Meet Anne Tong, an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Landscape Architecture. She is also a member of iSEE’s Resilience SWATeam, which includes student, faculty, and staff from campus and members of the surrounding community.
Tong is completing a minor in the Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Fellows Program and was notified by her advisor about the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) teams that were looking for students to help with projects for the current year. Once she was able to get involved, she has loved being able to connect with professionals and make differences within the community.
This past summer, Tong volunteered with a literature review for one of the iCAP projects: the Urban Biodiversity Master Plan. This pushed her to continue exploring more about this topic by joining the Resilience SWATeam. By being a part of the team, she hopes to apply her knowledge and experience to real-world sustainability issues.
By doing research about what other cities around the world are doing to increase urban biodiversity, she believes that if the university aims to accomplish its goals for urban biodiversity within the campus and its surrounding areas, it will require everyone’s efforts. Tong knows that the best way to ensure that the community works together is by increasing students’ awareness of our surrounding environment and climate change issues.
When she’s away from her schoolwork or iCAP team involvement, you might be able to find her traveling, working out, or painting.
Return to the Resilience SWATeam Page >>>
— Article by iSEE Communications Intern Kratika Tandon