AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
Our Ambassador Program provides an opportunity for graduated interns to practice the skills they've learned in real-world, impactful projects. In order to help translate their training into action, ambassadors meet with a mentor at least once a month to help develop creative initiatives within their own local communities. While we have a set of predetermined projects, ambassadors are encouraged to spearhead their own initiatives whether at a microscale (within their own homes) or at a macroscale (within their schools, neighborhoods, and state). Examples of projects that have been successfully completed in the past include beach clean-ups, clothing drives, video essays, development of environmental justice modules, and even setting up a fundraiser for solar PV cells!
OUR AMBASSADORS
Sheel Patel
Wilmington, North Carolina
School: John T. Hoggard High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
Conducting research on Environmental Education (EE) with our peers and getting it published!
Fun Fact: Carbon dioxide constitutes only 3.6 % of total greenhouse gases, out of which 0.12% is attributed to human activities. Still, our impact is so large!
Arielle Kim
Fairfax, Virginia
School: Oakton High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
Being able to combine my passions for art, teaching, and environmental advocacy!
Fun Fact: Bees are some of my favorite animals (Save the Bees!)
Autria Aidun
Oakton, Virginia
School: Villanova Univesity
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
The fact that I'm actually able to make a difference!
Fun Fact: Fusion energy is the same reaction that occurs in the sun and could be the key to renewable energy on earth!
Siri Chandolu
South Riding, Virginia
School: Freedom High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
My favorite experience from Operation Climate so far has been the meetings where all the teams were together because it was a great environment and it was so much fun talking to all the interns and getting to know them. I also loved the capstone meeting because being able to see everything that the teams and individuals accomplished and all of the final products was amazing.
Fun Fact: Clouds aren’t made of cotton candy 😿 (but an actual fun fact: dogs and cats have been known to be able to sense when a tornados about to hit)
Eileen Chen
Chino Hills, CA
School: Troy High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
Getting to see my infographics posted on the OC instagram (:
Fun Fact: i bake a lot!
Juju Lee
Virginia
School: Oakton High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
My favorite part of OC so far is having mentors who have the knowledge and resources that allow me experience things that I would have never imagined I could participate in! Like producing a podcast!
Fun Fact: :0 amazed by the idea that there are so many species in the ocean we have yet to study-- I hope one day that they'll be alive for us to see!
Raghav Akula
Moorestown, New Jersey
School: Moorestown High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
The influence of Operation Climate for its Ambassadors is twofold: first, it gives us access to so many resources to take advantage of in order to be a better activist, and second, it gives us the opportunity to use those resources to create real impacts. I never thought I could learn so much about effective science communication from my bedroom, and yet OC made it possible. My favorite part of Operation Climate so far has been creating a podcast episode with my partner during the summer internship: interviewing a professor, writing a script, and trying over and over again to get a clean recording while we couldn't stop laughing at each other are experiences I'll never forget.
Fun Fact: I've been invested in climate action for years, and fortunately, there are so many different avenues to take to stay involved. Personally, I believe that the climate crisis has to be at the forefront of people's minds... all the time. That's how we build up public pressure and synergize it to produce real climate policies at the government level. So if we want people to treat climate change like the greatest existential threat we face — because it is — we need to make sure that every single person, in some way or another, is a climate activist.
Josh Chou
Diamond Bar, CA
School: UC Berkeley
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
Getting to meet and work with cool people!!
Fun Fact: legally blind in one eye, farsighted with the other!
Shrikha Balaji
South Riding, Virginia
School: Freedom High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
My favorite part of OC was the research project I got to do, it was extremely fun to research an interesting topic.
Fun Fact: I think that a cool fact about climate change would be just how much it affects a child psychologically. It can cause PTSD, depression, anxiety, sleeping disorders and much more.
Shriya Ramanujam
Fairfax, Virginia
School: Oakton High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
designing and making videos for the OC youtube page!
Fun Fact: we've only explored 5% of the earth's oceans- who is to say mermaids don't exist!
Marissa Sims
Defiance, Ohio
School: Fairview High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
Interviewing amazing people for the podcast
Fun Fact: Anyone and everyone can help the climate movement!
School: College Heights Secondary
Favorite Part of Operation Climate: Getting to view the unique projects that my peers are working on and being inspired to do similar projects.
Fun Fact: i just really love kombucha.
Prince George, British Columbia
Grace Li
School: Hoggard High School
Favorite Part of Operation Climate:
My favorite part of OC has been getting the chance to work on impactful projects with others who are also passionate about the climate.
Fun Fact: Everyone can take part in combatting climate change!
Wilmington, NC