2022 - UQ Sustainability Award recipient
As the first person to receive the Sustainability Award, Jayana has shown outstanding commitment to volunteering within the Sustainability space at UQ.
In her time at UQ, Jayana has contributed consistently and to a high standard to many parts of the university, and has been a standout leader in Sustainability.
As a founding member of UQ’s Green Ambassador Program (GAP), holding the role of Social Media Manager in 2020, she helped grow the group to over 500 members!
In 2022 she returned to GAP, this time as the Sustainable Development Goal Manager, and coordinated the transition into GAP being a Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth hub.
As the Sustainable Development Goals Hub Coordinator, this role facilitates networking opportunities for GAP members, as well as solidifies the connections GAP holds to the UN and the Sustainable Development Goals.
In other aspects of university life, Jayana also was a part of a Student-Staff partnership related to increasing student and staff awareness of alternate options for sustainable menstrual hygiene, as well as attempting to destigmatise these choices, and educate the UQ community on the impacts of their choices. ‘Flowing Green’ created videos and articles which were disseminated across the UQ St Lucia Campus, as well as on social media.
Jayana also has been an engaged student representative within the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences (SEES) since the beginning of her degree in 2019, having held the role of acting co-chairperson of the Student Consultative Committee from 2020 onwards, and chairperson for the year of 2022.
In this role, she has consistently ensured that sustainability is integrated into the school and collaborated with the teaching coordinator and the Teaching and Learning Committee of SEES, to ensure that all students within SEES are receiving a high-quality learning experience.
A key project she is working on currently, is working with School administration to install 10c containers for change bins throughout all SEES buildings, in order to reduce waste going to landfill, and raise money for students and staff within SEES.
As a part of her volunteering hours, she not only participated in, but helped in organising and carrying out various events, including several Clean Up Australia Days, Sustainability Week events throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022, continually attended bushcare events in the local community, aided in running open days at Warwick Solar Farm, and represented GAP at regular Sustainable Universities Network and SDSN meetings.
Jayana is an exemplary student and Sustainability volunteer, and a great example of the kind of student the Sustainability Award was created to acknowledge and reward!
