UM Green Office
Welcome to the UM Green Office! Setting the blueprint as the first of its kind in the world, the Green Office is your one-stop destination for student sustainability initiatives at Maastricht University, as well as the bridge between the student body and the university. Join us in fostering a culture of sustainability on campus and beyond. Let's make a positive impact together. Explore our initiatives and get involved today!
Committed to creating a greener UM and future, we work with the Sustainable UM 2030 team to raise awareness and drive sustainable change. The most recent project realised by the Green Office is the creation of the UM Green Network. Now, each faculty within UM has its own Green Team, a group of ambitious and motivated students committed to raising awareness on sustainability! Moreover, the UM Green Office works on three distinct pillars – climate, circularity and community – and they achieve said pillars by collaborating with various sustainable initiatives and organisations in the university.
The UM Green Office structure
The Green Office is currently made up of 4 highly motivated student members each in charge of one of the following portfolios: Chair & Research, Sustainability Hub & Community, Education & Projects and Marketing & Communications.
Meet the team:
Chair & Research
Hello! I am Achmed Hussain, I have recently finished my Master's in Public Policy and Human Development at the United Nations University – MERIT. I wear multiple hats as a public policy practitioner with strong project management and capacity-building skills. At the UM Green Office, my role encompasses establishing and managing the UM Green Network, which consists of student-led groups within each of the six faculties at Maastricht University.
At SUM2030, I coordinate research activities to foster collaboration across the six UM faculties through the creation of one central sustainability platform that links UM researchers and external regional entities. My responsibilities also include the formation of three inter-faculty research communities working on climate, community and circularity, enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in research.
Education & Projects
Hello from sunny South Africa! I'm Nieka, currently studying a B.Sc. in Circular Engineering at UM. At the UM Green Office, I am a Student Assistant that focuses on incorporating sustainability within education at the university, working alongside the SUM2030 team to make this happen. I am also responsible for managing the Circularity Projects (Swap Room, Library of Things, Re Room and Community Garden) at the Sustainability Hub! Aside from that, Jodi and I are co-chairs of the Sustainability Days that run throughout the months of April, May and June. I am excited to have this role and I am looking forward to the year ahead!
Sustainability Hub & Community
Hey there! I'm Jodi Orban, a second-year B.Sc Biomedical Science student from Namibia. Nature has always been part of my life, hence my passion for sustainability. I currently work in the operations department at the Green Office and have taken on the role of Sustainability Hub Manager. I've always been enthusiastic about making an impact and therefore really excited about this role!
Marketing & Communications
Hey! I am Katie Kirkpatrick, a Master’s student in the Scientific Illustration dual program at Maastricht University and Zuyd University. I manage different tiers of Communications for the UM Green Office and SUM2030 within the UM Green Network, liaising with student and staff correspondence. I strive to expand the online and offline visibility of the UM Green Office objectives. While I administer our social media pages and design original graphic content, I also collaborate with passionate students to increase awareness of sustainability opportunities on campus. I am excited to push the Green Network to represent students’ voices in UM’s sustainability policy.
The UM Green Network
The Green Network, your gateway to sustainability at UM and Maastricht! We're all about students coming together to make a difference. Join our community, collaborate, lead the green innovation. Connect on issues that matter, from circularity to climate action and community building. Let's shape a greener future together!
The Green Network is a dynamic community combining "Green Faculty teams," "The Green Hub," "The Green Volunteers," and "Green Organizations." Together, empowering you to work on sustainability projects with bottom up impact. For an overview of the Green Teams check out the Team Sustainability page.
Resources
Do you want to learn more about sustainability? Then take a look at the resources below!
Climate Science, Risk & Solutions
The overwhelming consensus among climate scientists is that the increase in global temperature over the past few decades is primarily attributed to human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, posing significant risks to various aspects of human life and the environment, and necessitating action to mitigate and adapt to these risks.
Have 5 min? Take a look at Climate Lab
Follow conservation scientist and UCLA visiting researcher M. Sanjayan as he explores surprising ways to change how we think and act about climate change.
What can YOU do about it? by Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown is one of the world’s leading resource for climate solutions. "Project Drawdown’s mission is to help the world stop climate change—as quickly, safely, and equitably as possible." - Project Drawdown