A former GSD Masters student recently returned to our main campus to present a talk on her experiences working at the United Nations (UN).

Maria Ann Sanu, who graduated from our postgraduate programme in 2023, was invited by Warwick MUN Society to speak to current students about her experiences as an Environmental Affairs Intern within the Sustainable Development Goals division of the United Nation’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

During the talk, Maria discussed who the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs are and the invaluable work that they conduct, the various responsibilities she held in her post and the research she conducted on poverty eradication measures across the globe, which helped contribute to a published policy brief.

She also shared anecdotes on significant events that she was witness to during her time at the UN, including the General Assembly and Security Council meetings where 143 out of 193 members voted in favour of Palestine being recognised as a full UN member, and votes demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the month of Ramadan. The presentation was finalised by a Q&A session by current Warwick students.

Maria commented:

"Sharing my experiences at the UN with Warwick students was a wonderful opportunity. My time in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs allowed me to work on vital issues like Zero Hunger and 'Leaving No One Behind'. I hope my talk inspired students to see the potential in pursuing a career in intergovernmental organisations."

To find out more about our Global Sustainable Development MASc programme, visit our main study page here.