Vasundhara Saravade
International Institute of Sustainable Development
| Degrees: | Graduated with BA Honours in Environmental Studies Winter 2016 |
The experience of doing a practicum at the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) gave me a chance to improve my research skills as well as learn new concepts in the world of climate finance and adaptation. As a practicum student with IISD, I was able to review case studies, projects and research in adaptation-related areas that were relevant to developing countries. This experience also provided me an opportunity to utilize past experiences in communications and outreach by enhancing my knowledge in using social media platforms such as Twitter. Working at the Ottawa office gave me a chance to experience the workplace environment in a research based organization like IISD. It also allowed me to interact with IISD experts in various fields such as economics, adaptation, and policy-making. Working at the Ottawa office, also gave me an opportunity to briefly interact with Mr. Scott Vaughan, the President and CEO of IISD. This practicum gave me an opportunity to learn from professionals in the field of adaptation and policy making.
As a practicum student at IISD, I was also able to attend and network at a high-level event organized by the Canadian Council for International Cooperation (CCIC). This event was designed to address the challenges and research areas that Canada and relevant organizations like IISD among many others, would be focusing on at COP21 in Paris this year. Attending this event made me realize that doing a practicum with one of the world’s foremost research organizations has proved to be an invaluable experience for me.