COP29,” said Millie May.

Will Wale is working at the Cambridge Zero Policy Forum, a collaboration between Cambridge Zero and the Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP). He is writing case studies and developing a communication strategy for a high-profile report into how the UK Government could think differently about transformative changes, such as the transition to net zero emissions.

“Being given a sizeable amount of responsibility whilst being overseen by leading professionals is the perfect mix for learning and development. I get to work on projects that push me to refine your skills, and have people to guide me to do it in the best way possible,” said Sumru Elden.

Duc Huynh is working for Aldersgate Group to produce engaging communications for their work, creating a new podcast series and publishing blog posts.

“The project itself that I am now working on is extremely interesting, and this was the main reason I applied. It is giving me enormous insight into the economics and decision-making around Net Zero, while helping me develop my skills and learn from leading academics,” said Will Wale.

Sumru Elden is assisting Cambridge Zero’s Research team, writing case studies for climate research going on at Cambridge. Her work highlights innovative climate solutions, translating complex scientific findings into engaging stories.

“I entered this programme with an open mind, acting like a sponge prepared to learn from experiences. I hope to find my passion towards future career pathways through this summer's work and its adventures along the way,” said Duc Huynh.

Future Careers

Alongside their projects, a series of career seminars featuring esteemed guest speakers has spotlighted potential career paths for the Future Leaders.

During the second of these seminars, Professor Melissa Leach CBE shared her career journey to becoming the new Director of the Cambridge Conservation Institute (CCI) and her 30 years' experience working as a social anthropologist in Africa.

Leach encouraged the Future Leaders to embrace the unexpected and follow the river of life, describing the twists and turns of navigating a successful career.

"Over the decades I have realised that there are only three reasons to do anything: if something is interesting, or important, or fun. And the best things we do are all three at the same time," said Leach.

Credit: Ella Carter, 2024 Future Leader.

Cambridge Zero is the University of Cambridge’s ambitious climate change initiative, harnessing the power of research to tackle climate change at one of the top global research universities in the world.

Published 16th August 2024

^{Images: Gabriel Rowland, Millie May and Ella Carter.}

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