Internships

Riya Singh ’23

Major

School of Public and International Affairs

Project Title

Climate Resilient Coasts and Watersheds

Presentation Link

View Riya 's Presentation

Certificate(s): Environmental Studies

My internship focused on supporting the Environmental Defense Fund’s (EDF) efforts to spread the word on the Clean Water, Clean Air, and Green Jobs Bond Act, which is on the New York general elections ballot. EDF participates in the Clean Water and Jobs Coalition, which builds voter support for the Act. I contributed by identifying and reaching out to community groups that could share materials to voters, especially in historically underserved neighborhoods. I also worked on a collaborative research project in which I examined New York’s storm recovery programs to understand how they incorporate green infrastructure. I analyzed policy documents to pinpoint barriers and opportunities to utilizing green infrastructure in making homes more resilient to natural disasters. I gained insight into not only the science of coastal resilience and green infrastructure but also into how environmental campaigns are run. I also learned how 501(c)(3) nonprofits like EDF navigate the legal restrictions surrounding their advocacy when crafting campaign language. Moving forward, I’m interested in researching the Bond Act for my senior thesis; specifically, I want to explore voter behavior for the Act across community demographics.