Priyanga Pugazh

I’m Priyanga, meaning “lovable person, or their presence makes the place more happy”.

During my teenage years, I used to love going to Marina Beach for sunrise which was and still is my most-liked part of the day. At that moment, I realized how small and insignificant I was in comparison to the vastness and complexity of the world. And yet, at the same time, I felt a sense of connection and belonging, I realized that we are all part of a larger ecosystem and that everything we do has an impact on the world around us which was one of the inspirations to choose ‘Sustainability and Energy management’ as an Undergrad degree from Stella Maris College, University of Madras.

I enjoyed the whole multidisciplinary learning process. I majored in Renewable Energy and minored in Energy studies securing two consecutive General Proficiency (2017 & 2018) and I was also a part of the ‘Core committee’ of the department. Taking various internships made me realize that working in sustainability is much deeper rooted than it is in books, and towards the end of the course I was left with numerous questions and cravings to obtain answers, which landed me with the desire to expand my knowledge of the environment and urge for finding solutions to today's environmental challenges, which led me to study Master's degree in Environmental Sciences from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.

My higher education has given me a firm understanding of sustainability principles, as well as vital technical abilities that will enable me to tackle difficult environmental challenges and fine-tune my skills in Environmental law & policies, Toxicology, Biodiversity and Conservation, EIA, and GIS. I also worked on a 6 month long research project in toxicology, a TANSCHE-funded program, in which my part of the research was on “Effects of selected antibiotics on germination and plant growth of ladies finger.” I also worked on a minor self-interest project on ‘sustainable packaging -using edible films’ during UG.

A career in sustainability means a lot to me. It's not just a job or a profession, but a calling to make a positive impact on the world. I spent 6 months as a Research Analyst at SEPA, a non-profit organization that works on Sustainability, where I was part of India’s biggest renewable energy expo REI-Delhi 2022. Currently, I teach ‘Environment and Sustainability’ and ‘Global Challenges’, Foundation courses providing Environmental literacy to students at Sai University, Chennai. I have a strong sense of purpose and a desire to work toward a future that leads to sustainability. In the near future, I plan to pursue a master's degree or one-year program with adequate funding and might pursue a PhD later on.

Fun facts about me: I’m almost 6 foot tall (not so common here), I'm always up for having Chai (tea) and small talk, I love being around animals and I value little moments and little things above all else.

I am excited to welcome Priyanga to our community. She is now one of my teaching fellows for SaiU’s Global Challenges class. I already know that she is assiduous and I can not only rely upon her but anticipate her valuable insights into not only environmental and sustainability matters but given her quick grasp of complexity, other challenges.