Brennan Breen on Finding Sustainable Solutions in Unlikely Places

What program and/or department are you in? What year?

I’m a senior in Chemical Engineering, with minors in biosystems engineering and chemistry.

What are you involved in on campus or in Tucson?

On campus, I’m involved in UAZ Divest, Students for Sustainability, Engineering Student Council, and working as an AIR Earth Grant Intern with the Office of Sustainability Compost Cats Program. I also have an internship through the Chemical and Environmental Engineering department working with the Environmental Compliance and Sustainability team at Raytheon.

What environmental job/club/volunteer opportunity has had the biggest impact on you and why?

I think that working with the Environmental Compliance and Sustainability team at Raytheon has been very formative on my approach to environmentalism. I’ve always wanted to be involved in cutting-edge, technological solutions to help address the climate crisis, but this experience has forced me to recognize how critical both effective policy and consistent compliance are to implementing many of our most impactful climate solutions.

What is a goal you hope to accomplish before graduation?

Before I graduate, I want to become more effective as a climate activist and contribute to the sweeping nationwide movement demanding complete divestment of fossil fuels by institutions in higher education.

What is one book/documentary/podcast you would recommend someone looking to get involved in climate activism?

I would absolutely recommend anyone interested in climate activism to listen to How to Save a Planet and participate in their calls to action!