Iris Hochwalt

I joined Sustainability Ambassadors because I want to help enact positive change in the world through advancing a sustainable future. I’m particularly passionate about the circular economy and green buildings, although I am also a major public transit nerd (with a soft spot for well-designed train networks). Most of my work at Sustainability Ambassadors centers around incorporating math into Sustainability Ambassadors’ lesson plans. I like to knit and sew my own clothes as part of an attempt to reduce my water and carbon footprint; this is part of my Impact Project. My favorite subjects are biology and mathematics; I also enjoy all other sciences, reading, writing, and learning languages (my current language of choice is French). Philosophy, ethics, and epistemology fascinate me as well, especially in the sciences and applications to sustainability. I am the president of my school’s Math Club and the vice president of the Rocketry Club; I’m also a member of the sailing team. After high school, I plan to go to college for either biology, math, bioengineering, or some combination of the above and then pursue an MD-PhD before going into medical research. I’m fascinated by the brain and want to go into neuroscience.

Water Footprint: 1429 gallons/day 

Carbon Footprint: 34 tons CO2/year

My personal impact project is reducing the amount of fast fashion I consume. I am focusing on making more of my own clothes and repairing clothes to keep them in use for longer.