Sustainable Development/Economics Personal Statement Example

The first time I recognised the magnitude of my passion for sustainable development was when my family visited the waste-site Smokey Mountain in Manila, Philippines. Smokey Mountain is a two million metric tonnes waste mountain and home for about 30.000 people.

Experiencing the immense volumes of waste and the appalling living standards of its inhabitants had a tremendous impact on me and helped me realize the necessity of resolving the imminent issue of waste.

Upon entering the International Baccalaureate Programme, choosing both Biology and Chemistry Higher Level was therefore an obvious choice.

The courses have provided me with extensive knowledge in the importance of intertwining economic, social and ecological aspects to achieve global sustainable development. A particularly enthralling example displaying the need to consider all features to achieve sustainable development which I met in school was the Haber process and its significance on the environment and the economy.

After having learned the importance of economic, social and ecological symbiosis, I spent my summer working with administrative tasks for the recycling department of the construction company NCC.

Determined to learn more about the field, I managed to attend a board meeting, providing me with a first-hand experience of the necessity of merging economic profit with environmental sustainability, and adding to my thirst for further studies within the field.

During winter break I had yet another profound learning when working at a crisis management company for a two week trainee period in which I became involved with the creation of an application informing how to prevent a drinking water crisis, such as water poisoning as well as teaching how to limit environmental and social consequences of an accident or a sabotage.

Sustaining the momentum I had built up during summer, I decided to focus my extended school project on pollution. I spent the remainder of the summer investigating the inhibitory effects of garden cress growth caused by sunscreen lotions. Having collected my data, I was appalled with how severe the effects of sunscreen runoffs were.

In an attempt of sharing my newfound realisation I sent my final report to the Swedish Young Scientist competition ‘Unga Forskare’ where it is currently being reviewed. The investigation was not only an appreciated challenge to me, but also an opportunity to carry out an in depth study and publish my own findings, giving me unmatched satisfaction.

In addition, I also decided to pursue extracurricular activities within chemistry and entered the try-outs for the Swedish team in the 2013 International Chemistry Olympiad. Having passed the first cut I look forward to the next session, bringing me one step closer to the National team.

Being raised in Sweden, where renewable energy makes up approximately half of the total energy consumption, I have lived with the idea of preserving and enjoying the nature. Naturally, I have caught an interest in hunting and game keeping which I joyously take part in with my father and grandfather as mentors. For the same reasons I have enjoyed golfing for nearly ten years.

The IB Programme has not only provided me with excellent academic preparations for further studies abroad, I have also had the opportunity to meet people from all over the world; learning about different cultures;

I have been able to accredit myself as bilingual, turning me into a truly international citizen, thereby allowing me to believe myself perfectly competent and willing to take on further studies in a nation as diverse and multicultural as the UK.

My hopes are that further studies at your university will prove an excellent investment for my future career in the environmental and developmental sector, allowing me to help eroding Smokey Mountain to less than a pile of dirt.