Bridging Theory and Practice: Emily Hsu's Journey with the Oxford SDG Impact Lab

Emily Hsu, an MSc student in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance at the University of Oxford, applied to be an SDG Lab Impact Fellow as it provided an exciting opportunity to apply her academic and theoretical knowledge to a practical project. With an academic background in climate litigation and institutional responsibility, Emily's project with the Low Carbon Hub offered an exciting opportunity to translate her academic focus into practical outcomes. 

The Lab's masterclass series expanded Emily's horizons beyond her usual area of study. This interdisciplinary exposure proved invaluable during her field lab experience. Collaborating with her partner Laurence Peinturier, Emily discovered the power of complementary skillsets. "Laurence and I come from very different academic backgrounds, which allowed us to approach the project from both quantitative and qualitative approaches" she notes. This partnership highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing complex sustainability issues. 

Emily's experience provided valuable insights into client relations and project management. "This project is the first time I have been the direct contact point for an industry partner, providing valuable experience of liaising with clients to fulfil their needs," she says. Through this interaction Emily's understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their real-world applications deepened. "This experience accentuated the importance of bringing the SDGs to the ground, and highlighted the complexities and difficulties of addressing issues like climate change and decarbonisation," she reflects. 

For Emily, the most rewarding moment came when presenting the project findings. "Presenting the project and talking to the project partner afterwards about how useful the findings would be to their work" was particularly meaningful, underlining the real-world impact of their research. Describing her experience as "Collaborative, Rewarding, and Generative," Emily advises future participants to "Embrace the opportunity to apply to a partner program, as it allows you to lead and direct a piece of research that will have practical applications outside of academia." For her own future Emily plans on utilising her skills to translating research on environmental justice into practical policy outcomes.