Interviewed by Ellie S. (11th G)
Meet Owen Y., a rising junior and Northwestern University studying mathematics and economics that also likes reading and playing video games. Let’s hear his story!
Every journey has a starting point. Can you describe the specific moment (a class, a conversation, or an outdoor experience) where sustainability started being a personal mission?
My interest in sustainability began when I realized how many environmental problems are ultimately problems of human behavior.
I learned that people, companies, and governments all respond to incentives when making decisions. Around the same time, I participated in a research project on the recycling textile industry in Africa, where I was introduced to ideas such as the circular economy and the rebound effect. For the first time, I saw economics not simply as a way to explain markets, but as a tool for solving environmental challenges.
That realization changed how I viewed sustainability. Pollution and waste were no longer just scientific issues—they were problems involving policy, psychology, and decision-making.
Sustainability isn’t just for environmental scientists. How have you blended your specific talents with your passion for the climate?
I have always enjoyed breaking complicated problems into pieces that can be analyzed logically. Sustainability has given me an opportunity to apply that way of thinking to issues that affect society.
Rather than approaching environmental challenges solely through science, I have explored them through economics, mathematics, psychology, and statistics. During my research on carbon credits, I analyzed emissions and carbon price data using statistical methods to evaluate how policy changes affected market behavior. I later expanded this interdisciplinary approach while researching Shanghai’s waste management policy.
Outside of research, I wanted to apply these ideas in practice. I organized a shoe recycling campaign at my high school that encouraged students, parents, and faculty to donate used athletic shoes.
What was the biggest hurdle you faced when pitching a green initiative (like a workshop
or a festival spot), and how did you convince the ‘gatekeepers’ to say yes?
The biggest obstacle I encountered while organizing a “Recycle A Shoe” event at my high school had nothing to do with collecting shoes—it was convincing people that the project could actually happen.
After months of coordinating, I believed everything was ready. Then, only a week before the event, I received two unexpected setbacks. First, the school’s legal team refused to distribute the required liability waiver. Shortly afterward, the announcement for the project was taken down, and I was asked to meet with our school’s coordinator to justify the project’s value.
Eventually, the project received approval. On the day of the event, students, teachers, and parents continuously stopped by to donate shoes. Many thanked us for providing a meaningful way to recycle items that had been sitting unused in their homes.
Closing thoughts
Sustainability has taught me that meaningful environmental progress rarely comes from a single discovery or technology. It comes from understanding people, building partnerships, and designing solutions that are both scientifically sound and practically achievable.
