Institute at Brown for Environment and Society

Kara Kaufman '12 is an environmental studies concentrator with interests in sustainability, climate change, and translating scientific knowledge to the policy arena. In Spring 2011 she studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark to better understand sustainability and producer responsibility from a European perspective. This year, she is working with Professor Chris Bull (Engineering) and the nonprofit agency Clean Water Action to research the ways in which Rhode Island can most effectively encourage manufacturers to take back their products at the end of their use. She has spent a summer bicycling throughout Massachusetts to build the New England climate movement, and is an active member of the Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition. She also is an editor of the Catalyst, an interdisciplinary on-campus science, art, and literary magazine. Kara grew up in Chevy Chase, MD, and in her spare time enjoys going for long runs, dancing, and unplugging everything in her dorm room.