Hargun Rekhi

Hargun Rekhi is a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Arts & Science, majoring in Environmental Science with minors in Psychology and Environment and Behavior. She is also completing the Certificate of Sustainability.

Hargun participated in ENV461H: The U of T Campus as a Living Lab of Sustainability, a course focused on sustainable solutions for the University. As part of this course, Hargun and her project team worked with the President’s Advisory Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability (CECCS) to develop a report that shares expanded recommendations for Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) at the University of Toronto.

Through her coursework, Hargun conducted a literature review on CLL frameworks and interviewed academic leaders from other postsecondary institutions to inform the expanded recommendations. In doing so, she learned to manage and synthesize large datasets to produce a concise and publicly accessible report, while broadening her insights on how to creatively approach sustainability issues within feasibility constraints. 

As Hargun spoke with academic leaders on sustainability at their institutions, she found these conversations especially valuable. They not only differed from her typical interactions with faculty and peers, but also showed her the value of working with multiple contributors with differing strengths and perspectives. As Hargun shared,

 “I had the opportunity to speak with various people in the field of sustainability who were all aiming to achieve the same goals using different methods that allowed them to focus on their strengths. It highlighted that in the workforce, there’s no one strict way to achieve goals and that responsibilities in efficient employment spaces are delegated according to individual strengths. It made me realize that after I graduate, I can choose to specialize in areas that not only interest me but are specifically suited to my skill sets.”

Since this experience, Hargun had the opportunity to complete a Work Study position with the CECCS and felt empowered to pursue an independent research project that she will begin next year.

Research Type(s): Research-Directed Courses, Work Study Program