Volunteer Spotlight: Sophie Pesek AB ‘20

Sophie Pesek graduated from Harvard College with a degree in Environmental Engineering in 2020. As a woman in STEM, she is interested particularly in the intersection of environmental and equity issues.

Sophie hails from Cambridge, MA and is still currently living there. She recently landed her first full-time job, with help from HACE mentors, working at the environmental economics think tank Resources for the Future. There she uses her engineering and CS background to tackle social science issues, and hopes to continue to work at the interface of technology and policy. She hopes that these tools can be used to elevate the voices of those who have been most marginalized by industrial development.

Sophie first became passionate about environmental activism as a kid, where she loved being outdoors alone and would escape into the woods for long runs or hikes whenever she could. However, she later realized how important healthy people and vibrant communities are to a thriving world. Later on in College she was able to work abroad most of her summers through Harvard-sponsored internships to see diverse needs and solutions in Asia, Africa, and South America.

While at Harvard, Sophie was involved in many environmental and outdoor groups (HCCS, WiNN, EAC, REP, HUEJ, and HOC), and she loved connecting with people with diverse interests but similar values. She is motivated to be an active volunteer for HACE because it similarly brings together a diverse group of people with a shared interest and common goal. Sophie recently used her skills to help HACE analyze membership data that we’ve shared in this month’s Newsletter, which will help us to further ensure that our organization is as diverse and inclusive as possible.

Sophie’s one ask for the group is to continue to expand our global focus. She notes that the US climate bubble can sometimes focus more on flashy startups than the fundamental issues that need to be tackled to ensure equitable global development, and that learning from people around the world is an essential part of solving the climate crisis.