By Iza Martinez
Kevin Garrett (’23SPS, Sustainability Science) grew up in Westchester County, N.Y., and has gone on to fulfill multiple roles with the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS), where he manages grant programs for New York City and Long Island communities. With a special focus on brownfields, properties contaminated by pollutants and heavy metals, Kevin is eager to work with vulnerable New Yorkers to restore and fortify their neighborhoods.
He joined the M.S. in Sustainability Science (SUSCI) program in 2020 and made the most of the program’s flexibility, including taking time to focus on his work at the NYSDOS before returning to complete the program. The immersive nature of his Integrative Capstone Workshop exposed him to new contemporary sustainability challenges and sparked his interest and future career aspirations in the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) sector.
In this interview, Kevin reflects on his decision to join the SUSCI program and shares insights into the role his capstone project played in his professional development and how his education has shaped his overall trajectory.
What motivated you to join the SUSCI program, and did it meet your expectations?
I had lost my job at the beginning of the pandemic, and I was feeling pretty lost. At the time, I aspired to be a science writer. I watched a webinar in April 2020 by Sustainability Management [SUMA] instructor Claudia Dreifus, where she interviewed the global health correspondent for The New York Times. I learned about the program through that interview, and because I had a science background, I applied to the SUSCI rather than the SUMA program. I started during the pandemic, so at first, my time at SUSCI was quite difficult. I found myself deprived of the network of friends and professors I would have had with an in-person experience. However, things opened later in my time as a student, and I got to experience what I came here for. I’m really happy to have continued support from the Columbia network.
Tell us about your current role at the NYS Department of State. What does a revitalization specialist do?
I manage various grant programs based on community organizing, brownfield redevelopment, and economic development. During my time with the state, I’ve worked in Long Island and NYC. I focus mainly on the Brownfield Opportunity Area [BOA] grant, a program based around studying areas with a cluster of contaminated, potentially contaminated, vacant, or abandoned properties. These are often former industrial areas with a significant modern residential portion. We then connect with the community to understand their vision for the area’s redevelopment. These BOA areas are then designated by the state and have support for future grant money to help implement projects. Some tax incentives also encourage redevelopment in line with the community’s vision. Having grown up in New York, I’m very proud of my work to help revitalize the best state in the country.
What are some of your future career goals, and how do you feel your experience in the SUSCI program and other job roles have prepared you to achieve these?
The SUSCI program definitely gave me an understanding of what career paths exist and what working in those fields might be like. It was just as important to learn about what I don’t want to pursue as it was to learn about what I do want to do. In the short term, I’m looking for positions in the CDR space. I enjoyed how practical SUSCI was, and now I often look at job descriptions and know with confidence that I can perform the work tasks. I feel like I have a pretty vast knowledge of the sustainability space. Family and friends often send me sustainability-related articles, and I’m sometimes surprised at how often I can clarify and explain some topics the articles cover.
How did your capstone project experience impact your current career aspirations and plans?
My capstone project was truly a life-changing experience for me. Like many such experiences, it largely came down to fate. I had taken some time off from the SUSCI program when I started my position at the Department of State, with only the capstone remaining before I graduated. I had intended to take one semester off but missed the deadline to return, so it turned into two semesters. Upon my return, the capstone project for that semester was titled “From Carbon Removal to Credits—An Assessment Framework,” conducted on behalf of the International Renewable Energy Credit Standard Foundation [I-REC Standard]. It was a topic that I knew absolutely nothing about, and initially, I was intimidated by my cohort, who seemed way more knowledgeable and organized than me. I just tried my best and made some valuable contributions to the group. I’m proud of how far I came, and better yet, it led to me developing a great interest in the CDR space. It’s the topic that most excited me at SUSCI, and if I had come back to the program when I intended to, I wouldn’t have had that experience.
To read the capstone report and watch the recorded briefing, visit this site and toggle to the 2023 tab.
What advice do you have for current or prospective students to help them get the most out of their studies?
Rid yourself of impostor syndrome. You deserve to be here. Other people may come into the program with more background knowledge than you, but the objective is to learn. Don’t compare yourself to others, but learn from them. Beyond that, connect with your professors, and don’t be shy about your aspirations—they’re there to support you. I recall during our first meeting as an incoming class, one student directly asked the professors, “Does anyone have any job opportunities?” It turned out the answer was yes. This program can open unexpected doors.
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Science program, offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School, prepares students for management and leadership positions in which they help organizations address environmental impacts. Students learn strategies to respond to the ever-changing environment and predict future environmental changes—and the impact on the public.
