After graduating from Johns Hopkins University in 2018 with a degree in Environmental Engineering, Lucas sought to develop climate adaptation strategies with particular focus on fortifying marginalized communities. He was drawn to UC Berkeley’s Master of Development Practice program, where he is currently developing an interdisciplinary understanding of global power structures and the role of renewable energy in climate adaptation. Constantly questioning existing practices, he hopes to combine his experience in small-scale nonprofit work with his engineering background to find equitable paths forward in the climate transition.
Lucas is thrilled to be spending the summer in Guatemala working with Voces y Manos. In the summer of 2019, his primary task will be to formulate and conduct a culturally-sensitive baseline survey and needs assessment for Voces y Manos’ climate resiliency projects in partnership with indigenous scholarship recipients. He believes strong communities and youth leadership provide the foundation for positive change, and is eager to join VyM’s efforts to ensure sustainable welfare for the communities of Rabinal. A native speaker of Spanish and English, Lucas was born in Santiago de Chile and raised in Redondo Beach, California.
