I had the opportunity to work on the Open Climate Curriculum (Open CC), part of the Business and Climate Change Initiative at the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change at Columbia Business School (CBS). This project focuses on developing a platform that accelerates the teaching of climate change and business topics by fostering collaboration among educators and creating quality educational materials. My responsibilities included assessing the platform from a user perspective, working on improving its functionality, and developing a marketing strategy to increase its global reach.The project aligns perfectly with the organization's mission of accelerating climate change content integration in education. I contributed to a system that will benefit educators worldwide, making it easier to access and incorporate climate change content into their curricula. My role involved conducting user surveys, enhancing AI tool functionality, and developing strategies for user growth and partnerships.

I applied my knowledge of user experience and product development by assessing the platform from a user perspective and conducting surveys to identify pain points in climate curriculum creation and updating. This allowed me to contribute meaningful insights for improving the platform's functionality and user experience. Additionally, I leveraged my business and climate sector knowledge to work effectively with the web services team and Nuclia, helping to enhance the AI tool's capabilities. This experience allowed me to bridge the gap between technical development and business strategy, a crucial skill in today's technology-driven business environment.The internship provided invaluable hands on experience in applying MBA concepts to real world challenges in the climate education sector. I learned how to develop evidence-based improvements for digital platforms, create user surveys, and contribute to the launch of new features like the research insights category. This practical application of my MBA skills has significantly deepened my understanding of how business strategies can be used to drive social impact, particularly in the realm of climate change education.

Collaborating with Nuclia to enhance the AI tool's functionality presented its own set of obstacles. Bridging the gap between the technical aspects and the business requirements was tricky at times, especially given the complex nature of climate change education. I needed to experiment with different approaches to find the best solutions that would meet both user needs and technical constraints. Developing an effective marketing strategy to increase the global reach was also a challenge for me. Ensuring that our approach would resonate with educators worldwide and drive user growth required careful planning and research. I also encountered difficulties in assessing the platform from a user perspective and identifying pain points in climate curriculum creation and updating. This task was new to me and required me to design and conduct user surveys, which was initially challenging. I was grateful to have a supportive team. Lauren Westley and Professor Bruce Usher were always willing to help brainstorm ideas. We were able to overcome these obstacles together, working towards launching new features like the research insights category.

This internship was an invaluable learning experience, both professionally and personally. On the professional side, I gained hands on experience with business development, marketing strategy, and user experience assessment for Open CC. I learned how to conduct user surveys, analyze feedback, and translate insights into platform improvements, which will be valuable in future projects. More importantly, I realized the significance of cross-functional collaboration and effective communication. Collaborating with a team made problem solving more efficient and enjoyable, and I'm grateful for the guidance and support from my supervisors, Lauren, Professor Usher and other peers. My biggest takeaway is that real world projects in the climate education sector come with unique challenges, but with a strong team and innovative approach, any problem can be solved. I've learned to adapt my MBA skills to drive social impact, particularly in accelerating climate change education globally. Moving forward, I feel much more confident in my ability to handle complex projects that combine business strategy with technological innovation. This experience has fueled my passion for creating impactful solutions in the intersection of business, education, and climate change. Overall, this internship has deepened my understanding of how business skills can be applied to address pressing global issues, and I'm excited to continue developing my expertise in this field.