| Resource Specialization | Food Resource Economics |
| Region Specialization | Europe |
| Hometown | Vancouver, BC, Canada/Kaohsiung, Taiwan |
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE GRS SPECIALIZATION THAT YOU DID?
When I first enrolled in LFS, I was studying Food and the Environment. Growing up, some of my most cherished memories were spent in the garden helping my parents germinate seeds and harvest vegetables. Being a part of food production, even on a small scale, allows you to appreciate the work that goes into growing and understand our reliance on the earth’s climate systems. For as long as I can remember, I have been intrigued by this fragile and interconnected relationship. In my first year, I took ECON101 with Dr. Marina Adshade and her discussions around the economics of love broadened my understanding of how economics could be used to analyze societal behaviours and address issues beyond just financial markets. I became curious to learn how socio-ecological challenges such as climate change and food security could be examined through an economic lens. GRS provides an interdisciplinary platform that allowed me to combine my passion for climate and food system issues with my interest in economics.
WHAT WAS YOUR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
Academic Exchange at the University of Copenhagen and University College London:
In the search for diverse perspectives and new methods, I completed two academic exchange semesters. My term at the University of Copenhagen in the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economy enhanced my knowledge of climate change and land use, landscape policy and environmental ethics. At the University College London in the Department of Geography, I took courses in global environmental change, protected area governance, and economic and development geography. Immersing myself in new cultures and surrounding myself with people who are passionate about the issues I am involved in exposed me to different positions and allowed for work towards collaborative solutions. These experiences strengthened my understanding of our global environmental systems and challenged ways of thinking by forcing me to critically evaluate my approaches towards addressing complex issues.