Focus: Researching the geopolitical dynamics of the green transition, particularly the impact of global demands for clean energy on local communities across the Congo Basin.

I interned for an incredible non-profit, Friends of the Congo, supported by the Changemaker Fellowship. Through this experience, I was able to support coordination of events, write reports, collect data, conduct interviews, and present my work at conferences. Using critical science and technology studies (STS) and political economy frameworks, I investigated how Congo stands to be at the center of critical minerals conflicts as well as the renewable energy development potential of the continent. 

This is an important project because I am working to fill in gaps in academic spaces around this issue, and it has brought me closer to my graduate research ambitions. I learned how to become an active listener, engage thoughtfully around sensitive topics, and communicate past language barriers.