Bridging Climate Science and Community Impact 

Mathilde Ritman, a DPhil candidate in Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics at Oxford, combines cutting-edge climate science with tangible community impact. As a physical climate scientist, Mathilde's passion lies in supporting communities by enhancing our understanding of future climate extremes and disseminating tailored, accessible climate information. 

Drawn to the Oxford SDG Impact Lab by the opportunity for targeted leadership training in an interdisciplinary global context, Mathilde saw it as a chance to challenge her leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills in a unique setting. Her participation in the Community Impact Lab for 2023-2024 provided an ideal platform to apply her scientific acumen to practical sustainability issues. 

Working with Oxford City Football Club on "The Goal is Green" project, Mathilde bridged the gap between academic research and community-level implementation. "I was impressed by the ambition our partners had in progressing their role as sustainability leaders," she reflects. "It also highlighted to me that you can have substantial impact by identifying and unlocking new ways forward." 

By leveraging her analytical skills and climate knowledge, Mathilde helped develop practical recommendations for the football club. A particularly rewarding moment came when the club followed up on their suggestions for a reusable pint cup project. "It was exciting to think that work had begun using our recommendations for low-cost and high-impact steps towards sustainability at the football club," Mathilde shares, illustrating how scientific expertise can translate directly into community-level environmental progress. 

This hands-on experience has reinforced Mathilde's aspiration to balance rigorous research with community-led climate preparedness. She envisions a future where she leads innovative science to improve climate prediction while collaborating with companies, community groups, and international organisations to support vulnerable populations in developing climate resilience. 

Looking ahead, Mathilde's trajectory exemplifies a new generation of scientists bridging laboratory research and community engagement. Her SDG Impact Lab experience has reinforced her unique approach to climate science. "This experience has highlighted just how many dedicated people are progressing real-world applications of the SDGs at all scales," Mathilde reflects. With increased confidence that she offers great skills to projects outside her own discipline, she's poised to make significant contributions to both academic research and practical sustainability initiatives, embodying a future where science directly translates into environmental progress.