Post by Kiera Hale

Hello Linkedin! As the spring semester begins, I'm taking the time to reflect on a busy and fruitful fall semester of my third year. This past fall, I: ⭐ Presented my first research poster on my independent herbarium digitization project in the Botany section of the American Society of Microbiology's Annual ABRCMS Conference in San Antonio, Texas. We also officially donated the 1,100+ plant specimens to the Yale University Herbarium for future botanical research. ⭐ Trained the Howard University Model United Nations Team to attend 3 collegiate conferences, with the team winning 5 collegiate awards across BARMUN, UPMUNC, and NCSC. ⭐ Won the Outstanding Delegation Award representing Greece in the United Nations Environment Programme Committee at the University of Pennsylvania Model United Nations Conference (UPMUNC) drafting resolutions on Indigenous ecological knowledge in international conservation policy. ⭐Spoke on my first panel as part of Dream.Org's Power in the Problem HBCU Tour, sharing my work as a climate justice leader on Howard University's campus. ⭐Spoke with inspiring environmental justice pioneers such as Rev. Benjamin Chavis, Ph.D, Charles Lee, Kari Fulton, Akiima Price, and Hailey Morris at the From Awareness to Action: Building Resilient Communities Through Environmental Justice Event. ⭐Was chosen as the co-honors environmental science/studies major group leader, allowing me to host bonding events with other students in the Department of Earth, Environment, and Equity. This past semester was filled with opportunities for me to advance my research, develop as a leader, and engage in environmental justice advocacy. Moving into the next semester, I look forward to applying the lessons of these diverse experiences and making a positive impact as a growing ecological researcher and climate justice organizer.