Saint Spotlight

Laura West, Class of 2005

Hello to my fellow Saints! I write to you from Quito, Ecuador, where I am currently studying abroad for the semester at the Universidad de San Francisco. A member of the class of 2005, I am now a junior at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, studying government and chemistry. My decision to pursue this somewhat unusual combination stems from my interest in environmental issues. Intrigued by the complexity of science and the delicacy of natural phenomena early in my educational career, I decided to focus my studies on the intersection of science and human activity. I have long been fascinated by what motivates people to adopt environmentally friendly practices. My upbringing in the Catholic and Jesuit tradition, which instilled within me the virtues of stewardship and humility, only enhanced this interest.

Ecuador is an ideal place to study environmental issues because, like many other developing countries around the world, it hosts an abundance of biodiversity, but suffers from chronic underdevelopment and a variety of environmental problems. Moreover, Ecuador will likely be one of the first countries to suffer disproportionately from the effects of climate change. While I am here I look forward to studying the adverse effects of climate change through everyday observations and expeditions to the Amazon, one of the world's most vulnerable ecosystems. Bearing in mind that climate change also possesses anthropological dimensions, I am excited to begin volunteer work, which will hopefully give me a better sense of how Ecuadorians view and are responding to the issue. I look forward to returning to the States in December with improved Spanish skills and a more wholesome perspective surrounding the issue.

Visit Laura's blog at http://laurachristiewest.wordpress.com/