Home / Funding / Travel Grants / Travel Grant Recipients / 2017-2018 Travel Grant Recipients
4th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity, Montreal, Canada, 13-16 May 2018
Because of TIE Funding...I was able to attend the 4th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity in Montréal, Québec. The conference was a wonderful opportunity to connect with global experts on marine biota and hear about cutting edge research being performed around the world. This international meeting largely focused on marine invertebrates and vegetation, which are integral to One Health but lacking in veterinary curriculum. As a student of conservation and veterinary medicine, I was happy to learn more about these underrepresented topics.
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Negotiations, Bonn, Germany, 5-11 May 2018
Because of TIE Funding...I traveled to the Bonn to examine US climate change engagement in the bureaucratic institution of the United Nations climate change negotiations. I researched how US goals and prestige in the international arena have changed during the Trump administration, as well which aspects of the US image and objectives have remained the same, a question which is generally overlooked in examinations of modern US international engagement. I did this by interviewing members of the US negotiating team, as well as negotiators from other countries and third-party observers and stakeholders to gain different perspectives on these questions of US influence and objectives.
New Harvest Cellular Agriculture Conference, New York, 11-12 October 2017
Because of TIE Funding... I came to Tufts to do cultured meat research - I'm just starting out as a 1st year PhD so I was very grateful to have the opportunity to get a big picture view of the cultured meat/cellular agriculture field. I got to see the current state of cultured meat technology, as well as where more work is still needed (work that I could do!). Some pretty amazing things have been achieved, such as how someone was able to take adherent muscle cells (they grow attached onto a surface) and make them grow in suspension (floating around in solution)!
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23), Bonn, Germany, 6-17 November 2017
Because of TIE Funding... It was so exciting and inspiring to witness the processes within the Global Governance arena that can catalyze action. At this COP, livestock and land management strategies for sustainable forestry and agriculture were emphasized as international development priorities. Based on what I learned, I will definitely try and get a placement at an NGO next year, perhaps with an international development focus to provide necessary global context for going on to shape U.S. Agricultural Policy.
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23), Bonn, Germany, 6-17 November 2017
Because of TIE Funding... Since I focus more on scientific solutions to climate change, attending the conference was an invaluable look into the delegation process. The most brilliant scientific solution is useless if it can’t be implemented practically, so understanding the intersections between policy, economics, and science is vital to my development as both a student and a professional. I have found a special interest in offshore wind farms, biofuels, and wetlands restoration.
2017 Arctic Circle Assembly, Reykjavik, Iceland, 13-15 October 2017
Because of TIE Funding... I learned of agricultural opportunities that exist within the Arctic Region despite the cold climate and short growing season. There is potential for geothermal greenhouses, aquaculture and fisheries, and even longer growing seasons and new crop options due to climate change. There was also a terrific session, ‘Food and Agriculture Opportunities in South Greenland – Under a Changing Climate,’ where it was shared that Greenland is only able to grow 4% of the food it needs, the rest is imported - a huge concern for the country’s food security, and its national security.
American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, 6-9 November 2017
Because of TIE Funding... As a prospective infectious disease physician and biomedical researcher, I attended the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) conference to present original research I conducted while studying abroad in Costa Rica with Duke University and the Organization for Tropical Studies. Combining both qualitative survey data and quantitative parasite prevalence data, we conducted an educational campaign in the community to discuss Chagas disease prevention and risk. While at ASTMH I discussed my research with parasitologists and other infectious disease researchers. Through this, I learned how to make my research more rigorous, and also networked with a highly specialized group of researchers.
Because of TIE Funding... I was pleased to see hundreds of young people from around the world who are dedicated to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); for many of them this conference was their first time in the U.S. One of the most valuable parts of the conference for me was being able to connect with the four other Tufts students, both graduate and undergraduate and from different disciplines, and discuss with them how students could work with the university to incorporate the SDGs more intentionally into Tufts' current efforts. We agreed that Tufts is contributing actively to several of the SDGs, but that this progress is not necessarily intentional, nor is it tracked in the same way our carbon emissions are. Moving forward, Tufts could be a leader in institutional and community dissemination of information and measurement of the SDGs.
Because of TIE Funding... The structure of the forum allowed participants to choose one SDG brainstorming session, and as an Agriculture, Food, and Environment masters' student, I naturally gravitated towards SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production. When it came time to distill our ideas into concrete policy recommendations, we advocated for increasing diverse educational experiences across all types of school systems, emphasizing a focus on the transformation of youth from a consumer to a producer mindset. In this sense, sustainable development means an expanded awareness of the relationship between consumption and production, and that even the simplest of our everyday choices has the power to influence how the world's natural resources are used.
Because of TIE Funding... One of the introductory speakers made a point that resonated with me: “Young people are not the future. We are the now”. By prioritizing the role that youth play in present times, she was able to subvert our normative thinking of believing the future is in the hands of youth. This truly set the tone for the conference—youth are the key to shaping, creating, and maintaining inclusive development. We must have a seat at the table in order for development initiatives to truly benefit all. She went on to say, “young people will leave the UN behind”. I was shocked but impressed to hear youth ministers acknowledge that youth are gravitating towards radical governance because international institutions rarely account for the needs of youth and do not seek to include them in the policy-making process. This conference was an excellent start to acknowledge this discrepancy and rectify it.
Because of TIE Funding... My favorite session at the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum was the working group on Goal 11, building sustainable cities and communities. It was clear how the UN was inspiring a new way for us to think about sustainability -- challenging us to think critically about the marriage between ecological and social sustainability. And what was so rewarding about this session is that we heard comments from delegates from all around the world, learning about the importance of public space for promoting security from Sweden to Thailand to Cairo. One of the best metrics to evaluate the success of our public spaces, we heard, was to focus on women and how they move through their communities, as it serves as a strong correlation to the overall long-term security of the state.
Because of TIE Funding... My main takeaway that relates to my degree in urban planning was a consistent theme about the importance of local politics in shaping sustainable development. This is a topic that is integral to the Tufts Graduate School of Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy curriculum, which emphasizes the role of local government as having an integral role in shaping the development trajectory of cities. This conference affected my own career goals, by inspiring me to invest my education and skills in the communities in which I live, at a scale that is more local, grassroots, and human.
WSSS Practicum: Marstons Mills Watershed Restoration Strategy, Marstons Mills, Barnstable, MA, 20 April 2018
Because of TIE Funding... During this trip, we met with several stakeholders in the watershed we are researching. All of us in the practicum group gained valuable experience speaking with stakeholders, were able to see our research sites, and discuss mitigation strategies with the partner organization. We began our day by examining the cranberry bogs near the headwaters. Scott Horsley showed us how the farmers are able to control flooding in the bogs, and we were able to see some bogs that are naturally returning to wetlands. After visiting the bogs, we traveled further downstream to the herring run near Mill Pond. Here we met with a local expert, Lindsey B Counsell. Lindsey’s knowledge of the Marstons Mills River was extremely valuable, and we were able to ask many questions about the community’s relationship with the herring.
The Tenth International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Responses, University of California at Berkeley, 20-21 April 2018
Because of TIE Funding... I had an opportunity to share my research, "Climate Change, Natural Disasters, and Suicide," and learn from others research regarding climate change. This contributed greatly to my personal and professional enrichment and provided me with opportunities to brainstorm ideas regarding my dissertation as I continue to explore ways to tie several disciplines during my doctoral program. TIE has my deepest gratitude for this award to support my career development, as I continue to explore and learn climate policy and public health practice!
Learn more about Ans Irfan's research here.