(Note: This post is a continuation of our series on highlighting the Climate Adaptation, Resiliency and Empowerment Program (CARE). Follow along as we share more about student experiences.)
Climate change solutions don’t just come from labs or government offices—they often begin in fields, farms, and communities. That’s one of the key lessons Chloë Chang has taken from her time with the Climate Adaptation Resiliency and Empowerment (CARE) program.
A Master of Science student at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Chang is exploring how precision agriculture tools, specifically profit-mapping, affect on-the-ground decision-making by farmers. Her work is rooted in aligning conservation and agriculture for more resilient food systems. As a University of Guelph Alumna, Chang’s academic journey began with her undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology & Conservation with a minor in Agriculture from 2020 to 2024. Her background in both ecological science and food production systems informs her unique perspective on climate resilience.
“CARE has me rethinking what a climate leader can look like,” she shared.
“Increasingly, I recognize the adaptive and resilient leadership displayed by the farmers I have the pleasure of working with for my research… It’s people of all ages working in their communities to create solutions to the challenges they’re facing.”
As part of the CARE program, Chang had the opportunity to translate University of Guelph research, adjacently related to her own graduate work at UBC, into policy recommendations aimed at reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. This experience offered insight into the full arc of climate leadership: from data collection and literature review, to community-partner engagement and evidence-based policy design.
“Overall, I feel that CARE has strengthened my skills and confidence in being a climate leader,” she said.
“CARE has helped me explore the full process of large-scale change, from grassroots movement to scientific evidence to policymaking.”
With a foot in both academic research and community-based action, Chloë Chang represents the kind of systems thinker the CARE program seeks to support, those ready to bridge disciplines and reimagine what leadership in the climate space looks like.
To learn more about the CARE program, visit: https://www.care-climate.com/about-care/