SDG Talks: Recent Episodes

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How does Wisconsin Water Week provide opportunities for artists?

Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this episode:

• How Peyton’s art highlights the environmental impact of invasive species at Wisconsin Water Week
• Why combining invasive and native species is a yin and yang approach to environmental art
• The importance of biodiversity and environmental conservation

Hear from Peyton Schilt - an Arts student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison!

Peyton shares her passion for art and the environment at Wisconsin Water Week. Her latest piece focuses on the yellow iris, an invasive species, showcasing its impact on biodiversity by contrasting its presence in both invasive and native habitats through a yin and yang design.

Peyton talks about her research, her love for traditional art, and her excitement about meeting other artists and water professionals at the event.

Click play now to soak up what she has to share!

To learn more and get involved with ongoing efforts in Wisconsin, visit the partner websites:

• ⁠⁠Wisconsin Water Week⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Wisconsin Lakes⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Wisconsin DNR⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Extension Lakes | UWSP⁠⁠

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Do you have a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

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What does Pachoua Yang's artwork teach you about cyanobacteria?

Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this episode:

• Pachoua’s art captures the beauty and complexity of cyanobacteria at the microscopic level
• Pachoua’s journey from cultural identity projects to environmental awareness
• A glimpse into Pachoua’s unique artistic techniques

Find out from Pachoua Yang - a Fine Arts student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point!

Pachuoa talks about her art project focused on cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, which can be beneficial by producing nitrogen but also toxic if ingested or touched. Her artwork captures the vibrant colors and microscopic details of cyanobacteria.

Puchua aims to educate others through her art and explores different artistic mediums. She shares her background as a Hmong artist and her previous work on cultural identity and refugee stories, showcasing pieces that combine embroidery with painting.

Click play now to soak up what she has to share!

To learn more and get involved with ongoing efforts in Wisconsin, visit the partner websites:

• ⁠Wisconsin Water Week⁠
• ⁠Wisconsin Lakes⁠
• ⁠Wisconsin DNR⁠
• ⁠Extension Lakes | UWSP⁠

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Do you have a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

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How does art effectively raise awareness about environmental issues?

Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this episode:

• How Jillian uses art to highlight the negative impacts of road salt on lakes at Wisconsin Water Week
• How Wisconsin Water Week offers an opportunity to appreciate artwork that highlights water-related issues
• The importance of cautious road salt use to protect our lakes and rivers

Hear from Jillian Patterson - a student at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point.

Jillian talks about her artwork at the Wisconsin Water Week exhibit, focusing on the negative impacts of road salt on lakes. Her crocheted piece depicts a semi-truck with salt buttons creeping onto an expanding ice sheet, symbolizing the effects of road salt on nearby lakes.

She also illustrates the increasing tide levels, decreased clarity, lower lake temperatures, declining purity of drinking water, and increased algae on plant life caused by road salt. Jillian hopes her artwork raises awareness and encourages cautious use of road salt.

Click play now to soak up what she has to share!

To learn more and get involved with ongoing efforts in Wisconsin, visit the partner websites:

• Wisconsin Water Week
• Wisconsin Lakes
• Wisconsin DNR
• Extension Lakes | UWSP

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Do you have a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

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Why attend Wisconsin Water Week?

Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this episode:

• How does Wisconsin Water Week provide an opportunity for collaboration, learning, and networking?
• What workshops and hands-on opportunities help attendees learn about various topics related to water management?
• Why is it important to take a holistic approach and share best practices to address climate change and invasive species?

Click play now to soak up what Grace Hasse, Ally Spang, and Kirsten James have to share about Wisconsin Water Week!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Do you have a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

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The innovative strategies behind Wisconsin Water Week:

Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this episode:

• How can communities balance self-interest with collective environmental responsibility to effectively manage natural resources like lakes and rivers?
• In what ways can personal experiences and stories, like those shared at Wisconsin Water Week, influence and enhance our approach to environmental conservation and mental health?
• What role can and should farmer-led initiatives play in watershed management, and how can different stakeholders collaborate to address challenges like nonpoint source pollution?

Dive in with Eric Olson - the Director and Lakes Specialist at Extinction Lakes at the University of Wisconsin's College of Natural Resources.

Eric assists communities and non-governmental organizations in their natural resource stewardship efforts by developing leadership and community capacity to address challenges and problems related to sustainable natural resource use. Interpreting research related to ecological and community resiliency and conveying significant results to relevant publics.

He delves into the history and significance of Wisconsin Water Week, emphasizing the state's unique approach to lake management and conservation through community involvement and local governance, and much more...

So hit play now to hear what he has to share!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Do you have a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠.

⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn

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Pale is healthy and tan does not always equal beautiful!

Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this episode:

• The dangers from overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and tanning beds
• How to have a healthy relationship with the sun
• Sun safety tips and habits including protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen

We are joined by Laura Sofen who shares her melanoma diagnosis story and emphasizes the importance of sun safety.

She highlights her journey from melanoma diagnosis to becoming an advocate for skin health. Laura, alongside her sister Rebecca, created an Instagram page @sun_safety_sisters to share sun safety tips, UPF clothing recommendations, and more.

Follow along with them on Instagram and help them throw shade at skin cancer!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Do you have a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠⁠website⁠⁠.

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠LinkedIn

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A sneak peek of the Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Convention – a cornerstone of Water Week:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

In this episode:

• The history & evolution of Wisconsin Water Week
• Why you should participate in the Wisconsin Water Week experience
• A chance to explore the biggest threats & opportunities around Wisconsin’s waterways

Hear from Wisconsin Water Week speakers Sara Windjue & Amy Kowalski.

Sara is a Leadership & Capacity Development Specialist while Amy is a Communications Specialist, Extension Lakes in the College of Natural Resources at University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Both of their careers have been dedicated to environmental education and sustainability, and both are passionate about bringing attention to encouraging others to preserve the legacy of Wisconsin's lakes.

So hit play now to get the inside scoop!

Episode Resources:

• Wisconsin Water Week Lake & Rivers Convention

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our ⁠website⁠!

⁠Instagram⁠ | ⁠Facebook⁠ | ⁠Twitter⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn

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Help Kevin reach his fundraising goal before the Chicago Marathon on 10/8/23! (link below:)

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

In this episode:

• Where do your donations to Kevin's Chicago Marathon fundraiser go?
• What makes Shirley Ryan AbilityLab the top rehab hospital in the world?
• Examples of using technology to support & empower each patient throughout the road to recovery

Find out from Dr. Allen Heinemann - the Director of the AbilityLab's Center for Rehabilitation Outcomes Research (CROR)

Dr. Heinemann conducts health services research with a focus on developing and applying outcome measures in rehabilitation care. His team developed the Rehabilitation Measures Database to help clinicians and scientists select instruments for patient care and research applications.

Hit play now to discover a broader perspective on what it means to empower people in need!

And don't forget to DONATE TO THE SHIRLEY RYAN ABILITYLAB by visiting this link!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

In This Episode:

• How the IWA Young Water Professional works nationally around the world
• Insights into IWA Emerging Water Leaders Forum in Rwanda

Hear from Isabela Espíndola who has over 10 years of experience in international relations and environmental issues.

She holds a PhD in Human Geography, an MSc. in Environmental Sciences and a BA in International Relations and Economics. Isabela has also been a passionate advocate for Women & Youth's effective engagement, especially in the global arena.

At the International Water Association (IWA), she is the focal point for Young Water Professionals and regulators communities within IWA, working to create cohesive forces for collaborations and among different stakeholders.

Resources:

• Isabela Battistello Espíndola - Google Acadêmico
• Isabela's Instagram and Twitter

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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What's it like living in one of the most remote, under-resourced regions of Nepal? And how can it get better?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

In This Episode:

• Localization in the context of globalization
• Understanding the importance of agriculture in development
• Leveraging technology to overcome barriers

Find out from Emily Friedman, the Director of Innovation and Operations with the Oda Foundation based in Karnali, Nepal.

Emily is passionate about international development and has deepened her understanding of rural community development by working in Eastern Panama, Vietnam, and now in Karnali, Nepal - a place deemed a 'silent emergency' by Unicef for the lack of access to clean water, health resources, economic opportunity and more.

Emily's goal is to use her skills in administrative strategy, human-centered design, and strong people skills to lift up and support the most marginalized populations through grass-root sustainable solutions, because "when we lift up the most vulnerable, we lift the human race as a whole." Her specific interest lies in tackling the most pressing issues, including ongoing humanitarian crises, cyclical poverty, lack of educational resources, and food shortage issues/malnutrition effects.

Resources:

• Oda Foundation's LinkedIn and Instagram

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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How can art be a vehicle for social change?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

In This Episode:

• The Afro-Mexico history and future
• The interconnection between art and development
• Black voices in unconventional spaces

Learn from Tayler Ava Friar who is a writer, art historian, TEDx speaker, and global communications specialist with previous roles at The United Nations, World Bank, and Google. She is also the founder of ART|unknown. - a platform that explores the intersection of art, black voices and the SDGs. Her most recent exhibition FLOW of Change: focused around Black voices for climate action was the largest climate-inspired water installation in Mexico City, marking the opening of the COP27 Conference in Egypt.

With a deep commitment to reexamining histories from a decolonized lens, Tayler is a PhD candidate in Art History at the University of Cape Town. Her thesis is entitled “A NUANCED GAZE: EXPLORING THE BLACK FEMALE BODY ARCHETYPE THROUGH CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN WOMEN ARTISTS” which has been partially published with Aix-Marseille University in Provence, France.

So listen now to get inspired from her passion and discover collaboration opportunities!

Resources:

• Creative Knowledge Resources Fellowship
• Vogue feature

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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What role does the private sector play in financing?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

In This Episode:

• What were the outcomes of UN Water Week?
• Are public-private partnerships an opportunity to leverage?
• Unique examples of public-private partnerships in action

Hear what WASH expert Jacob Amengor has to share!

Jacob has over 8 years of experience in drinking water treatment, on-the-ground project management and community engagement. Jacob chairs the International Water Association Young Water Professionals Steering Committee and is a former Young Leadership award winner. Jacob started the WASH Advancement Centre, which focuses on provision of solar-mechanized water systems and clean toilets in rural areas. So listen now to discover his incredible insights!

Resources:

• UN Water Conference: From Mar del Plata to New York and Beyond

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Part 6 - Forum on Circular Water Economy at NYU with WEF:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Thanks for joining us for our mini series recorded at the Forum on Circular Water Economy hosted at NYU in partnership with the Water Environment Federation and the NYU Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

In This Mini Series: You'll hear from students attending:

• Manhattan College
• Columbia University
• NYU
• The University of Missouri

Find out what Luana de Brito Anton, a full time Doctoral Student at New York University, has to share about photodegradation!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Part 5 - Forum on Circular Water Economy at NYU with WEF:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Thanks for joining us for our mini series recorded at the Forum on Circular Water Economy hosted at NYU in partnership with the Water Environment Federation and the NYU Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

In This Mini Series: You'll hear from students attending:

• Manhattan College
• Columbia University
• NYU
• The University of Missouri

Get to know Alma Rocha, a Future Leader Fellowship PhD student at New York University's Silverman Laboratory, and an InFLOW Intern at the Water Environment Federation.

At WEF, Alma assists with the WEF INFLOW Program (INtroducing Future Leaders to Opportunities in Water) and other
workforce initiatives, prepares material for scholars, connects water industry professionals, plus has led students and young professionals of under-represented backgrounds through the world's largest water conference-WEFTEC.

So find out what she has to share about her research on the extracellular antibiotic resistance gene ampR now!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Part 4 - Forum on Circular Water Economy at NYU with WEF:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Thanks for joining us for our mini series recorded at the Forum on Circular Water Economy hosted at NYU in partnership with the Water Environment Federation and the NYU Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

In This Mini Series: You'll hear from students attending:

• Manhattan College
• Columbia University
• NYU
• The University of Missouri

We chatted with Mwale Chiyenge - an Environmental Engineering Ph.D. Candidate at New York University.

Listen now to discover more about her research on bacteriophage and sunlight inactivation!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Part 3 - Forum on Circular Water Economy at NYU with WEF:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Thanks for joining us for our mini series recorded at the Forum on Circular Water Economy hosted at NYU in partnership with the Water Environment Federation and the NYU Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

In This Mini Series: You'll hear from students attending:

• Manhattan College
• Columbia University
• NYU
• The University of Missouri

Hear from Gnanaraj Augustine, a Graduate Research Assistant at Columbia University.

Gnanaraj recently earned his M.S.-Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Engineering degree from Columbia, and is now working on 1) quantifying the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) from wastewater treatment facilities in aerobic and anoxic zones; and 2) characterizing the emission caused by microbial activity within the treatment facility.

While an undergrad, Gnanaraj incorporated sustainability into cutting-edge technologies to improve the need for current water quality technology and worked on projects that center on wastewater quality and treatment methods. He has a strong interest in climate change and water quality systems, and enjoys learning new things - with a particular interest in microbiology, GHG climate change, water and wastewater - plus taking advantage of the numerous research opportunities that are made accessible to him. So take a listen to find out what he's currently researching!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Part 1 - Forum on Circular Water Economy at NYU with WEF:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Thanks for joining us for our mini series recorded at the Forum on Circular Water Economy hosted at NYU in partnership with the Water Environment Federation and the NYU Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

In This Mini Series: You'll hear from students attending:

• Manhattan College
• Columbia University
• NYU
• The University of Missouri

Let's chat with Isabel Vasquez who is a Graduate Research Assistant at with Manhattan College's Chemistry and Environmental Engineering Departments.

Isabel graduated with a BS in Civil Engineering, Concentration in Applied Mathematics, and Minor in Environmental and Civil Engineering from Manhattan College in 2022, and earned her MS in Environmental Health Engineering this year. She is currently conducting research concerning the reduction of petroleum-related contaminants in water using ultraviolet lights and chemical powders with the goal of transforming water reuse in the petroleum industry at her alma mater, so take a listen to find out more!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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The challenges for flood resilience & stakeholder engagement in the Missouri River:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Thanks for joining us for our mini series recorded at the Forum on Circular Water Economy hosted at NYU in partnership with WEF and the NYU Department of Civil and Urban Engineering.

In This Mini Series: You'll hear from students attending:

• Manhattan College
• Columbia University
• NYU
• The University of Missouri

First we'll hear from Gerardo Gentil Orozco who is currently working as Doctoral Researcher at the School of Natural Resources in the University of Missouri.

Gerardo has earned his LL.M from Pennsylvania State University, law degree from Universidad del Norte in Barranquilla-Colombia, and is former public law teaching assistant. Having interned at the Global Network for the Study of Human Rights and the Environment, been a member of the Environmental Law Clinic of Universidad del Norte, and worked in the submission of contributions to bills in the Colombian Congress as well as reports to the United Nations Bodies, Gerardo stands out for his research work and high impact litigation on national matters.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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What challenges arise for you during the creation process?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What are the obstacles within the innovation process?
• A reflection of the UNLEASH process from the talent perspective
• How can future UNLEASH talents get involved?

Let's find out from UNLEASH talents Helena Karatvuo and Melody Waterworth!

Helena currently works in Seaport OPX's engineering division, holding responsibilities from climate change and environmental module development to client support and training and front-end prototyping plus much in between.

Melody is the Founder and Managing Director of Waterworth Consulting - a Private Limited Company providing a wide range of front-to-back solutions for iNGOs, Non-profits, Governments, Social Businesses and Private entities.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Inspiring change makers, one youth at a time...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How does diversity of minds drive innovative solutions?
• How can gamification be used to mobilize people for action?
• How the Super Girl app helps Azeri female youth overcome stigmas

A huge congrats to the Super Girl app team - one of the top teams in the entire UNLEASH lab and "Most Inclusive Solution" within the SDG 4 Quality Education Track!

We get to chat with team members Khanimnisa Ismayilova, Chetna Gupta, Prayog Mali, & Kim Chouard about their winning idea.

As part of the lab's innovation process, the team had to frame a problem, ideate solutions, create a prototype and test it in just 5 days. Then they pitched their ideas to experts, and the chosen SDG Track Winners (one for each SDG) were sent to the finals.

This dynamic team came up with the Super Girl app as their solution, and was awarded as the "Most Inclusive Solution" among 200 teams! They are currently building a community through the mobile app to enable Azeri high school girls to create awareness, foster engagement, and take action to achieve the SDGs.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Here's why water is important for ALL of the SDGs:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How can water & economic modeling improve Bolivian water access?
• Why should you explore the global UNLEASH community?
• Reflections on UNLEASH 2019 in Shenzhen, China

Check out what UNLEASH 2019 Talent, the Latin American Ambassador for WaterSciencePolicy, and Research Associate at Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Cláudia Coleoni has to share!

At SEI, Cláudia provides technical and scientific support in the implementation of strategies and projects related to water management, river basin planning, and sustainable sanitation. With more than a handful of degrees and over 4 years of experience in water resources management, her main interests lie on water resources management and governance, climate change, sustainable development, international relations and public policy, urban environmental management, urban forestry, and geographic information systems (GIS).

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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How can higher education actually teach problem-solving skills?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How can higher education connect to project-based learning opportunities in the field?
• Why smaller nonprofits need help gaining access to new technology
• Personal experiences from the UNLEASH Plus process

We got to chat with the InAGlobe team members: Jaime Aguilera Garcia, Sergi Fayos Villalta, Davide Villa, and Olivia Cauvi!

InAGlobe is a non-profit educational organization that aims to redirect innovation and development through educational institutions and their students. By giving engineering students the possibility to solve current problems as well as problems found in the context of developing countries, the team aims to drive a new generation of socially aware problem solvers, enable a dynamic interchange of ideas, plus bridge and save the gaps between educational systems and cultures in an ever more connected and globalized world.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Are you a social entrepreneur with a well tested idea who needs help bringing it to the next level? UNLEASH Plus could be the place for you!

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why does UNLEASH Plus exist?
• What is UNLEASH Plus? How would it help me achieve my impact goals or build the foundation of my venture?
• How has the 6-month program evolved and where is it going from here?
• Success stories from inspiring UNLEASH Plus alumni entrepreneurs

We hope this great conversation with the UNLEASH Plus Co-Leads Lakshmi Hiranandani and Bryce Watson will inspire you to apply and/or read more about the program, so head over to the UNLEASH Plus website here!

You can also find out more by joining a conversation with Lakshmi and Bryce on March 8th or 14th, where you can get an overview of the program and literally “Ask Them Anything!”

Register at the links below!

• Option 1: Wednesday, March 8th from 11:00 am – 12:30 pm (GMT) – Registration link here!
• Option 2: Thursday, March 14th, from 3:00 am – 4:30 am (GMT) – Registration link here!

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Here's how to gain clarity on a problem BEFORE you jump into solutions:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How teaching 9-year-olds better frames the education process for adults
• Why collaborating with diverse teams brings greater value
• The UNLEASH experience from a facilitator's perspective

Find out from Adam Mostogl - CEO & Chief Entrepreneur for The Van Diemen Project which helps people, businesses, and communities to start, scale and sustain businesses, through training, events and education backed up by one-on-one mentoring and business advice.

Adam is also the founder of illuminate Education Australia, where the focus is to activate young people to be confident, creative and capable people to reach their full potential, and do this through delivering authentic entrepreneurial education programs where problems in the community are solved by students. All of their programs are focused around developing a core set of skills that help students be prepared for the changing world.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Who are the Black Panthers?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Post-event thoughts about winning SDG Track 13 at UNLEASH
• How to work together as a team during the UNLEASH experience
• How to connect investors & farmers to combat climate change

A big congrats to the Black Panthers - aka the winners of UNLEASH's SDG 13 Climate Action Track & one of the top 7 teams in the entire lab!

We get to chat with 3 of the 5 team members: Aarushi Tripathi, Vipul Agarwal, & Nasha Cuvelier.

As part of the lab's innovation process, the team had to frame a problem, ideate solutions, create a prototype and test it in just 5 days. Then they pitched their ideas to experts, and the chosen SDG Track Winners (one for each SDG) were sent to the finals.

Having started out as a computer science graduate with an interest and experience in Machine Learning and Data Science, Aarushi recently found her calling in the field of public policy & development, with a focus in building sustainable solutions that use rigorously-researched evidence & centre communities.

Vipul has been involved in research projects ranging from the development of a national pollution database for China, to scourging through garbage to spur waste segregation on a University level, based on positive & negative incentives. He's currently building a platform that would drive meaningful change in consumer/business behavior in the realm of carbon footprint and GHG emissions.

Nasha is an environmental scientist specializing in climate change, & is the co-founder of "sustentabilidad sin fronteras". In 2015, she was chosen as the UNESCO Young Delegate for the Paris Agreement; in 2016 she was recognized as one of the 10 most influential women of the year in the country. She's held leadership positions within the private sector, but is now a consultant to international organizations such as UNDP & UNICEF.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Finding peace & prosperity in Kashmir...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How can street art empower youth to act?
• How to pursue what you love, even if it scares you
• What’s the impact of collaborating within the UNLEASH community?

Get the inside scoop from UNLEASH Global Talent 2022 Geeta Vaishnavi!

A street artist herself, Geeta has painted murals around India to use art as a mode of activism & raise a voice for climate change, child rights, girl child education and women empowerment. For more than half a decade, she has painted across community shelters, government schools and orphanages; transformed massive slums into walking street galleries, painted fairytale on school walls, and much more. Working on such projects made Geeta aware about the lack of arts in the Indian education system.

Geeta is also the Founder of the JK Arts Foundation, which aspires to leverage technology & democratize ‘Arts in Education’ by facilitating visual arts-based learning modules through workshops that are incorporated into traditional education curriculum. Their goal is to impact 1 million children by 2030 via artistic interventions to drive equity in education.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Here's how addressing challenges involves empowering entrepreneurs to bring ideas to life:

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What are the main climate change challenges in Bangladesh?
• How is impact investing a solution?
• What are unique challenges & opportunities?

Hear from Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC)'s Assistant Manager of Ventures Rafiqul Khan!

An enthusiastic & determined leader, Rafiqul specializes in in project management, operations, financial management of startups, with several years of experience in diverse industries and vast co-curricular involvement during the academic year.

His role at BYLC involves many facets, including but not limited to ensuring a valuable program for all involved, implementing growth tactics & consulting with entrepreneurs about strategy.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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The art & science of facilitating the UNLEASH process...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why is constructive criticism crucial for progress?
• Why is safe & accessible water important for all SDGs?
• Reflections on Shenzhen 2019 & Mysore 2022 UNLEASH experiences as talents, facilitators & PLUS members

Hear from UNLEASH ambassadors Jacob Amengor & Andrews Akoto-Addo!

Beyond being an UNLEASH 2019 Talent, Jacob is currently Chair of the International Water Association Young Water Professionals Steering Committee 2022-2024, plus the Water Quality Assurance Supervisor for Ghana Water Company Ltd. His keen initiative & in-depth understanding of theoretical / practical aspects of Water & Sanitation Management provides him with the ability to work under pressure to monitor the parameters of the water during the treatment process & ensure it's in line with WHO drinking water standards.

Andrews has been an UNLEASH ambassador for over a year, and works as the Program & Communications Officer for Reach for Change in Ghana. He designs & manages purpose-driven programs and supports social entrepreneurs to scale, plus has experience working in diverse and complex contexts across the African startup, social entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Plus here's a sneak peak into UNLEASH 2023!

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why unite youth to unleash change towards the SDGs?
• The history & future of the UNLEASH program
• A reflection on the 1st regional lab in Greenland

Hear from the Chairman of the Board of UNLEASH Flemming Besenbacher!

Flemming is also the Founding Director of iNANO at Aarhus University where he was Professor of Nanoscience and Physics for many years. He has ample experience researching Nanoscience, nanotechnology, nanocatalysis, scanning tunnelling microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and is committed to bringing the world together to create a better tomorrow.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Why should we seek to collaborate with others in the early stages?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• A reflection on UNLEASH from the PLUS perspective
• How to measure impact
• What does scaling impact actually mean?

Find out from Lee Crockford - a freelance social impact advisor and strategist working to solve complex global challenges through innovation, design, impact measurement, and behavior change. His work spans the domains of health, education, environment, technology, and justice across private, public, and non-profit sectors.

Lee has been a G20 Youth Representative, Victorian LGBTIQ+ Leader, AMP Tomorrowmaker, Global Laureate Fellow, Impact Academy Fellow, and D&F Academy Fellow. His work has also been awarded by Good Design, UNLEASH, Impact 25, and Australian Scholarships, Pro Bono Australia, and Advance Queensland.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Have you ever thought about how much human waste is in nature?💩

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What you need to do if you seek real change

• How to combine ‘low tech’ and local context for maximum social impact

• Why patience and persistence are key

Hear from Henry Glogau and Nathan Baring - two winning team members from UNLEASH Greenland Lab! Their teammates Hörn Halldórudóttir Heiðarsdóttir, a Project Lead at Transition Labs, and Sofie Jordheim, a research assistant for The University of Bergen's Centre for Climate and Energy Transformation, couldn't join us for this chat, but have been just as pivotal in creating LooPoop.

LooPoop is a reimagined approach for the management of human waste in remote Arctic communities. It closes the loop and provides the potential for economic opportunities in local communities. The current situation in many remote Arctic communities is unsustainable and not environmentally friendly, with human waste being left out in nature or dumped into the ocean in plastic bags. Starting in the bathroom, Loopoop converts urine into fertilizer and turns the feces into soil. The soil and fertilizer can then be used for local food production. Loopoop’s mission is a clean environment and a sustainable and dignified waste management system that offers the opportunity for added value to a previously discarded resource.

Henry Glogau is a New Zealand Architect working at GXN Innovation in Copenhagen, Denmark. He specializes in Architecture in Extreme Environments, where his site-specific and 1:1 projects explore the interconnecting relationships between architecture, technology, people, and the environment.

Nathan Baring is a policy wonk and Master’s student in Arctic and Northern Studies at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. He brings expertise in climate law, arctic policy and business development with a focus on diversifying Alaska’s oil-based economy and advocating for the unique interests of the Arctic region.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Here's the inside scoop on UNLEASH that all you upcoming talent have been waiting for...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is UNLEASH?

• What can upcoming talents expect?

• What should upcoming talents do and NOT do?

• How to professionally leverage UNLEASH post-event

Corina Shika Kwami, PhD is a qualified and experienced Director of Strategy of Purpose, a strategy consultancy, a creative agency and a social movement incubator. She achieves first-rate results by combining her in-depth knowledge of a wide range of subject matters (e.g. ESG, Infrastructure & Cities, and Public Health) with a ‘hands on’ approach to program delivery. Corina is also well versed in transforming and growing an enterprise by defining an ambitious corporate vision, setting out actions required, igniting the message, and creating a culture of positivity and determination to drive complex projects to success.

Aside from the technical aspects of her roles, she is a successful musician/performer, and able to tap into her artistic talent to inspire and convey powerful messages that reach global audiences. This special aptitude has been demonstrated on numerous occasions, e.g. as Artist-Composer with SIX, e.g. expressing through artistic practice a pathway to challenge global issues; and creating and presenting her radical ‘Jazz for wayfinding’ lectures, to strengthen civil society by through the power music and dance to supercharge storytelling efforts.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Do you want to create solutions, become a leader, and drive networks to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Then take a listen...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is UNLEASH Global Innovation Lab?

• What is the UNLEASH methodology?

• What can we expect from UNLEASH 2022?

Fun fact: host Kevin Sofen attended UNLEASH 2019 which inspired him to start this podcast plus connected him with an abundance of likeminded activists - such as today's guests Ana Jiménez Núñez and Serene Habbal!

So who better to get the inside scoop about UNLEASH other than the team behind-the-scenes? Ana is UNLEASH's Communications Lead while Serene is the Talent Experience Lead, and both also work full-time as Communications Consultants for Dalberg Media, a media consultancy aiming to increase awareness and mobilize partners and resources to the global development agenda. Ana and Serene have dedicated their careers to uniting media with international development and finding powerful insights that bring sustainability projects to their full potential.

The next UNLEASH Global Innovation Lab will take place in the state of Karnataka in India (at Infosys Mysore, the world’s largest corporate university!) from December 3 – 11, 2022. The lab will gather 1,000 young teams of participants between the ages of 18 - 35 to brainstorm ideas and co-create innovative initiatives through human-centered design thinking – a process that focuses on the real needs of the people that the solution focuses on. Experienced facilitators and experts will guide the participants through different stages of the innovation process.

You can apply for UNLEASH India HERE until June 19.

Follow UNLEASH: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Should we challenge the status quo and add to the SDGs?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why do youth matter for the future & our pursuit towards achieving the SDGs?

• What programs exist that can help empower the youth?

• Is there a need for an additional goal around Youth Equity?

We got the inside scoop from expert Rachel Svetanoff, a young leader dedicated to championing innovation in social impact. Over the past 10 years, Rachel has helped work on all 17 U.N. Sustainable Development Goals where she has contributed to over 100 projects with 112 organizations across 35 countries. She is the Co-Founder of Global Futurist Initiative, which aims to elevate youth contributions to sustainable development and social progress. This effort is housed by and in partnership with InternetBar.Org Institute of which Rachel leads as Executive Director.

Rachel is a Global Goodwill Ambassador, an International Monetary Fund Youth Fellow, Liechtenstein Institute for Strategic Development LEAP fellow, One Better World Collective Liaison, UNITE 2030 Youth Delegate alumna, Youth Marketplace YOMA Rules! Taskforce member, and Harvard Seminar for Leaders in China instructor. She is also a founding member of the North American Changemaker Xchange global community, selected as 1 of 19 youth innovators from the continent. For her service, Rachel is the recipient of the Top 10 Under 40 of Tippecanoe County Award, 2021 Purdue University Student Life Young Alumni Award, 2021 Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award of AmeriCorps, the 2021 J.B. Dondolo, Inc. WASH Changemaker Award, and an InnoCentive Challenge winner.

Connect with Rachel: LinkedIn | Twitter

Episode Resources:

• Lessons from young people on how to organise a humanitarian response | World Economic Forum

• Climate change, Ukraine and pitfalls of international goodwill | The Hill

• A beginner's guide to the SDGs | Innovators Box

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Ever wondered what happens to poop after flushing? Well, here's why you should care...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What opportunities exist with poop?

• What challenges do wastewater operators face?

• How can we leverage digital twins & artificial intelligence to optimize wastewater operations?

You may recognize our second time guest Camilo Huneeus Guzmán who is leading the way in operations most of us never even consider: wastewater engineering. With a Graduate Teaching Fellow from Yale and his experience working as the Water & Energy Subject Matter Specialist plus the World Security STC for The World Bank, Camilo created AInwater.

AInwater uses artificial intelligence (AI) and treatment plants' operational data to optimize the energy consumption of our wastewater treatment plans without the need to invest in equipment or modify processes. As the company's current Chief Executive Officer, Camilo aims to make water accessible to all and sustainable for our ecosystems via innovative technology.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Is compromise good or bad when trying to accomplish a more equitable community for everyone?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why is Houston a microcosm for the world?

• How have zoning rules created inherent environmental injustices over time?

• How to consider all stakeholders involved when making a decision

We got to hear from the expert working at the nexus of civic engagement, community development and equity and climate advocacy: Catherine Flowers.

Catherine lived in Louisiana for many years, but when Hurricane Katrina hit she moved her family to Houston where she was hired to develop the city's Department of Neighborhoods whose mission is to improve the quality of life in Houston through people-focused programs and strong community partnerships. She has held leadership roles with the City of Houston, Capital One Bank, and the Louisiana Lt. Governor's Office, has chaired the City of Houston's Climate Action Plan Equity Committee, and - as the CEO of Bread of Life - she even expanded their services to meet the diverse needs of the greater Houston market and helped to serve over 100,000 after Hurricane Harvey.

Within her current consulting position, Catherine works with elected officials, municipalities, community organizations and national campaigns like the Moms Clean Air Force to deliver social impact. Last but not least, she is the founder of Altruistic Endeavors NGO - a disaster relief organization that responds to life disasters while also operating an apiary and urban farm, co-founded Energy Well Texas - a new kind of electric company, and is the finance chair for Texas' first Green Bank.

Connect with Catherine: Instagram | Facebook

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Should we put a price on nature?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Do humans truly value nature?

• What are carbon markets, and how can we use them?

• What role should technology play in driving eco-consciousness? What role should humans play?

Let's find out from climate tech startup founder and Nature-based Solutions expert Joona Mikkola. Obvious by his years of experience in developing, managing and monitoring agriculture, natural resources, and food security projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, Joona is passionate about ecological economics, and sees his mission as inciting humanity to better value nature.

As a result, Joona started SoilWatch which gives satellite and artificially intelligent tools to project developers and land-users so they can easily monitor and model environmental changes. SoilWatch takes a (literal) grassroots approach to sustainable development and climate action by unlocking finance for sustainable land-use and Nature-based Solutions while providing a scalable solution for monitoring and valuing soil organic carbon and other natural assets and ecosystem services.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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How can we use biomimicry - the practice of literally copying nature - to innovate in the future?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What exactly is biomimicry?

• How has nature been a source of inspiration for innovations?

• What are the powerful ecosystem services for humankind?

We learned from the champion of bioinspired innovation and the Founder & Managing Director of Biomimicry LA: Colin Mangham.

Colin creates and communicates the value of new and important ideas, initiatives, and brands, and solves complex problems for global brands and NGOs, locally-rooted nonprofits and hundreds of entrepreneurs. He enjoys guiding, inspiring and motivating individuals, teams, organizations and whole communities to connect with purpose and perform optimally. Colin has an extensive background in the natural and applied sciences, with a special focus around biomimicry.

Connect with Colin: LinkedIn | Twitter

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Ever notice all the pollution surrounding your local waterways and wonder what the water quality is? Well, let's talk about the Chicago River...

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is sustainability & how can we break it down into practicality?

• How can being sustainable be used as a competitive advantage?

• How does H2NOW monitor real time water quality?

Sustainability marketer George Brigandi is deeply involved in the development and launching of innovative products that can benefit a business' stakeholders, environmental footprint, and the bottom line. Since refocusing his career on impact brands, George has worked on various water projects in the Chicago area, now with Current as their Partnership and Development Manager.

Current is a catalyst for better, cleaner water. Their mission is to grow the blue economy, accelerate innovation and solve pressing water challenges. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Chicago, Current collaborates with corporations, universities, nonprofits and governments to develop solutions that would be too risky or even impossible to undertake alone.

George led the marketing and communications efforts for Current's novel project H2NOW, an innovative public-private partnership that measures the water quality of the Chicago River and publishes it on a first-of-its-kind monitoring platform. In other words, H2NOW tests new sensing and analytic technologies to measure water quality parameters and communicate them with the public in real-time. The platforms goal is to increase public understanding about Chicago River water quality and empower Chicago residents and visitors to be more informed and engaged river users and stewards.

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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How can we make healthcare simple, accessible and impactful for all?

Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How simple engineering and technology solutions can address healthcare gaps

• How UNLEASH unites the SDG community to advance progress

• Some challenges and opportunities within the SDGs 2030 roadmap

Let's learn how biotech startup Test At Home Pte. Ltd. is simplifying diagnostics with a ‘lollipop-like’ device from the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer himself Dr. Vivek Manoharan, Ph.D.

Dr. Manoharan has merged academia, hospital, research and entrepreneurship to enable SDG 3, evident through the success of his Singapore-India-based startup (which is already being valued at $1 million USD!). Test At Home Pte. Ltd. has been working on proprietary home-based healthcare testing technologies - in simpler terms, non-invasive, at-home testing - with the goal to bring it into the daily lives of people everywhere.

With more than 10 years of entrepreneurial experience in leading hospital, biomedical and biomedical commercialization research, as well as a prestigious track record at institutions such as but not limited to National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University and Entrepreneur First, Dr. Manoharan is also an official SDGs ambassador, talent and judge at the UNLEASH and UNLEASH+ Innovation Lab. According to Dr. Manoharan, UNLEASH has been a crucial, supportive resource in his transition from idea to project implementation, helping him drive his next steps.

Connect with Dr. Manoharan: LinkedIn

Follow UNLEASH: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook

Episode Resources:

• UNLEASH - News

• India Today

• The Hindu Business Line

• India Times

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

"To reach sustainability goals, we need an overhaul / rethink about infrastructure to make systems that are more accessible and inclusive so we can move about the world in a way that feels more natural to us..."

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How LOCI combines the human experience, our physical beings, & tech to enhance our lives

• How web 3.0 technologies to increase safety & efficiencies

• How to build behavior-changing training tools

Full of passion with a desire to disrupt and advance society forward, CEO/CTO Samantha Mathews founded LOCI, an innovative safety training platform that measurably reduces risk in any environment. An early adopter of webXR and Web3 protocols, Samantha uses immersive learning, digital presence and web-based accessibility to build behavior-changing training tools and bring safety into the future.

Connect with Samantha: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Follow LOCI: LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

Episode Resources:

• LOCI's YouTube Channel

• Learn By LOCI on Apple Podcasts

• Learn By LOCI on Spotify

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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|Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Don't you know that you don't have to be a Hollywood producer to make good content?

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How can art be used as a primary driver of the SDGs?

• How to put development into context & set goals

• How to empower others to use the arts for social change

• Discover unconventional art in unconventional spaces through black & brown voices

Tayler Ava Friar is an art historian and international communications consultant with a passion for storytelling. Her career began in tech communication, one of her roles being editor-in-chief of “Women in Technology” initiatives at Google. Since leaving the US in 2013, she has been living abroad across Europe, Asia, and now Africa.

For the last five years, she has been a communications officer at the World Bank, first supporting their Innovation Labs in Washington DC and Tokyo, and later leading communications in the Social, Urban, Rural and Resilience practice. Recognizing the emerging use of art in the development agenda, Ms. Friar served as communications lead for a 500+ person summit in Bridgetown, Barbados, where she did her first curatorial collaboration with the University of the West Indies. This opening exhibition was attended by the Hon. Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley.

She has recently transitioned jobs during the pandemic and now serves as Communications Advisor at the United Nations Development Programme. Additionally, she is a newly appointed contributing writer at Business Insider and founder of ART|unknown. - a platform that explores the intersection of the art, black avant-garde and travel in the African Diaspora.

Ms. Friar previously served as a lecturer and is in the final year of her PhD program in Art History at the University of Cape Town. Her thesis is entitled “Black sexual politics and the erotic: The intersection of gender politics and sexuality in contemporary visual art in Africa” which will be partially published this year with Aix-Marseille University in Provence, France.

Finally, Ms. Friar can be seen as a feature in Vogue Magazine’s November 2020 issue, speaking to the importance of black voices in the 2020 US elections.

Connect with Tayler: LinkedIn | Instagram

Episode Resources:

• ArtNet.com: Climate Change Research

• Bloomberg.org: Public Art Pieces Responds to Climate Change

• GFDRR's YouTube: Art for Resilience in the Caribbean (World Bank)

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

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Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Productivity, self-care and healthy habits (oh my!) - sometimes it feels impossible to balance it all...

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

• What does "swallowing the frog" mean?

• How to determine your life's work

You may have heard our guest before as a global speaker on Tedx...

Rianna Patterson is a personal development coach and social entrepreneur who founded a youth-led dementia charity called Dominica Dementia Foundation in memory of her grandfather who passed away with Dementia in 2016. She is currently working on a documentary film on Dementia to tackle ageism in the media.

Back in June 2017, she was awarded her Majesty the Queen as a Queens Young Leader. She was also selected to speak on BBC One Show with Prince Harry during the Queens Young Leader award ceremony.

Given the various initiatives and projects Rianna has developed over the last years, she is also a brand strategist, helping small companies to understand their social impact projects. She provides support and resources for productivity and healthy habits.

Connect with Rianna: LinkedIn

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Welcome back SDG Talkers!! Thanks for joining us for another episode of highlighting change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

We are teaching our younger generations to be the leaders of the future, but what role do the SDGs play in education - and could it be bigger?

IN THIS EPISODE:

• How to promote human rights and dignity via access to education

• What tools and resources empowering learning in new formats?

• A recap of Educ8's Conference on Clubhouse: SDGs for Global Citizenship

SDG Talks got to hear from Lottie Dowling, the manager of the Educ8 Conference club on Clubhouse who runs weekly chats and global, free conferences on a variety of topics. Beyond holding the titles as HundrED Ambassador and Manager of International Programming in the first Twitter Spaces Conference (June 2021), Lottie is a primary trained educator who has travelled the globe teaching in several contexts. Over the last 20 years, she has worked in education as a school practitioner and professional learning leader on a global, national and regional levels. She has run networks of schools with educators working on pedagogical change and school improvement and delivered professional learning in a range of contexts including face to face and digitally, including through social media.

She is passionate about building Global Citizenship in meaningful, authentic ways, through intercultural experiences and working with schools for whole school transformation. She strongly feels education shapes society and that is how we can truly engage the next generation to achieve their maximum potential.

Connect with Lottie: LinkedIn | Clubhouse

Connect with Educ8: Facebook | Instagram

Episode Resources:

• Meg E-learning: the blog

• Future Schools Alliance

• Global Competence - PISA

• AMP Project

• Skills for Your Child's Future

• Edumaxi: Providing Students with Global Perspectives

• Asia Education Foundation

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Do you know what is being done to help off-grid communities gain access to electricity?

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What is the importance of mobile phone penetration in driving electrification?

• How can microfinancing bring appliances into homes?

• How would off-grid electricity provisions help rural communities globally?

And who better to hear about Greenlight Planet's efforts than the Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Business Global Development herself Radhika Thakkar? Radhika joined the Greenlight Planet team while still a startup and expanded the company's presence from India to Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America within one year of operations to include hundreds of channel partners in more than 50 countries around the world today. She also launched Greenlight's office in Nairobi, Kenya and led significant growth of the company across sub-Saharan Africa and is additionally the President of the Board of Directors of GOGLA: "the voice of the off-grid solar energy industry."

Connect with Radhika: LinkedIn

Episode Resources:

• Greenlight Planet's YouTube Channel

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

What do you know about climate models?

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Climate scientists need to find ways to make their knowledge meaningful at the local scale. We are used to adjusting the real world to fit our theories, but we need to start adjusting our theories to fit the real world, which is a paradigm shift.
• Climate modelling and the distinction between certain influences (Thermodynamic ie transfer of heat energy) and uncertain ones (Dynamic - Jet stream, Indian Monsoon etc).
• Why near-future social tipping points may be as bad as climate tipping points.
• The missing link between climate science and adaptation planning.

Theodore (Ted) Shepherd FRS is Grantham Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading. He is a specialist in large-scale atmospheric dynamics and circulation and its role in climate change, including extreme events. During the first part of his career at the University of Toronto, he initiated and led, for 20 years, a large university-Environment Canada collaboration on the development and use of the Canadian Middle Atmosphere Model (CMAM). Ted has held leadership roles in international scientific assessments of climate (IPCC) and stratospheric ozone (WMO/UNEP), and in the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). He co-authored the US National Academy of Sciences report on Extreme Weather Events and Climate Change Attribution (2016), and chaired the Science Review Group of the Met Office Hadley Centre (2017-2021).

Since moving to the UK in 2012, Ted has highlighted the large uncertainty in aspects of climate change related to atmospheric circulation, which is in striking contrast to thermodynamic aspects of climate change. Ted’s recent research has focused on how to effectively characterize these circulation-related uncertainties, including their impacts. As part of this research he has been pioneering a ‘storyline’ approach to representing uncertainty in physical aspects of climate change, including extreme events, and beginning to engage in inter-disciplinary collaborations. The storyline approach, which has influenced the current IPCC WGI report (AR6), asks what would be the consequence of particular choices or actions under different imagined futures. It thereby represents a paradigm shift compared with the traditional probabilistic ‘predict-then-act’ approach to climate risk. Ted is currently trying to implement this approach through his co-leadership of the WCRP’s new Lighthouse Activity called ‘My Climate Risk’.

Resources:

“The future cannot be forecast, but it can be explored” (E.F. Schumacher, in Small is Beautiful, 1973)

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Do you think it's possible to learn from history's wrongs so we can move everybody forward?

IN THIS EPISODE:

• Which past inequalities were further exposed by the pandemic?

• How to use SDSN's reports to create sustainable action

• Why SDG partnerships are so crucial

Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN USA) is a network of universities and research institutions across the United States committed to building pathways towards achieving the SDGs and Paris Climate Agreement by mobilizing research, outreach and collective action. We were lucky enough to talk with SDSN's very own Senior Research Manager Alianna Lynch and Co-Chair Dr. Helen Bond to share their findings from the Racial Inequality Index report with all of you!

Prior to SDSN, Alainna Lynch worked with Overseas Development Institute (ODI) on the Leave No One Behind Agenda. She has a degree in Sociology from the University of Chicago and a Master’s in Evidence-Based Social Intervention from Oxford University. Her research interests include understanding how poverty and inequality become entrenched in social systems, and how to prevent harm when designing policy and programs.

Dr. Helen Bond is an Associate Professor at Howard University in Washington D.C. and former director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Assessment. She is a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar to India and is a contributing author of the UNESCO publication, Teaching Respect for All: Implementation Guide, which outlines a curricular framework to promote respect which countries can adapt to their respective contexts and needs. She was also the contributing author to the UNESCO publication entitled, Teacher’s Guide on the Prevention of Violent Extremism, the first contribution to the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism, announced in January 2016. She authored a series of Teacher Guides for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Education for Justice (E4J) initiative that seeks to promote a culture of lawfulness through education.

Connect with Alainna: LinkedIn

Connect with Helen: LinkedIn

Resources:

• Never More Urgent - Full Report

• In the Red - Full Report

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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Welcome back to another episode of SDG Talks where we highlight change makers and their inspirational work towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)!

Don't you hate fast fashion's "one-size-fits-all" and all this greenwashing?! Well inclusion and sustainability aren't just about making money, but about changing the way consumers vote with their wallets...

In this episode:

• Explore the multifaceted components of inclusivity and sustainability

• Why being sustainable takes time and effort

• How entrepreneurs can innovate within the realm of SDG #12

Fashion industry revolutionary Romain Liot joined our episode to share his journey co-founding and becoming COO of the disruptive e-commerce startup Adore Me. With revenues growing exponentially from $1M in 2012 to over $100M, Romain has led Adore Me to become one of the fastest-growing companies in New York (ranked #17 on Crain’s Fast 50 in 2017) and one of the fastest-growing retailers in the U.S. (ranked three times on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America).

Connect with Romain: LinkedIn

Let’s get SDG Talking!!

Got a good story or want to collaborate? Send us an email at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

And don’t forget to check out our Virtual Roundtables on our website!

Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

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In this episode:

- How are models, brands and consumers are all are partners?

- How can you collaborate with sustainable fashion brands?

- Why models are seen as models first, humans second?

- What is the challenge and importance of mental health within modeling?

Kiko Hirakawa, one of the few ethical models in the fashion industry, shares her experience and growth throughout her years in modeling, which she started when she was 12 years old. She has had a difficult journey overcoming many challenges regarding mental and physical health issues, such as an eating disorder, self-love and self-doubt. Kiko utilized her experiences to make powerful decisions by choosing to model only for sustainable brands and additionally founded Ethical Models, the first ethical agency based in Europe, connecting sustainable brands with models who share the same ethical beliefs.

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Jeremy McKane is an artist who has passion for the environment with a direct focus on ocean issues, particularly in the past several years. He is an active Explorers Club Member and the CEO of OCN.ai, an autonomous network of marine robots that automate enforcement at sea. Jeremy talks about how his work with NFTs - or "non fungible tokens" - is funding the removal of munitions from the ocean as well as some misconceptions about overfishing and what we can do as a society to address the problem from multiple angles.

In this episode:

**- Why nature preserves in the ocean work for long-term conservation

• Using non fungible tokens (NFT’s) to fight for ocean conservation

• Breaking down misconceptions about fishing**

Website: https://www.jeremymckane.com/about/

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Candice is a native of Selma, AL of Dallas County in the Black Belt Region. Candice is a multifaceted educator with deep ties to and passion for community organizing. Her experiences include being a literacy coach with Tuscaloosa City Schools, an adjunct instructor at Wallace State Community College and an Instructional Coach for Selma City Schools. Candice is the founder and CEO of her newly founded LLC C-Celestial Solutions.

In this episode:

- Meet people where they are

- Deploy empathy and get to know the people

- Start with good intent

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-pettaway-45528213b/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candice.pettaway

Unleash Hacks USA: https://www.unleashhacksusa.com/

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What is it like to actually get stuff done in Lowndes County Alabama? It isn’t easy, but it’s not impossible. Perman Hardy can teach you a thing or two. For those participating in the UNLEASH 2021 USA Hack on sanitation issues in the Alabama black belt, this is a useful episode to build empathy and awareness.

Perman Hardy grew up in a family of sharecroppers and has worked for decades as an advocate to improve the lives of people within Lowndes County. She has recently stepped into the role of board chair for the Lowndes County Unincorporated Wastewater Project. Through the hard work of their team, they have obtained grants (to the tune of $2.9M) to supply engineered onsite wastewater treatment systems for low income homeowners with failing or non-existent systems.

You should also consider watching this powerful video https://vimeo.com/346751909.

To stay in touch with the UNELASH USA hack please visit https://www.unleashhacksusa.com/

In this episode:

- Challenges and opportunities to working in rural communities

- Moving from “Straight Pipes” to sustainable waste water systems

- Less talk, more action for Lowndes County

- A message to everyone that wants to help

Relevant articles: https://www.nola.com/nation_world/article_c9e95207-f612-5809-8109-0a4e80ff5575.html

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UNLEASH is a global initiative committed to bringing the world’s top talents together to share ideas, build networks, and create solutions to help reach the Sustainable Development Goals. UNLEASH brings together young people from across the world for an annual innovation lab, organizes local hacks, and supports ongoing capacity building and solution implementation.

The UNLEASH USA 2021 hack will focus on developing sustainable, equitable solutions for sanitation issues in Alabama's black belt region

To learn more about all the UNLEASH hacks please visit: https://unleash.org/hacks/

To sign up for the UNLEASH USA hack please visit https://www.unleashhacksusa.com/

Speakers:

Lindsey Broderick's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindseybroderick/

Anniestacia Miskel's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniestacia-miskel-454781161/

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Jordan Wolken is the Global President of Bridges for Enterprise (BfE), a non-profit that provides pro bono advisory services to early-stage social enterprises in the developing world. Through their multi-stage Incubation Programme, BfE provides value-added consulting, finance, legal and technical services over 6-8 months to help their clients scale and grow their impact. With the support of an expansive network of students and professionals, BfE has supported over 90 social enterprise startups from 30+ countries on their journey to advance the UN SDGs.

In this episode:

**- Access to support for social enterprises in underserved markets

• The ‘why’ behind Bridges for Enterprise

• Uniting disparate people behind BfE’s cause to advance the UN SDGs

• Making social impact the ‘norm’ and not an afterthought**

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanwolken/

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As a climate psychologist, Dr. De Vries studies climate-related issues – such as the energy transition and reducing carbon emissions – from a behavioral perspective. De Vries obtained her Ph.D. at Leiden University as a Social Psychologist in the field of Climate and Energy.

In this episode:

- Climate Psychology

- Multi disciplinary approach to climate action

- How to approach sustainability & profitability

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerdienengel/?originalSubdomain=nl

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Giancarlo Brotto is a Global Education Catalyst who engages with government officials, policy-influencing organizations, thought leaders, school system decision-makers and researchers to gain insights and influence trends in the education sector. He has served on the informal advisory group for the Skills for Social Progress Project – OECD, sat on the board of directors for C21 Canada and is currently the Chair of the Samuel Beatty Fund at the University of Toronto, member of the steering committee for Karanga, Global Education Advisor for SMART Technologies, and Executive Director and Cofounder of Catalyst.

In this episode:

- How to break down barriers and inequalities to enable fair education for all

- Empowering teachers to rethink the learning process

- Never underestimate the impact one teacher can make

- Why we need new metrics to evaluate student success

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbrotto/

Samuel Beatty Fund: http://www.samuelbeattyfund.org/

Karanga: https://karanga.org/

Catalyst: https://www.educatalyst.com/

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Simone Filippini is a former senior Dutch diplomat. Among others, she served as Dutch Ambassador to North Macedonia, CEO of one of the largest Dutch humanitarian and development organizations Cordaid and interim ED of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy. She then established Leadership4SDGs which aims to capacitate and empower government leadership to lead and drive achieving the SDGs. Simone is engaged in multiple voluntary functions and roles and is a strategic adviser, communication expert, accomplished speaker and facilitator

In this episode:

- Top-down and bottom-up leadership for tangible action

- A new framework of systems change for the the SDGs

- A pragmatic and holistic approach to problem solving

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonefilippini/

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Dr. JeongHyun Lee is an ICTD Fellow at the United Nations University Institute in Macau. Her research seeks to critically examine political and ethical issues around digital storage and algorithmic processing of emerging media operations. She currently investigates a set of connected histories around face-recognition Artificial Intelligence and its algorithmic rules across Asian countries, focusing on how its algorithmic operations are reinforcing / transforming the inequality of gender, class and race in the context of globalization.

In this episode:

- Being analog in a digital world

- Your phone is watching you

- Ethical risks of AI

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Deanna Ansara is a sustainability-focused entrepreneur, designer and community builder. She is passionate about about creating a world where we normalize as much as possible about the human experience and create thought provoking conversations in doing so. Her utopia is a world where social hierarchy is no longer a driving force, everyone is involved in the conversation and sustainability, inclusion and value systems are no longer things we capitalize on but rather are the baseline of any work we do.

In this episode:

• How to build community and drop stereotypes
• Shopping with your values to connect with yourself
• Diversity, inclusion and positive mental health through sustainable consumption

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannaansara/

Relevant articles: 

https://suitcasemag.com/articles/global-young-designer-spotlight-vincetta

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/sustainable-women-owned-brands-convene-for-a-holiday-pop-up

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Jaume Marques Colom is a key account manager at Recyglo, an organization based out of Myanmar working to accelerate recycling uptake in Myanmar and Malaysia. Founded in 2017, the organization’s mission is to process materials in a safe manner to keep the environment clean. The organization hopes to become a leading waste management platform across SouthEast Asia.

In this episode:

• Recycling Infrastructure in SouthEast Asia
• 3 R's of Recycling

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaume-marques-colom-623596143/

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Jonas Marie Dumdum is an Associate Consultant for GCSS Inc., a firm that helps large companies improve their ESG initiatives. He is a podcast co-host and head of research for Sustainarumble!, the first sustainable development podcast in the Philippines, and a consultant for two startup initiatives in Manila called Salin PH and Wear Forward.

In this episode:

• Look to the past to understand our present and future.
• Long term impacts of colonization around the world
• Impact of USA in Philippines felt today with English language, USA Dollar and tourism
• What are the unique struggles of massive urban population
• Philippines has over 7,300 islands, and each one has a unique identity
• Why we need to look at indigenous practices to move forward sustainability

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonas-marie-dumdum-msc-rch-amei-uk-57956b62/

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Ishani Palandurkar is a young professional working in environmental development, mainly on climate action through climate policy and mainstreaming climate dialogue, Himalayan mountain sustainability, sustainable livelihoods and waste management. She is also a Climate Reality leader and currently hosting regional UNLEASH Hacks in India on SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.

In this episode:

• Why we need the right people at the panel when projects are designed
• Advantages of forest cover for climate control
• Repurposing trash into economic goods
• How COVID 19 is a force multiplier for good but also creating false perceptions about the environment

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ishani-palandurkar/

Relevant articles: https://diplomatist.com/2020/06/05/environmental-erosion-during-covid-19-what-the-world-needs-to-learn/?fbclid=IwAR2TTb8qluCz9H7dtyO7hli3p8tjhZ0vpx_n69XGLYzP2KOMEiBYpcEiN_8

https://diplomatist.com/2020/05/15/petersberg-climate-dialogue-xi-pathway-to-post-covid-and-pro-climate-future/

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Christopher Moss is a Nature Based Solutions (NBS) expert currently working at the United Kingdom Green Building Council on their Nature, Biodiversity and Climate Resilience programs. This role is during an interruption to his Ph.D. research which is investigating the potential of the Neighborhood Planning Process as a means for Green Infrastructure implementation at the most localized scale of planning in England. Christopher is a passionate individual who cares deeply for this planet, and alongside his advocacy work for NBS he has represented his home city Manchester and the UK at the 'International Youth Conference for Peace in the Future 2017.'

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjmoss/

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Ella Sangree and Isabelle Seckler are currently students at Columbia University who helped found their university's SDSN Youth Network. Both Ella and Isabelle grew up with a passion for environmentalism and sustainability, and are now bringing their passions to others in their work with SDSN.

In this episode:

• The formation of SDSN at Columbia University
• Get comfortable having uncomfortable conversation
• Creating peer to peer learning networks
• Approaching the SDGs with a cross sectional lens to solve the worlds most complex problems

Ella's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ella-sangree-8071621a5/

Isabelle's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabelle-seckler-ba5ab8199/

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Lynne Scott is a high school science teacher at Principia School in St. Louis, MO. She also serves as the school’s sustainability coordinator - Early Childhood (EC) - 12 and is passionate about education and helping students serve as change agents in their world.

In this episode:

·  Making education local, contextual and meaningful

·  How to interweave SDGs into learning curriculum

·  The upcoming IMPACT challenge

·  Tools and best practices for other teachers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lynne.scott.583

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Darshita Gillies is the founder and CEO of Maanch, a platform leveraging technology to enhance the impact of capital. Working within the framework of the SDGs, Maanch is connecting philanthropic funds, impact investors and corporates with project opportunities around the world. Launched in 2018, Maanch works with over 700 partners across 15+ countries towards achieving the UN-SDGs. With an upbringing in India and a background in accountancy, Darshita now resides in London where she focuses on driving global sustainable development.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshitagillies/

Maanch: https://maanch.com/

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Dr. Sisira S. Withanachchi is a senior researcher and lecturer at the University of Kassel, Germany and contributed to the United Nations World Water Assessment Program (WWAP). He is also an expert reviewer in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In this episode we discuss:

·  The importance of partnerships to achieve the SDGs

·  How UNLEASH advances the efforts to the UN SDGs

·  Creating incentives for farmers and citizens to take action around water sustainability

·  Challenges and Opportunities in a world of 7+ Billion People

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siswitha/

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Jack is the Founder and CEO of Impact Consulting, a growing global network of aspiring and professional consultants that provide pro-bono consulting support to social impact organizations. Every client Impact works with directly contributes to the achievement of at least 1 of the SDG’s. Examples of the work they have done so far include working with a start-up in Norway that works to reduce plastic use and alleviate poverty in rural India and helping an education charity to expand its presence in Kenya.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-casey-427234127/ Impact Consulting: https://www.ic-impactconsulting.com/

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Danni Washington is a TV host and Science Communicator who is also the first African-American woman to host her own science television series. Danni is the co-founder of Big Blue & You, a proficient scuba diver, the co-creator of Sea Youth Rise Up, an inspirational speaker and a passionate advocate for ocean and planet conservation.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danniwashington/

Big Blue & You: https://bigblueandyou.org/

Sea Youth Rise Up: http://seayouthriseup.org/

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Eva Karlsson is the CEO of Houdini Sportswear, a brand pioneering the outdoor clothing space by making truly circular business. With rental services, subscription services and 100% of this season’s fabrics being recycled, recyclable, biodegradable or bluesign certified, Houdini is on a mission to change the trajectory of the industry. The latest project, Mono Air, has seen the creation of a fleece jacket which can be recycled and enormously reduces microplastic shedding. The design principles behind this jacket have been shared openly online, a first in the industry.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eva-karlsson-5b5b9326/

Houdini: https://houdinisportswear.com/en-us

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Purnima Ramakrishnan is from India, is a UN Award winning writer (2015), recipient of the IRP Fellowship in Journalism by Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies(2014), and the recipient of BlogHER International Activist Award (2013). She is the host of the GLOW Heartfulness Webinars for Women (an acronym for Genuine Loving Outstanding Women). GLOW’s mission is to create a community of compassionately empowered women by connecting with them from the space of the heart and equipping them with a new understanding of daily life, thereby creating balance, harmony and joy. This is done through the practice of Heartfulness meditation and other tools and techniques of the system. Purnima is a certified Heartfulness meditation trainer. She is also the Senior Editor and Manager of Social Good Project at World Moms Network, a Forbes Top 100 website for women.

Purnima's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/purnimaramakrishnan/

GLOW:https://heartfulness.org/webinar/glow-webinar-series/

GLOW's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartfulnessGLOW

GLOW's YouTube:https://youtube.com/heartfulnessGLOW

GLOW'S LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/heartfulnessglow/

GLOW's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HeartfulnessGLOW/

GLOW's Twitter:https://twitter.com/HFNGLOW

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Andrea Remes is the operations and programs assistant at Aspen Institute Mexico, is a Youth Delegate and Outreach Lead at the Youth Delegate Program as well as President of the Mexico City chapter of UNITE 2030, and is co-founder of the edtech platform Erandi Aprende.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-remes-706473106/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrea.remes/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/andi.bell.71/

https://www.cronica.com.mx/notas-con_baile_astronom__a_cocina_y_qu__mica____generan_vocaciones_cient__ficas_en_ni__as-1162273-2020?fbclid=IwAR2lESBI1M8jwn2BylaDhNTiNnUmdg_YF4x-UI1QvMhrZ3KjnQKQzbRMQCQ

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Akshay Gunteti is a Waste-prenuer and Environmentalist. He is working as Head of Partnerships at Green Worms Waste Management Company and is actively involved in Youth engagement programs related to Climate Action, Leadership development & Community building. Most of the time as part of work, he is always found on roads to work with various stakeholders & networking. Recently he has embarked on a journey to become an author and writing his first book, “COVID-19 Leadership.”

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akshaygunteti/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akshaygunteti/

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/akshaygunteti_green-worms-featured-in-terra-green-magazine-activity-6720195509719592962-tzdO

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Michelle Kwok is a born and raised Vancouverite - medical science student turned social entrepreneur. She co-founded FLIK, a female-focused apprenticeship portal connecting female founders/leaders to ambitious female students to facilitate game-changing relationships that lift communities of womxn. Michelle has had the honour of speaking at universities and spaces across North America sharing her thoughts on entrepreneurship, womxn empowerment, diversity and inclusion, and breaking down barriers. She now serves on the alumni advisory council of League of Innovators and as an alumni rep for Next 36 where she works to accelerate more youth entrepreneurs. In sharing her vision for FLIK as well as the personal story behind discovering her journey, Michelle hopes to incite the next generation to create meaningful change.

Linkedin Profile: linkedin.com/in/michelle-kwok-media/

Instagram/Facebook: instagram.com/mkwoks, instagram.com/weareflik, facebook.com/michellekwok46, facebook.com/weareflik

https://www.coffeeandsmiles.com/2020/04/24/this-platform-connects-young-women-to-female-founders/

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/our-path-founding-flik-spoiler-alert-accident-michelle-kwok/

http://www.herstory.io/post/trailblazers-series-featuring-the-founders-of-flik

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What does finance have to do with sustainable development? How can we use data to support lending and insurance to create new opportunities for development in underdeveloped regions?

Great chat with the phenomenal Hesus Inoma, an experienced Financial Services Professional and Specialist in IoT and Connected Finance with +12 years’ experience within the Domestic and Cross-Border Financial Services market. Proven strong leader, strategist, business developer and program manager. Hesus advises on innovation, operations and strategy to suit different needs and business requirements across FinTech and Financial Services firms.

Produced by Ben Tulloh.

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Why is it so important to get involvement from the youth as we develop our future institutions of governance?  As Generation Z continues to grow, the role of the youth in the development of strong institutions has never been more important.

So what can we do about it?

In Pakistan, Talha Saleem is doing just that.  Talha Is the president of the Youth Parliament in Karachi Pakistan & empowers youth to take action in politics across the country.

In this SDG Talks, Talha will elaborate on:

• Why we must create a framework for success to empower youth
• How to bridge the gap between youth & government
• Ways to get youth involved to support sustainable nation-building in Pakistan & around the world

Hope you enjoy it!

Keep on SDGTalking :)

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How do we create the leaders of the future?

Memorizing textbooks and taking tests is surely not the recipe.

In this SDG Talks, Mohit Rauniyar gives his insights about the future of Quality Education #SDG4.   As the Co-Founder and Director of Canopy Nepal, which is a social enterprise working in the field of education, Mohit offers a range of unique perspectives to the global education challenges and opportunities. He has been in the education field for the past 9 years working with students, teachers, and parents.

To empower the leaders of our future, we must empower students to learn via storytelling and hands-on experiences instead of focusing on the old school educational models. Mohit gives insights into the lack of access to education, how we measure learning impacts, and what we can all evolve the education model to the current market needs.

https://canopynepal.com/

https://kathmandupost.com/columns/2020/06/02/education-under-covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0X06G9RnMN1fzIyL06uAIRZSvrdvUEVsxsoA3nHOgCSeR58CarbCwOkR8

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How can we provide increased access to food, education, and safe spaces for marginalized communities? Sammy Mwanja, the founder and Director of Tumaini Hand Mision, knows that you can’t just have food to provide success. It requires addressing all the SDGs to provide sustainable development for the marginalized communities in Kenya.

Tumani means HOPE which drives everything Sammy does to provide HOPE to marginalized communities in Kenya. Sammy is boldly helping communities around Kenya (especially children, youth, and women) through livelihood projects such as organic farming and educational services. Sammy has over 4 years of experience as both an in-house grant writer and as a grant consultant to various nonprofit organizations across Africa.   Sammy is passionate about helping others and combines his passion for the environment, education, youth, leadership, homelessness, community service, nonprofits, and social entrepreneurship.

To learn more about Sammy and his organization, please visit the Facebook links below

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tumaini-HANDS-Mission-900121076699008

Crowdfunding page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/tumaini-hands-children039s-mission?utm_medium=social&utm_source=messenger&utm_campaign=p_lico%20share-sheet%20exp4vb&fbclid=IwAR15kqSmfpC_EfzN5aB_v1YUdCjKYQ2a6zFHx_q88uKS25k_I3QJxNPRT2o

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Lance Kittel is the Associate Director of Inland Ocean Coalition based in Colorado. Lance has worked on global sustainability and ocean-related issues since 2018, and coordinates both national and international programs and campaigns targeted towards ocean protection and conservation. Lance holds a Masters in Environmental Management from Western Colorado University.

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Why is mental health such an important aspect within the SDG 2030 Road Map? In this SDG Talks, Vasundharaa S Nair discusses the roadblocks to mental health services, debunks the myths around mental health and the importance of seeking help.

Vasundharaa is a mental health clinician and a senior research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences.  She is passionate about education, health, and strives to build partnerships for better SDG implementation across the globe.

Keep on SDG Talking and Enjoy :) !

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Avinash Jhangiani (Avi) is a senior, award-winning digital transformation and innovations leader with more than 20 years of experience with large enterprises and consulting firms in the US and India, such as Deloitte, Reliance and Omnicom Group in India.

Avi left his fast-growing, cushy corporate career at the age of 42 to find his true calling, which is to make our children and younger generation as future ready as possible. He founded Play2Transform, that uses principles of human-centric design and play as a catalyst to accelerate transformation for the corporate and education sectors.

Avi curated India's first Book of Dreams titled "I dream...", co-authored by children of India. It serves as an eye-opener for policy makers and changemakers by aligning each dream to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. With an exclusive foreword by Nobel Peace Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi, this book (downloadable) is a result of a year-long social initiative called "Dream On, India!" that captures dreams of over 10,000 children visualizing the future of India. A few months back, this project went global with a movement called “#DreamOnX” (www.dreamonx.org). This gives children around the world a platform to visualize the future of the world, and will result in the world’s first multimedia Book of Dreams.

He was honored as “Exemplary Mentor of Change” by Government of India’s innovation capability building initiative for children called Atal Innovation Mission. He is #teachSDGs global ambassador for India and advocates SDGs to children in schools and teaching community at large.

Avi is author of the book - ‘Flawesome Mind of a Daydreamer’. He serves as faculty for Design Thinking at many premium Business institutes in India.

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What does the India of 2050 look like and how can YOU work to influence it? Due to the impacts of climate change, there is an increased frequency and severity of cyclones that are changing the landscape of India. We cannot sit on the sidelines and watch.

In this SDG Talks, you will all get to hear from Ranjan Panda, popularly known as Water Man of Odisha & Climate Crusader, was awarded the first “Green Hero” in Dec 2010 by NDTV, received it from the President of India. Recently he was also profiled as “Odisha’s Conservation Master” by Hindustan Times. Very recently, recognized as ‘Mahanadi River Waterkeeper’ by the New York-based global ‘Waterkeeper Alliance'. His research works on sea rise, desertification, and traditional knowledge in weather forecasting.

We will address the issue of climate deniers, the importance of free-flowing rivers, how to respect science and mother earth, and what citizens can do to implement REAL change.

To learn more about Ranjan's works, please review all the links below:

Article - https://www.downtoearth.org.in/author/ranjan-panda-318

Article - https://www.sixdegreesnews.org/archives/28047/healthy-and-free-flowing-rivers-are-essential-to-meet-the-sdgs

Article- https://www.sixdegreesnews.org/archives/28973/if-food-is-the-vaccine-forests-conserved-by-indigenous-communities-is-what-we-need-the-most

Twitter- https://twitter.com/ranjanpanda

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ranjan-k-panda-bb4a7b4/

Blog: http://www.climatecrusaders.blogspot.com/

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We know the next cyclone is coming, but what are we going to do about it?  How we can design cities and communities to withhold, sustain, and thrive in uncertain climatic conditions?

In this episode of the SDG Talks, Animesh Behera shines a light on the challenges and opportunities of Cyclones.  This is such a big issue in India that the upcoming UNLEASH HACKS event will focus solely on this challenge of cyclones.  If you have a great idea of want to learn more, make sure to visit the UNLEASH hack pages and get involved.  https://www.linkedin.com/company/unleash-hacks-india/ https://unleash.org/hacks/

Throughout the episode you will learn about urban planning, building with earth in mind, leveraging simple technology, and how to develop in the present for the future.  You will learn a lot from multiple perspectives as Animesh carries a unique background around architecture, sustainable urbanism, resource efficiency, and entrepreneurship.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/animeshbehera/ 

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How can we change the story from the Tragedy of the Commons to the Happiness of the Commons?

Praharsh Patel communicates how we can flip this switch by providing proper incentives to farmers. We hear a unique first-person story from Praharsh and how this can drive tangible change for the farmers in India; and the world.

Praharsh Patel is a young enthusiast working in the field of Policy Research that graduated with a Masters in Mathematics from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.  He is trained as a BigData analyst and holds a MicroMasters in Data, Economics, and Development Policy from J-PAL, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston.

His academic interests include Water Resource Management, Groundwater, Resource Policies, and Arid-region agriculture practices.  He is the co-founder of the "Prayaas: The Movement for Grassroot Changes" that is working to develop and implement successful model for the scalable solution is the domain of 1) Agriculture and Livelihood, 2) Education, 3) Heath and Wellness, and 4) Skill Development.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/praharsh-m-patel/

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Did you know it is the 75th Birthday of the United Nations this year?  How do we know if there has been any progress in the past 75 years?

In this SDG Talks, Vidyadhar Prabhudesai explores past and future issues around how the 17 SDGs intersect to drive a positive impact around people, the planet, peace, and prosperity.  Throughout the chat, we explore the impacts of weather, migrations, how we can measure impact, and what we can do next!

Vidyadhar Prabhudesai is a diversified professional. He founded LeadCap Trust which empowered more than 10 million youth between 2007 and 2012 and LeadCap Ventures which consults for national governments and international institutions like the UN, World Economic Forum. He is a Curator of Global Shapers of the World Economic Forum and Fellow of UN and Ford Foundation. An alumnus of Thunderbird and Aegis, he shares board seats on institutions such as International Foundation for Sustainable Peace and Development, Harvard Business Review, Dalham Foundation. He is also a member of Principal Scientific Advisor’s Consultative Group, Mentor of Change, NITI Aayog, and Ambassador of Jagriti Yatra.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/vidyadhar/?originalSubdomain=in

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Why should we consider climate and environmental risk in financial investments?  Do investors care about these topics when allocating funds?

In this SDG Talks, you will hear from Colin Banning who is the CEO of TGB Consulting Guatemala and national consultant for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in the country. He has an Innovation and New Ventures Leadership Certification from MIT and has over 15 years of experience working in corporate and sustainability reporting and process improvement. Colin gives insights into the circular economy, using trash as treasurer, and what determines success or failure within investing!

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ckbanning/

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Ombretta Androff is an Italian-born, Miami-based freelance curator and climate activist with more than twenty years of curatorial expertise with an international practice across non-profit institutions, commercial galleries, and art advisory pursuits with private clients.

An avid swimmer, diver and kiteboarder, since moving to Miami in 2013, Ombretta's passion for the Florida waterways inspired ARTSail, a nomadic residency and research initiative that instigate creative and climate change inquiry. Along with a team of Miami-based curators, Ombretta recently organized the first IKT Congress in the US, held in Miami April 11-14, 2019, with a post-congress in Havana, April 15-18, 2019.

Since co-founding ARTSail with the ArtCenter/South Florida (now Oolite Arts), Ombretta’s interest and focus has shifted towards investigating how arts and culture can promote resilience and sustainability and moving communities from climate awareness to climate action.

Here is the link for the ringtone:https://www.tuunes.co/ringtone/the-coral-sonata

And here is the one for the full soundscape:https://soundcloud.com/user-82187192/coralsonata-soundscape-25-320/s-kjffR

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SDG Talks presents a mini-series collaborating with UNLEASH Hacks USA around homelessness.

In this third episode with Steven Samra, we take a deep dive into the challenges people experiencing homelessness face on a daily basis. Steven breaks down the concept that we are not talking about homeless people but instead, people experiencing homelessness. Steven explains why these words matter and how we must rethink our approach.

Our conversation invokes a lot of emotion and will give you insights into how city design can cause homelessness, what it's like to live on the streets for an extended period of time, how the current system is not set up to support those in need, and how YOU can make a tangible impact in the life of people experiencing homelessness.

Homelessness is the basis for this year's USA UNLEASH Hack which is held on October 10th and 11th. The UNLEASH "Hack" is a 2-day conference for young talents who are interested in collaborating with local stakeholders to develop tangible solutions for the sustainability challenges affecting the homeless population.

Find the USA Hack social media at @unleashhacksusa, visit unleashhacksusa.wixsite.com/homelessness, or email them at unleashhacksusa@gmail.com.

Steven Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-samra-mpa-54428315/

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SDG Talks presents a mini-series collaborating with UNLEASH Hacks USA around homelessness.

In this second episode, we discuss issues of homelessness with Shelby Fredrickson around topics such as climate change, lack of housing during COVID, and the pursuit of green economies. Shelby is a recent graduate of the Sustainable Environment Systems Master of Science program at Pratt Institute, where she had the opportunity to study sustainable design, urban planning, community development methodology, and energy planning. She is passionate about public lands, multifaceted housing solutions, and equitable conservation strategies. Shelby is currently pursuing a career in sustainable community development and urban agriculture in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland.

Homelessness is the basis for this year's USA UNLEASH Hack which is held on October 10th and 11th. The UNLEASH "Hack" is a 2-day conference for young talents who are interested in collaborating with local stakeholders to develop tangible solutions for the sustainability challenges affecting the homeless population.

Find the USA Hack social media at @unleashhacksusa, visit unleashhacksusa.wixsite.com/homelessness, or email them at unleashhacksusa@gmail.com.

Shelby Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelby-fredrickson-442073143/

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SDG Talks presents a mini-series collaborating with UNLEASH Hacks USA around homelessness.

In this first episode, we discuss homelessness from a unique perspective; from the eyes of a man that was once homeless.  Theo Parisi gives us a glimpse into what it means to be homeless and how society currently treats the homeless population.  Especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic, this unsheltered population deals with an amplified level of risk due to a lack of access to clean water and sanitation.  Theo dives into current stigmas around this population and what YOU can do to change that.  

Homelessness is the basis for this year's USA UNLEASH Hack which is held on October 10th and 11th.  The UNLEASH "Hack" is a 2-day conference for young talents who are interested in collaborating with local stakeholders to develop tangible solutions for the sustainability challenges affecting the homeless population.

Find the USA Hack social media at @unleashhacksusa, visit unleashhacksusa.wixsite.com/homelessness, or email them at unleashhacksusa@gmail.com.

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Dr Nicolene du Preez and Peter Philips are on a joint venture to re-imagine education. With COVID-19 as the catalyst for change, in just 3 months a local Balinese community came together to build the Open Flow Learning Centre after many years of ideation and vision between these two educators. Located in the centre of Bali, Indonesia the local and global connections are undeniable with everyday bringing fresh experiences to the international and local children that attend.

The Open Flow Learning Centre's foundations are rooted in a place-based approach to Agile Learning, Design Thinking and Well-being. The anatomy of our learning program is delivered through the basis of Inquiry, STEAM and Project-based learning. We value the interconnectedness we draw upon from other education philosophies and approaches to learning with children at the centre utilizing true self-directed learning.

Between them, Nicolene and Peter share a decade’s worth of experience teaching across a diverse range of educational philosophies throughout Australia, South Africa and Indonesia but have found home nestled in this naturally majestic and culturally rich Indonesian community.

Contact them for more info at info@openflowlearningcentre

Produced & Edited by Ben Tulloh.

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Saying you innovate and actually innovating are two different things.  So how does one foster a culture of innovation that creates success?

Gregory Pepper gives a glimpse into his experiences as an innovation designer, who's core experience is in creating programs in innovation and sustainability for early-stage ventures, corporates, NGOs, and universities.

He currently leadsUNLEASH+, a 6-month pre-acceleration program for teams developing solutions to address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He previously organized startup competitions in 15 African countries with Seedstars World, and ran a network of co-working spaces in 20+ countries with Seedspace.

Gregory holds an MSc & MA in Global Innovation Design, from Imperial College, the Royal College of Art, Tsinghua University and Nanyang Technological University.

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In this episode, you will hear Kleber’s passion for infrastructure and education. We discuss the everlasting impacts of the 2014 World Cup and 2016  Summer Olympics, the challenges of infrastructure, and technology development across Brazil.

Kleber Santos works at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) as an Innovation Analyst. His main role is to assist people to protect their technologies and transfer them to society via licensing or spin-off creation. At the Center, they work as an open facility that is free of charge for the scientific community and to make science education more accessible to those in Brazil and around the world.

LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kleber-eduardo/

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Isha Sharma has recently finished her masters degree in economic policy and international development at the London School of Economics. She is also currently the only student and the first and youngest South Asian Woman to be on the LSE Council - the highest governing body of the university. She is also one of the Company Director and Charity Trustee of the school. Isha is  also a UN Local Pathways Fellow, advisor to the  World Bank’s Youth to Youth Community and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper. Originally from the Himalayas, Isha moved out  of India  at  a  young age and was raised across six countries, so it’s no surprise that she is conversational in 3 different languages. Outside of her studies and work, she is an avid yoga and meditation practitioner, meditating for up to two hours every morning!

Hosted by James Armour.

Produced by Ben Tulloh.

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We often hear about the energy-water-food nexus, but what does it actually mean?  In this episode of the SDG Talks Podcast, Femeena Valappil breaks down the myths around this concept and sheds light around the most recent science around this field.  Femenna recently joined Penn State University as a Postdoctoral scholar where her research focuses on developing sustainable solutions at the water-food-energy nexus. Currently, she studies growing duckweeds as a potential medium for nutrient recovery from wastewaters and further using them as a source of food and feedstock.  Her other research interests mainly include hydrological and water quality modeling, sustainable farming practices, and bioenergy production.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/femeena-pandara-valappil-0697666b/

News: https://www.aguecohydrology.org/blog-adding-our-leaves/meet-a-leaf-femeena-pandara-valappil

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In this episode of SDGTalks I invite on Alison Lomax, the director of the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, to discuss marine mammal conservation in the west coast of Scotland (https://hwdt.org/). Alison outlines the trust’s approach to conservation through citizen science and the engagement of the wider public in the support of sighting and tracking. The conversation is close to me, as I plan to set out on an adventure race to fundraise for the charity in August of next year. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAt80-ub6Lc&t=57s)

Crowdfunder: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/help-us-see-beneath-the-waves

Whale track: https://whaletrack.hwdt.org/

Hebridean Marine Mammal Atlas: https://hwdt.org/hebridean-marine-mammal-atlas

Scottish Environment Link: https://www.scotlink.org/

Production by Ben Tulloh

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Camila Olmedo Mendez is passionate about how humans can activate their personal capabilities to alter the status quo and drive sustainable change. Camila is the co-founder of START, a volunteer organization that seeks to equip youth to create impact projects and collaborate with volunteering. Camila has been very active on different platforms such as Unleash, the Unschool School of Disruptive Design, Resolution Project, and One Young World.  In this SDG Talks, we will learn about her work with farmers on cacao products, starting somewhere with a social impact project, and her unique project to bring sustainable water solutions to rural families in Bolivia.

Start Website link: https://www.startamericastogether.org/

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/c-olmedomendez/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camil.olmedo/ @camil.olmedo

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/camila.olmedomendez

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What does innovation in the water sector mean? How do you "actually" innovate?  In this SDG Talks podcast, we are honored to have Barry Liner discuss the different obstacles and opportunities around innovation in the water sector. We will cover some of his biggest successes, failures, and messages to fellow Water-Prenuers out there! Barry Liner is the Chief Technical Officer of the Water Environment Federation. Barry's passion for sustainable development was truly ignited when he spent 2003 working at the World Bank working on the Millennium Development Goals. Barry has spent nearly 30 years as a water professional including as a professor, an engineer, and a management consultant.  At the Water Environment Federation (WEF) he works with members and partners to drive innovation in the water sector.   But most importantly, Barry is an innovator that breaks down barriers in the water sector.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barryliner/

https://www.wef.org/

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Why is proper nutrition so important?  How can we spread this education to those across Kenya and the world?  In this episode of the SDG Talks Podcast, you will hear from Maureen Muketha who is a nutritionist that is passionate about Sustainable Development Goal 2 - Zero Hunger.  Maureen is the founder of Tule Vyema - Swahili word for ‘Let’s Eat Right’.Tule Vyema is an organization that raises awareness of proper feeding practices in communities so as to eliminate malnutrition incidences which are partly attributed to poor feeding habits. To date, Tule Vyema has impacted over 400 households by making them food secure, improving their nutrition status, and economically empowered them.

https://www.facebook.com/TuleVyema/

https://www.global-changemakers.net/post/tule-vyema

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Voted as a top Indian purpose-driven leader, Pratik Gauri is a serial social entrepreneur, investor, public speaker, and writer committed to making the world a better place by creating the 5th Industrial Revolution through servant-driven leadership.

Pratik works for the 5th element group who is helping to facilitate this 5th industrial Revolution. They work with brands to amplify brands their brand warmth by unlocking millions of dollars for social causes using shared languages of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In this podcast, you will hear first-hand stories about Pratik’s successes, failures, and insights to future social entrepreneurs.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratikgauri/

5th Element Group: https://5thelement.group/

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What does renewable energy actually mean and what are the different types?  How can individuals, businesses, and governments play a role to adopt more renewable energy sources?

In this episode, you will hear from Assmaa Almaairgy (also known as Sam). Sam is a 27-year-old environmentalist and blogger from Egypt who founded her company 6 years ago.  Her company, Earthava, strives to inform people about environmental concerns and to guide them to a greener living lifestyle. To learn more about Sam’s work please visit her website or LinkedIn page

https://www.earthava.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/assmaa-almaairgy-44548a82/

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Thiago Jesus is a senior project manager at People’s Palace Projects, an arts organisation based at Queen Mary University of London, working on cross-cultural initiatives between Brazil and the UK. One of his current projects is an ongoing programme of artistic residencies for cultural preservation at the Kuikuro indigenous territory in the Xingu, Amazon region. Since its start, Thiago has produced 3 expeditions to the region, a BBC World Service radio documentary and various exhibitions including an immersive VR experience raising awareness of these populations. Thiago strives to conceive and deliver projects which utilise the arts to alleviate social crises.

https://peoplespalaceprojects.org.uk/en/ologiko-xingu-encounter/

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Kuikuroagainstcovid

http://apib.info/apib/?lang=en

https://www.socioambiental.org/en

https://www.survivalinternational.org/

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The youth can change the world!

Since a very young age, Yasmin has been involved in social impact and worked along other young people in issues ranging from homelessness and human trafficking to the refugee crisis and human rights education. She deeply believes in the power of youth to create change and believes with the right tools; the youth can play a significant role in changing the world.

In this podcast we will discuss different tools that people can leverage, especially the Global Change Makers network.  Please consider reaching out to Yasmin after this podcast via her LinkedIn or visit the Change Makers website : https://www.global-changemakers.net/

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasminlmorais/

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In this episode of SDGTalks, Simran Nanwani talks about her own experimentation with fad diets and the need for understanding the needs of your body on a deeper level to ensure you are giving it what it needs. Understanding your body includes being selective with what you eat, mindful about how that food affects you and then following up with a good look at your poop to make sure nothing is wrong!

You can check out her food blog here: https://www.instagram.com/thehealthynutr/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simran-a-nanwani-anutr/

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PFAS in the water is a common news headline that we see today.  But what does PFAS in the water actually mean?

In this SDG Talks, you will hear from Chris Olivares who is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Berkeley working on chemical treatment of PFAS and their impact on microorganisms for pollutant clean up.  His research surround  how microbes and pollutants interact with climate changes impacts and what it means for guaranteeing equitable access to safe water.

Chris Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisolivares/

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Deya Ward is a zoologist, filmmaker and speaker who is passionate about the natural world and conservation of natural ecosystems. Having completed her masters degree in wildlife filmmaking two years ago, Deya has worked at the BBC on David Attenborough’s landmark series Seven World’s One Planet and is now working with another production company on a wildlife series produced for Netflix. Although Deya is an advocate of all wildlife, her hero is the orangutan, and she spent 8 months living with these animals in the jungles of Borneo where she also picked up her impressive Idonesian skills.

#Begins at 08:00 minutes

Film : ‘The Lost Person of the Forest’ a film by Deya https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1BjqViv0HU&t=15s

Bbc palm oil article: Written during my time at the BBC working on Seven Worlds One Planet: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1Wbwgx6HCMbF8SrnSTMt08b/palm-oil-how-you-can-save-asia-s-jungles

Tree app: https://www.thetreeapp.org

George monbiot articles: ‘Climate Breakdown article archive: https://www.monbiot.com/category/climate-change/”

Forest 500: Online ranking of 500 leading deforestation drivers https://forest500.org

Championing Change - Episode 1 Deya: https://vimeo.com/328875463 (I mentioned some of these anecdotes in the podcast!)

Edited by Kitty Mccargo-Walklate and Ben Tulloh, bentulloh@gmail.com.

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Sustainable Farming is not a myth. In fact, we have the capacity to grow more, eat healthier and live in harmony with mother earth… if we are willing to change our practices. In this SDG Talks, you will hear from sustainable agricultural specialist George Chapman on a range of topics around sustainable farming.

George is a 24 year old Australian that grew up on a Tea Tree farm and developed an interest in agriculture at a young age. He is currently pursuing a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security and works as a graduate fellow for the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. George has a strong interest and passion for regenerative agriculture and has helped develop a demonstration farm on his family's farm in Kenya (www.ololofarm.com) where they aim to educate and train Kenya’s youth in regenerative, organic agriculture. He was selected as a Global Changemaker in 2019 and as a co-creator and host of the Young Changemakers Podcast series. George hopes to share the pivotal role of youth in creating positive social and environmental change.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-chapman/

Young Change Maker Podcast Series: https://www.global-changemakers.net/podcast

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In this SDG Talks podcast we hear more about Corina Shika Kwami's journey and experiences working on infrastructure, health and tech projects from over 10 countries around the world. Corina comes from a broad background, and has recently completed here PhD in Civil, environmental and geomatic engineering from the University College of London, focusing on innovations in the governance of water utilities and infrastructure in Colombia. With a unique set of STEM and arts experiences, Corina strives to influence social change and drive the development of sustainable cities and communities.

The discussion closes with Corina sharing her experiences as firstly a talent (17'), then facilitator of the following UNLEASH innovation labs (2018', 19') and finally at this year's Covid-19 hackathon.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corina-shika-kwami-phd-668147a/

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In this SDG Talks podcast we will explore the "forgotten SDG 16" through positive storytelling with Kasha Slavner. By sharing stories of people who have triumphantly overcome adversity, we can learn about what it means to make the world a better place despite all obstacles.

Kasha Sequoia Slavner started The Global Sunrise Project which is multi-award-winning GEN-Z documentary that creates positive impact media. Kasha is a recognized global youth leader, Kim Phuc Peace & Diana Award recipient, 10x UN Youth delegate, UN Solutions Summit youth adjudicator, and one of the Voices of SDG16+. She uses her storytelling platform to conduct educational outreach, screenings, exhibitions and workshops to inspire & empower youth civic action for the Sustainable Development. Her documentary, The Sunrise Storyteller, has travelled to 60+film festivals and won 28 awards including the Ron Kovic Peace Prize and the Eva Haller Women Transforming Media Award.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasha-sequoia-slavner-64b83a70/

Movie Trailer: https://vimeo.com/207300702

Sunrise Storyteller website: http://thesunrisestoryteller.com/

Global Sunrise Project Website: https://www.theglobalsunriseproject.com/

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In this SDGTalks we turn the tables on one of our hosts, Kevin Sofen, and discuss his journey and social enterprise Wristponsible, an organisation which raises financial capital and social awareness for water projects aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.  You will hear about how Kevin approaches water projects and discuss the specific water opportunities in Flint.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-sofen/

Wristsponsible: https://wristsponsible.com/ 

Flint Water Opportunity: https://youtu.be/tcG628XJN-4

Who is Wristsponsible: https://youtu.be/KjAut-ichok 

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In this SDG Talks with Kelsey Zlevor, we discuss urban planning, the impact of COVID-19 on public spaces, and how the urban framework plays a significant role in the UN SDG 2030 roadmap.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kzlevor/

Kelsey Zlevor’s understanding of the role of place-- where we live, work, and play -- stems from her multidisciplinary background education in Environmental Science and Master's of Community and Regional Planning.  Kelsey currently practices at Cameron McCarthy Landscape Architecture and Planning in Oregon with expertise in land use and parks and recreation planning, and consulting for public sector clients.  She serves as chair of the City of Eugene's Sustainability Commission to help craft innovative environmental policy recommendations to City Council.  She was recently appointed to the Middle Housing Model Code Technical Advisory Committee for the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, an entity developing landmark statewide housing code that enables increased housing density on single-famly lots: the first of its kind in the United States.

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In this episode with Sayanti Sengupta we discuss the ripple effects around climate change and the small actions individuals can make to have a positive impact on the macro environment.

Sayanti Sengupta, based in Berlin, is currently finishing her Master thesis on how social protection can help in climate adaptation. After her first masters in water management in Mumbai, she worked across slums and villages in India to help people get access to safe water, menstruation and sanitation facilities. She has worked as a consultant to the Red Cross Climate Centre, Bread for the World, and ITAD, and is passionate to work in the intersection between SDG6 and SDG13, bringing climate and water management together. She is also an English editor and coordinator for 17 goals magazine.

Her solution from UNLEASH to bring sustainable hygiene products to females in India can be seen here.

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In this podcast with Radhika Ralhan we discuss key collaborative actions that are required to scale up SDGs, SDGs in Indian Context, how the private sector is contributing to advance the SDGs agenda, and why we can’t keep writing fancy reports without action.

Radhika Ralhan is a Global Impact Young Leader from India, awarded by the prestigious Atlas Corps Fellowship 2020. She is a sustainability systems expert, with a decade long work experience of driving the SDGs agenda by curating innovative SDGs Drivers Forum, leading one of its kind research on Assessing the SDGS in Indian context. She has been appointed by the Government of India, Bureau of Indian Standards, as a drafting expert to formulate the first of its kind CSR Standards that are aligned with SDGs. She is based in DC and is working with Collaborating for Resilience (CoRe). The Collaborating for Resilience is an international organization working in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America to strengthen equitable environmental governance in interconnected resource domains and landscapes by fostering institutional innovation, and strengthening local development processes with an aim to create resilient communities.

To connect with Radhika please visit her LinkedIn and review the below links to learn more.

Linkedin Profile

Radhika interview by UN SDSN on SDGs

SDGs Drivers Forum

Forums on Sustainability

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Camilo Huneeus Guzmán is an industrial Chemical Engineer with international experience in engineering, public policy and emergency response.  Camilo currently works at United Nations Development Program within water management and focuses on water innovation and transboundary water management.  Camilo was a graduate teaching fellow at Yale University and you can learn much more about his past experiences via the links below:

Linkedin Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camilohuneeus/

Digital Transformation and the Promise of AI: https://medium.com/datadriveninvestor/digital-water-transformation-the-promise-of-artificial-intelligence-7d88fb07e79b?source=friends_link&sk=c8930e2de01808ac9385d8ec353e3b3e 

Airs of Innovation https://medium.com/@PNUDperu/airs-of-innovation-policy-and-science-in-action-7b2b36f42c22 

Water and Climate Change https://environment.yale.edu/blog/2016/12/water-and-climate-change-the-first-water-day-at-a-cop/ 

Copss and Oceans: https://www.latercera.com/noticia/calentamiento-global-4/ 

How to protect our soils: https://www.emol.com/noticias/Tecnologia/2017/12/05/886092/Desde-el-compost-hasta-dejar-crecer-el-pasto-5-tips-para-cuidar-el-suelo-en-su-dia.html

Humans Water Solutions : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmZczvC1Mzc

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Luke Barbagallo’s mission is to be an active participant 
in a collective journey towards social, economic and environmental sustainability. He is driven by an inquisitive nature and an unwavering commitment to realizing a better tomorrow. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukebarbagallo/)

Luke believes that strong community engagement and agency is the key to successful and sustainable communities, and I’m passionate about connecting local change-makers with government and private business in order to facilitate long term and meaningful change in our communities.

Currently, Luke leads Partnerships & Programs @ Pollinate Group. Pollinate Group empowers women as leaders of change to distribute household products, such as solar lights and cooking appliances, that improve health, save time and save money for the world’s most neglected communities. https://pollinategroup.org/

In November 2019 Luke participated in UNLEASH 2019 with a focus on SDG 13 - Climate Action. He solution called Canary can be found here: https://unleash.org/solutions/canary/

Other relevant links about Luke’s past work can be seen at the links below:

-https://www.pedestrian.tv/money/social-consciousness-career/

-https://www.rmit.edu.au/news/all-news/2020/jan/rmit-alumnus-finds-his-calling-helping-disadvantaged-in-india-an

-https://www.rmitlaunchpad.com/profiles/177-luke-barbagallos-journey-to-social-enterprise

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Abishek Dutta is currently a PhD student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. He is Pursuing a PhD in Environmental Engineering Thesis work in the Water-Energy Nexus, with a main focus on energy and resource recovery from wastewater to make wastewater treatment cyclic in nature. His past experiences include water and wastewater treatment, biofuel industry, microbiology, river restoration and cell biology.

At UNLEASH 2019, Abishek worked on an initiative, (called SNKX) to create awareness on untreated wastewater among the public by starting off with education in schools to kids. These kids can act as drivers for change in society by spreading awareness about the problem. The phase 2 is to use an App for direct access to water quality on the coasts. This gives the public access to how clean the beaches are around them. Overall SNKX believes awareness among people will push for change and with this new demand for change there will be political action.

https://unleash.org/solutions/s-n-k-x/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhishekdutta1094/

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Zahin Razeen is a math and statistics graduate from the University of Glasgow in Scotland. A little over a year ago in his home city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Zahin founded Hydroquo, an organization which ensures water security by leveraging AI and big data analytics. This is not his first venture, and he openly admits he is an avid learner and futurist who relishes designing disruptive solutions which utilize deep tech methodologies.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zahinrazeen/

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Grace Kwak is currently in her final year of undergraduate studies as a Life Sciences major at Yale-NUS College. Grace has had a special focus on research public health projects such as adolescent suicide in South Korea and vaccination confidence in Singapore. After graduating in May 2020, she will be starting medical school in Duke-NUS Medical School (https://www.linkedin.com/in/research-assistant-health/)

At UNLEASH, Grace’s team created a unique idea around incentivizing people in India to use bathroom. "PoopIT" seeks to create a digital credit-based system where users gain credits for using the toilets; these credits can be used to buy desired products at retail stores. The “poop card” will be a physical and digital card, linked to a digital wallet (which can be accessed by both more high-tech smartphones and simple Nokia phone users, alike). Users simply need to tap in and tap out after using the toilet to earn credits. PoopIT is planning to use a system with simple radio frequency identification technology and a time algorithm to monitor toilet usage and prevent people from tapping in & out at toilet facilities to just earn credits without actually using them. We believe that this external motivator of rewards, coupled with educational campaigns to educate people on the issue of open defecation, will instill an internal motivation to start using toilets and promote sanitation. To learn about the solution, considering viewing this link: https://unleash.org/solutions/poop-card/

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Muhammad Miqdad (https://www.linkedin.com/in/smiqdad/) is a chemical engineering and economics graduate from the University of Rochester in New York. Currently, Muhammad is working as a global operations manager for Every water, an organization based in Karachi, Pakistan where he supports the international expansion of emerging water based clean technologies. Above all, Muhammad is an individual passionate about utilizing modern technology to improve peoples lives.

You can learn more about his startup here http://www.campustimes.org/2019/02/17/ur-senior-plays-key-role-water-filter-startup/and see his Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/smuhammad.miqdad

Please give us your feedback on this episode in the review or drop us a note at sdgtalkspodcast@gmail.com !

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Welcome to the first episode of the SDG Talks Podcast! As this is a work in progress, we ask for your feedback so this can improve over time.

The goal of this podcast is to create ongoing discussion around the SDG Goals on a daily basis. After many talents had an amazing experience at the UNLEASH 2019 event in Shenzhen China, we were hungry for more progress. While the experience was amazing, we thought: "What happens after the event?". How can we keep the momentum going for 365 days of every year for the rest of time?

In this first podcast, with Claudia Coleoni, (www.linkedin.com/in/claudiacoleoni/) we learn about the dynamics of nature based solutions and various water crises in Latin America. Claudia is a Researcher at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Latin America Centre and an academic visitor at the University of Oxford, where she completed her MSc degree in Water Science, Policy and Management. At SEI, she provides technical and scientific support in the implementation of strategies and projects related to water management, river basin planning and sustainable sanitation. Currently, she has been working on the Bolivia WATCH Project - or WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) Thinking Connected to Hydrology - to ensure both clean and available water in priority river basins in Bolivia, and on the Water Beyond Boundaries initiative in the Magdalena-Cauca river basin, Colombia. Claudia’s work seeks to implement the 2020-2024 SEI’s strategy around the SDGs in Latin America.

At the UNLEASH Innovation Lab in Shenzhen, Claudia contributed to the SDG 6 Water and Sanitation by co-creating Yaku (https://unleash.org/solutions/yaku/), a solution to address the gap between water intermittent supplies coming from water tanks and the user's need for clean, reliable and affordable water supply in the peri-urban areas of Cochabamba, Bolivia.