Summer School “Confronting Climate Change – from Science to Policy”
This summer school at the University of Bern has easily been some of the best two weeks of my life. The combination of keynote lectures from leaders in their respective fields, guided work on a project relevant to my field of study, and a climate policy negotiation simulation allowed me to develop a far more well-rounded understanding of current climate change research. Coming from a natural sciences background, I had some prior understanding of the physical phenomenon of climate change but little about the law and policy surrounding it. This summer school allowed me to explore the problem from a whole array of new perspectives, which allowed me to appreciate the complexity of the problem. My favorite part of the summer school, however, was getting the opportunity to meet so many amazing people from all corners of the globe. It was shocking how quickly we were able to connect and form friendships and I am immensely grateful for that. I got to learn firsthand that anywhere you go across the world, there are kind, loving, and like-minded people with whom you can form deep connections with. Now I am happy to say I know people from all across the world that I can visit should I someday travel to their home country. I am grateful for the opportunity to see Switzerland’s beautiful countryside and mountains on our excursion to the Jungfraujoch high altitude research station, as well as to explore the beautiful city of Bern and experience some of its local culture. This trip will be one I will remember for a lifetime and allow me to take forward the things I learned here into my future academic, professional, and social life.
David Pasternak
