Introducing Ilina

Hi! My name is Ilina and I am a senior economics major here at Oxy. I am from northern Virginia but have spent time growing up all over the DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas. I love math, which is what initially drew me to economics, but I also loved how applicable it was to so many other fields such as politics, social justice, marketing, and also sustainability. Outside of the classroom, I serve as the president of the Blyth Fund, am a member of Alpha Lambda Phi Alpha, and I enjoy spending time with my friends by working out, watching new TV shows, and playing board/card games.

I am interested in taking this course because I think studying the intersectionality between sustainability and economic development is crucial, especially given the current climate change crisis we live in. In the past, I’ve conducted marine biology research on the effects of climate change on coral reef habitats with the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, so sustainability and climate change are topics that I have been passionate about for years.

I was also motivated to apply because I am really interested in the opportunity to study abroad. Due to Covid, I was not able to study abroad, so I am excited at the opportunity to fulfill this goal of mine without having to sacrifice time on campus.

Module one of our course, Good Governance and Economics, is the topic I am most interested in learning about as of now. Understanding how the political structure of a country allows for sustainable development is fascinating to me because of how it can be applied to other countries and cases.

I am most excited to go to Hamburg because it is a port city. In our International Economics and Trade Senior Seminar, we visited the Port of LA, which was a really exciting and informative experience, so visiting the port in Hamburg would give me the opportunity to analyze similarities and differences between LA and Hamburg as port cities.

One question that sparked my thinking was how methods of sustainable development in first world or more developed countries compares to methods needed for sustainable development in less developed or third world countries. Specifically, I am thinking about India, because pollution is so high, it is considered a health hazard in the country.

I am looking forward to getting to know more of my peers during both pre-departure and in-country portions of the class!

Bis Spälter!

Ilina