Critical Edge Alliance
Student Representatives
What is a Student Representative?
•The student representation was established during the Annual Conference 2018 in Bogotá, Colombia. Student Representatives are important to fulfill CEA’s ideal of student-centered learning and action. This also guarantees a rather decentral organization of the CEA.
•Students have the chance to engage in a dynamic, mission-driven, and international team consisting of students, faculty and administrative staff from the 8 campuses. We promote democratic structures and provide the possibility to shape the
development and progress of the organization. You can connect and inspire students internationally to build a better future for education.
Hello, I'm Sarah Brady (she/her). I am a student at the Evergreen State College in Washington State, USA. I am pursuing a Masters in Environmental Studies and I hope to work on issues relating to climate change, environmental justice, and transitioning as communities to a green economy in a way that honors the voices of those hit first and worst by the climate crisis. I am very interested in social movements as well.
It's exciting to be a part of CEA to be able to connect with students across the world and learn from each other.
Hi, I am Gaëtan Chevreau (he/his). I am a PhD student at Paris 8 University. My field of research is psychology and I work on the cognitive health of the homeless population in Paris. I am a student representative for my university in the CEA since Paris 8 joined the Alliance. For me this is a great opportunity to share experience with people from many different backgrounds and cultures. I am very curious of understanding the world around me and of discovering what it means to be a student at the other side of the world.
Hi, my name is Rahul Ranjan Raj and I am a student representative from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. I am a PhD student and my doctoral thesis focuses on digital culture, tech policies, and misinformation using agent-based modeling. Away from academia, I enjoy participating in sports, reading, and volunteering in student organizations.
The alliance’s ability to influence like-minded people from a cross-cultural setting has been a source of inspiration in my academic life. A few years ago, I could not even imagine working on innovative collaborative projects with students worldwide. With the pandemic, I also realize how the process of learning has evolved, and that we need more frameworks for fostering the types of learning that the alliance has been promoting in higher education. The ability to connect online under a collaborative frame could be a tool to influence learning and make social change.
There is no doubt that we spend a great deal of money and resources on learning and education overseas. Not many of us can afford to spend that much money on education abroad. In this context, I notice that alliance has the ability to bring the practical learning to the students in the form of various collaborations; magazine or global voices podcast are such examples. Working in the alliance has been incredibly transformative. I am very thankful to the alliance for supporting the students. I also lead the editing efforts of Critical Edges Magazine as a member of the global editorial board and editing coordinator. In the process of “learning by doing”, many students and me have been able to shape our perspectives and outlook on crises such as pandemic, climate change and the fragmented public sphere etc. I joined the alliance for its international nature, intellectual rigor in terms of diversity of thoughts, and to produce contents offering critical perspectives. I am looking forward to bringing you the global voices podcast this season.
Hi, I am Hannah Farbiarz (she/her). I am the student representative from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro - (PUC-Rio), Brazil. I am a biology undergraduate student and am also interested in Arts & Designs. My interests are in conservation of protected areas, how we can enjoy nature and degrade less and how we can share this information with people around the world. I also very much enjoy meeting new people, traveling, and getting to learn about new cultures. I am currently involved in social work, and I hope I can make a difference for those I help. I would like to work with environmental management and regenerative design.
For me, the CEA is amazing because it gives the students an opportunity to discuss important subjects and be listened outside your country. Due to that, the culture exchange is super interesting and important as well. I am thankful to PUC-Rio for giving me this opportunity and for the CEA for receiving me so well.
Hello, my name is Fatima Zahra Belhadj (she/her) and I am 20 years old. I am the student representative from Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (AUI)-Morocco. I am an undergraduate engineering student majoring in Engineering and Management Science and doing a thematic area in Finance. I am interested in leadership and Management skills. For that, I have started a student activities club entitled “ The Sustainability Club at AUI”. Ever since its creation, Issues related to the environment and the importance of Sustainability in our everyday life became a priority. My interest in climate change has potential risen and I aim to bring a change in the world by joining the Critical Edge Alliance conference on climate change taking place on June 2022 and starting with my own home university and community. I love how diverse and international the alliance is which is something we can see through the founding members that belong to different places in the world. I am sure I will learn a lot of things from this experience and also share my humble experience as well. As I have been recently nominated for this position, I am looking forward to this educational exchange opportunity and getting to know a whole new network of amazing people!
Alumni
Hi, I am Carmen Bulac (she/her), a Bachelor student at Roskilde University. I am in my final semester in International Studies and Cultural Encounters with a focus on gender studies and decoloniality. I am interested in making space for those who are excluded or invisible in society. I went on a CEA exchange semester at Al Akhawayn University in Morocco and it was the best part of my studies. I believe engaging with students and professors from other universities around the world can be very insightful, especially for students in international programs. To me, CEA represents the opportunity to have these global discussions.
Hi, I am Racha Bai-iche. I am a bachelor student at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (Morocco), and now an exchange student at Roskilde Universitet (Denmark). I study business administration: finance and international business. And I am interested in many other things ranging from philosophy to world politics to environmental issues. I also love biking, traveling, volunteering, and cooking.
I think of CEA as an impressive alliance, and the 8 member universities even more so. I am thus hoping to revivify it in my home university, as its representative, the best way I can.
With the book club, I hope to meet new people, make new friends, read more together and share as well as gain new knowledge.
Hi, I am Martin Couffignal and I am one of the student representative from Roskilde University. I study Global Humanities and I always gave an significant place to International Cooperation in my life all along my academical cursus. I love traveling and discovering new cultures and later, I would like to work for European Political Organisations. I am interested in Arts and Literature as much as I like languages and geopolitics. For me, the CEA is a place where great Universities, with a brand new vision of the world, can work alongside each other to make the world better for everyone and then have the duty to pass it on.
I am really grateful for Roskilde University to give me this opportunity to play a role in this change, especially with the current situation and the need of a global and mutual aid. 👍
