Aruzhan Sakhariyanova ’26 shares her work as a sustainability advocate

From the camera lens to your screen, I deliver sustainability-related content. Since a young age, I have been captivated by filmography and digital production so I began taking pictures of nature and practicing videography and editing. As I grew older, I realized I could combine my passion for digital media with my interest in environmental development.

In my home country of Kazakhstan, many unspoken environmental concerns, such as plastic pollution and air pollution, persist. Creating awareness through media has allowed me to start a dialogue about these issues and highlight the importance of addressing them for both people’s well-being and the preservation of natural resources. My passion inspired me to work as an environmental ambassador, both independently and with nonprofits, posting and editing videos advocating for sustainability.

Currently, you can find my work on several platforms of the Shi Institute for Sustainable Communities. My name is Aruzhan Sakhariyanova, and I’m a rising junior majoring in Sustainability Sciences and Communication Studies. I believe that advocacy and media are crucial tools for raising awareness in the environmental field, as they can reach wide audiences and create a powerful visual impact.

During my fellowship, I am working on creating sustainability campaigns, managing the institute’s social media outlets, communicating our mission during on-campus events and gathering content to showcase the great work done by our Shi Institute staff. A significant portion of my time is dedicated to a personal project of my choice. I decided to create a short video showcasing the various work being done at the institute. It feels rewarding to highlight a fellow or staff member and allow them to showcase their achievements to the wider community. For example, I recently had the chance to visit off-campus summer fellows, interview them, and capture footage of their daily work.

I look forward to seeing how my project and other campaigns develop beyond my fellowship. Stay tuned, follow our social media outlets, and keep educating yourself about today’s pressing environmental issues.