published april 2023
Written by Izzy Nobili
Srigouri’s Story
NEW JERSEY
Freshman majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Public Health
In her freshman year at JHU, Srigouri Oruganty is discovering ways to contribute to the community in a positive and influential way. As an Engagement Intern for the Office of Sustainability, Oruganty hopes to continue this influence in the realm of sustainability.
I hope the impact that I can leave is one where people are more conscious of what is going on around them.
“I hope the impact that I can leave is one where people are more conscious of what is going on around them,” says Oruganty. “One of the biggest impacts I would like to have is making people aware of the impact of environmental pollution on the greater Baltimore community, and also just making students more environmentally aware [in general].”
Srigouri’s Work
Oruganty is interested in applying science for policy development and advocacy, so she is excited by the opportunity to join the Office of Sustainability and pursue sustainability-related advocacy within the JHU community. She hopes to expand upon her communication and advocacy skills, and is eager to “get more involved, not only with the Office of Sustainability, but with more facets of the Hopkins community.”
Oruganty hopes to inspire through outreach and engagement– engaging peers in educational efforts, as well as encouraging them to change individual habits for the benefit of the environment.
Srigouri’s Inspiration
Oruganty attributes her passion for sustainability to memories of visiting her grandparents in India and to the pollution that she witnessed on such visits. She recalls the trash that littered the roads, the landfill in front of her grandparents’ house, and falling ill from drinking polluted water.
People should not have to live like this. It’s not right. Not only for other humans, but for our earth.
“I realized that this was a problem,” says Oruganty. “People should not have to live like this. It’s not right. Not only for other humans, but for our earth.”
Such powerful experiences shaped Oruganty’s environmental consciousness and activeness and made clear the urgency of the environmental issues our climate faces today.