Student Spotlight June/July 2019

Emily Goldstein

Emily Goldstein began her academic career at UofL in pursuit of a BA in Anthropology. In May 2019 she recieved her Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on Sustainability. Emily has studied climate change, urban agriculture and food justice. The goals of her studies focus not only on helping the planet, but helping other people.

I am a Louisville native and went to the University of Louisville as an undergraduate. When I found out that UofL had a new Master’s degree in sustainability, I knew it was the perfect graduate program for me.

My research on collaboration and resource sharing in Louisville community gardens was borne out of an interest in urban agriculture and how people in Louisville use community gardens. My background with sustainability was focused on climate change, and after coursework at UofL I also became interested in how urban agriculture and food justice play a part in sustainability. It isn’t just about helping the planet – it is about helping people, too.

Sustainability is built on three pillars: Social, Environmental, and Economic. It is an area of study that looks at the complex nature of how humans interact with the environment, and how to address problems within these interactions. All three pillars must be addressed in order to be sustainable.

Sustainability is a perfect intersection of my interests. I have a great love for the natural world and for diverse cultures. Ever since I became an Arctic Ambassador for Polar Bears International and visited the arctic four times to study polar bears, I have been trying to make a difference in my community to stop climate change. This goal has evolved throughout my education, especially after obtaining a degree in anthropology. I want to make a difference in the world, and sustainability is an ideal field that will allow me to include my overlapping interests.

My long-term goal is to open a sustainable tea shop. That means sustainably-sourced tea, workers paid a living wage, among other things. I would like to grow some of the plants and tea myself and to have apiaries for honey. I want it to be a community-oriented, educational environment where people can learn how to be sustainable in their daily lives.

I am most proud of completing my thesis. It is very surreal to me that it is complete. Months of research and writing have paid off.

The greatest challenge is probably time management. Especially during thesis research and writing, it is easy to procrastinate or not manage time well because you likely will not be doing other coursework. It feels as though you have plenty of time, but this is not true – work on your thesis every day, even if it is just an hour. Every little bit of work you put in helps reduce the workload towards the end of your thesis deadlines.

I have two inspiring parents and an awesome big sister who have helped guide me and inspire me all my life. I have a garter snake and three rescued cats who keep me busy and entertained!