October 2018
These alumni are using skills in environmental science, agricultural development, filmmaking and finance to build a more sustainable future.
Caring for the environment
Our featured graduates apply their varied skillsets in careers that take the planet's health into consideration while balancing human needs - whether its promoting marine conservation through filmmaking, educating the next generation of small holding farmers in Africa, working with sustainable social enterprises or providly environmentally sustainable building materials.
We can all make small changes to our daily lives to support planetary health. Why not pledge an action today on our dedicated website?
University of Edinburgh alumni planetary health pledge (external link)
James Nikitine
MSc Marine Systems and Policies graduate James Nikitine set up a company that makes environmental films and consults on marine conservation and communications.
Read James Nikitine's profile.
I am not closing the door for new ventures and I am only getting started. Communicating is one aspect of my work, but there are plenty more avenues to explore. We don’t have much time to save the planet from ourselves, and therefore to save ourselves!
Laura Getts
Laura Getts is a committee member of the alumni club in Colorado. She describes her action-packed student days and how she's pursuing an environmental science track in her career.
The University of Edinburgh stretched my capacity to think critically, and fostered strong leadership skills – two crucial attributes that have guided me through every personal and professional endeavour post-uni.
Malcolm Blackie
Professor Malcolm Blackie’s long career in African agricultural development and education has benefited many people, from former students now in influential positions to smallholder farmers.
Read Professor Malcolm Blackie's profile.
Our focus was on improving food security and incomes of smallholders, particularly by improving the productivity and profitability of the main crops grown by those farmers. This, we felt, was an essential first step to sustainability.
Lingyin Fan
Working with pandas was pivotal in waking Lingyin Fan's desire to learn more about ecosystems. The ecological economics graduate now coordinates with social enterprises to tackle environmental issues through eco-tourism and education.
The year I spent in Edinburgh equipped me with the essential knowledge needed to work in the sustainability industry, taught me that there were many diversities, and most importantly, reminded me that my voice could be and should be heard.
Jack Scriven
Having completed a social enterprise leadership programme, psychology graduate Jack Scriven is applying his skills at a start-up that provides environmentally sustainable building materials.
[...] I decided I wanted to apply myself to finding an alternative, to working in and building businesses with purpose.
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Related links
Read our latest Edinburgh Friends supplement, 'The path to planetary health'