USC Public Health

“The APRU Climate Change Leadership Program gave me a deeper understanding of how closely climate change is connected to our communities, our health, and our shared future.”

That’s how Junaira Faruk, a Master of Public Health student at @keckschoolusc, describes the experience of taking part in the APRU Certificate in Global Climate Change Leadership this August and September.

Junaira continued: “It reinforced the importance of caring for the planet and recognizing that meaningful change requires greater awareness, responsibility, and collective action from all of us. I especially valued learning from different perspectives and seeing how countries and communities can work together to address such a complex global challenge. I came away from the program feeling more informed, more thoughtful, and more motivated to contribute to a healthier and more sustainable world.”

Junaira was one of 14 USC students, including 4 from Keck School of Medicine, who joined about 220 students from 25 universities in this four-week experiential program. Students played the role of delegates to the UN climate change negotiations, working in multidisciplinary, international teams representing one of six economies or regions. Using the World Climate Interactive and C-ROADS simulation model, they negotiated in breakout rooms facilitated by international climate science experts and heard from experts on topics from clean energy to diplomacy.