Student Spotlight: Sustainability Student Joins Santiago Center Through Columbia Global Internship

The Columbia Global Center Santiago has recently welcomed Brenda Rain, a student in the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies (SPS), as part of the inaugural cohort of the Columbia Global Internship Program. Brenda’s work focuses on fostering connections between Columbia’s research and educational initiatives and Chile's key areas of development in sustainability, climate change and public health.

Brenda’s decision to apply for the internship was driven by her connection to Chile and her academic focus on sustainability. “The opportunity to stay connected to my country while aligning my work with the subject matter of my master’s program was compelling. I’ve spent most of my career in the public sector and felt I could contribute significantly by leveraging my understanding of the national public ecosystem,” she shared.

The Global Internship Program aims to bridge Columbia’s resources with local contexts, a mission that Brenda finds particularly meaningful. “The Santiago Center’s role in promoting the Columbia-Chile connection and fostering global partnerships with specific localities can have a transformative impact on Chile. The interdisciplinary nature of the center’s work offers a unique chance to explore how different academic lines converge to address global challenges,” she added.

As an intern at the Santiago Center, Brenda is tasked with creating a comprehensive register of initiatives and research conducted by Columbia University and Chilean institutions. Her work is divided into two major components:

Columbia University Initiatives: Brenda’s first task is to compile an extensive review of the programs and research from the Columbia Climate School, the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the Mailman School of Public Health and their affiliated centers. The review will focus on critical topics for Chile’s development, including: climate change, renewable energy, critical minerals, water resource management, sustainable forestry and biodiversity conservation and environmental public health. This cataloging effort will highlight opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange between Columbia University and Chilean stakeholders.

Chilean Stakeholder Analysis: the second part of Rain’s work includes conducting a detailed analysis of Chile’s public and private sectors to identify synergies and opportunities for partnership. Her work will include reviewing policy priorities and programs of Chilean government institutions, such as the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of the Environment, and the Ministry of Health; mapping initiatives at Chilean universities, including Universidad de Chile, Universidad Católica, and Universidad Andrés Bello; exploring private sector projects in climate and environmental sustainability, particularly those driven by members of the North-American Chilean Chamber of Commerce (Amcham); identifying non-profit organizations funding environmental and public health initiatives, as well as evaluating regional government programs on climate and environmental policies.

Brenda emphasizes the importance of achieving practical results through her work. “I am very results-oriented, and I hope the outcomes of my work will contribute concretely to connecting Chile with Columbia and the broader world,” she said.

She is particularly interested in the practical application of her studies to address Chile’s pressing environmental and public health challenges. Through her internship, Brenda hopes to produce actionable insights that will inform the Santiago Center’s multi-year programming strategy and support its goal of fostering global-local collaboration.

Beyond her project contributions, Brenda looks forward to professional development opportunities, including participation in seminars and events organized by the Santiago Center, and to building strong professional relationships with teams in Santiago and New York.

Bridging Academia and Real-World Challenges

The Columbia Global Internship Program exemplifies Columbia’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage with global issues through local partnerships. Brenda’s involvement highlights the Santiago Center’s ongoing efforts to integrate Columbia’s academic resources with Chile’s needs and opportunities, fostering collaboration and addressing shared challenges.

Brenda’s internship represents the type of interdisciplinary engagement that the Global Centers strive to promote—bridging academia and real-world challenges to create lasting impact.