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Alain Kilajian did his MPhil Engineering for Sustainable Development from 2016 to 2017. Now he is based in London and works as the Senior Sustainability Specialist at the International Hydropower Association. Under the new S&C mentorship programme, Alain was paired with current student Santiago:

The Hub have revamped the entire notion of sustainability at Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çwith exciting new programmes, such as the Living Lab and the new mentorship scheme. I have had the pleasure to be one of the first mentors of the initiative. I was paired with Santiago – a current student at Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çwith a passion for sustainability. Over the last few months, Santiago and I have had discussions about everything from job applications, thesis writing and the best pubs at Wolfson. We also talk about mental health, managing heavy workloads and our visions of a sustainable future. It has been fantastic getting to know Santiago and I really encourage other Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çalumni to join the mentorship programme. The Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çcommunity is diverse and motivating. We have so much potential to learn from one another. The new mentoring initiative is a great way to bridge the gap between current and previous Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çstudents to help us help each other and ultimately help the planet!

As an alumnus, I am so proud to see the recent work that has been done by the Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çSustainability and Conservation (S&C) Hub. Sustainability is all about continuity and long-term impacts. I was worried that the work we had done in 2016-2017 could get lost if there wasn’t a group or individual ready to take the baton forward. The S&C Hub has gone way beyond taking the baton forward.

S&C Mentorship Programme

Providing avenues for Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çalumni, Fellows or friends to mentor the Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çstudent body and staff, creating cross-talk, training and knowledge transfer across our international community. Being a mentor is as involved or low maintenance as desired, from a casual chat every now and then, to advising on projects, to actively supervising students academically or otherwise.

Interested in hearing more or becoming a mentor? Email us to arrange a chat: sc-hub@wolfson.cam.ac.uk

For more information about the Hub's activities, visit the .

More about Alain

Alain's work involves working with governments, NGOs, industry and financial institutions to increase the sustainability performance of hydropower projects – or in other words, to ensure hydropower projects can provide clean energy while protecting the health of rivers and local communities. He is currently leading the development of a global sustainability standard for hydropower. His career has taken him down the path of renewable energies, but he loves all things sustainability.