By Camryn Louder, Master of Science in Sustainability Science Alumna (’26SPS, Sustainability Science), School of Professional Studies
The Master of Science in Sustainability Science (MoSSS) program at Columbia University became the catalyst for the most memorable summer of my life. During my first semester as a student, while reading a paper for my Fundamentals of Sustainability Science course, I came across the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJA), a global database that catalogs environmental and social conflicts. That discovery sharpened my understanding of how environmental harm intersects with systems of power and inequity, and it ultimately reshaped the direction of my summer and my professional trajectory.
Environmental racism refers to the disproportionate burden of environmental hazards borne by people of color, and environmental justice is the movement in response to environmental racism. Because environmental justice sits at the core of my professional philosophy, EJA’s mission resonated with me. Learning that the organization offered internships was exciting because it felt like an alignment of values and opportunity, opening the door to international, community-centered work. The fact that EJA is based in Barcelona, Spain, transformed what might have been a typical summer into the beginning of an international, purpose-driven experience. My summer experience later extended beyond Barcelona to The Gambia, guiding me toward immersive field experiences that deepened my engagement with environmental justice in practice and reinforced my commitment to justice-driven, place-based research across global contexts.
Barcelona Environmental Justice Atlas Internship
Living and working in Barcelona during July 2025 was an experience like no other. As a high school student, I completed four Spanish language courses, including a writing assignment imagining traveling to Barcelona. At the time, I never imagined that I would one day spend a month living there. While living in Barcelona, I reached my 500-day Duolingo streak while living there, making my temporary residence feel meaningful, like moving from practicing a language on my phone to fully inhabiting it in daily life.
Communicating in Barcelona came with an unexpected learning curve, as Catalan, not Spanish, is the primary language spoken in the city. Navigating this linguistic difference challenged me to adapt quickly and thoughtfully, reinforcing the importance of cultural awareness when working internationally. My internship at EJA was based on the campus of the Institute of Chemistry at Sarrià, where I worked alongside doctoral students and professors from around the world, further broadening my global perspective.
My work with EJA was deeply fulfilling and central to my professional growth. I contributed by cataloging environmental justice case studies that document how environmental harm intersects with social and economic inequality. The first case study I developed examined a water insecurity crisis in Negril, Jamaica, a situation I first became aware of during a visit in March 2024, when locals were demonstrating to bring awareness to their unreliable water access and deteriorating infrastructure. In addition, I also developed a case about food insecurity and coastal ecosystem degradation in Gunjur, The Gambia.
In both contexts, environmental injustice directly threatened livelihoods that communities depend on, including the hospitality industry in Negril and artisanal fishing in Gunjur. Through direct engagement with affected communities and by centering sources that amplified their perspectives, I worked to ensure that each case study actually reflected the lived experiences. This internship reinforced a core lesson of sustainability science: to address environmental challenges effectively, we must recognize and confront the systems of exploitation and resource dispossession that shape realities across the globe.
The Gambia
In August, I spent three weeks in The Gambia conducting environmental justice and public health work with the Global Columbia Collaboratory, a three-week field experience focused on climate change, biodiversity, conservation, and community health in West Africa. I am a fierce advocate for Black liberation and for the right of vulnerable communities to subsistence, particularly as it relates to native and displaced populations. As a Black woman descended from enslaved African people, I carry a deep understanding of the cultural and emotional consequences of forced displacement and environmental degradation. I can personally identify with the experience of compromised autonomy and a fractured relationship to land.
This experience marked my first visit to the African continent, and it was transformative. I gained experiential knowledge of environmental justice on a global stage. In The Gambia, this injustice is visible along the coastline, where illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by industrial companies—including the China-based Golden Lead Import and Export Trade Company—has contributed to severe coastal degradation in the southwestern town of Gunjur. Pelagic fish like bonga and sardinella, a staple protein of the Gambian diet, are being captured at an unsustainable industrial scale using bottom trawling. This practice has devastated marine ecosystems and undermined thousands of livelihoods that depend on small-scale fishing.
The Golden Lead Import and Export Trade Company Ltd. Atlantic Fish Meal Product factory, located in Gunjur, The Gambia. The factory features painted motifs of the Chinese flag and a guard at the door who keeps constant watch.
I had the opportunity to collaborate with environmental justice activists Lamin Jassey of the Gunjur Conservationists & Ecotourism Association (CETAG) and investigative researcher Mustapha Manneh. Jassey and fellow activists took direct action to stop the fishmeal factory from polluting the beach by calling attention to the issue on social media and by physically removing a pipe that was discharging waste into the ocean. I am so inspired by their leadership and activism, driven by a commitment to protecting the rights of their people. As someone of West African descent, I felt proud to see my people stand in their strength and demand justice.
I believe integrative research must acknowledge historical inequities and ongoing disenfranchisement while centering the knowledge, lived experience, and priorities of the communities being studied. My time in The Gambia strengthened my understanding of environmental justice and reinforced the importance of a community’s right to a healthy, fulfilling life on its land. To support Gambian livelihoods and learn more about this ongoing environmental injustice, I encourage everyone to view this Change.org petition.
I reflected on my connection to the land and centuries-old trees in Juffureh, The Gambia, while visiting Kunta Kinteh Island.
My experiences as a MoSSS student at Columbia University have broadened my perspective on environmental justice concerns. Through international fieldwork in Barcelona and The Gambia, and coursework, like the Navigating Conflict: Diverging Stakeholder Interests in a Finite World class in the program, I have gained a deeper understanding of the systems, institutions, and dynamics that drive environmental injustice globally. Learning directly from communities and researchers reinforced the importance of centering cultural practices and Indigenous knowledge in equitable resource management.
This summer strengthened both my academic foundation and my sense of professional purpose. Applying concepts I’ve learned through my coursework beyond the classroom affirmed my commitment to global environmental justice work, particularly at the intersections of public health, food security, and climate equity. As I move forward, I am motivated to pursue justice-driven, place-based initiatives that center community knowledge and support equitable, sustainable futures.
Views and opinions expressed here are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of Columbia University School of Professional Studies or Columbia University.
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 corporations, not-for-profits, and the public.
Designed by research faculty at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in collaboration with Columbia’s Earth Institute, the program develops a new generation of scientific leaders through a cutting-edge curriculum led by the world’s top sustainability scientists, the majority of whom are Lamont Research Professors. Graduates are well prepared for management and leadership positions, armed with the scientific expertise to drive meaningful environmental change and lead organizations in a rapidly evolving sustainability landscape. With the flexibility to choose from a variety of courses, students can tailor their education to career goals, while New York City serves as a living laboratory for sustainability innovations and connects them with employers actively seeking program graduates.
The priority application deadline for the M.S. in Sustainability Science program is January 15, with a final deadline of May 1. Learn more about the program here.
