Esther Ishimwe is an M.Arch student with a keen interest in ways architecture shapes sustainability in the Global South, especially on the African Continent. Her research interests center around exploring the intersections between vernacular architecture and sustainability, and how they can inspire modern solutions to climate change. As a Social Impact Fellow with New America, she examined the intricacies involved in producing socially engaged research, from data collection to publication. Working with her mentor, she wrote about food insecurity among college students and housing insecurity among student parents for New America’s education policy blog, EdCentral.

“My experience as a GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellow was illuminating. I learned that the research that drives social impact is a thorough process that takes time and effort. It has higher stakes and the ability to drive new social change. As someone who aims to work in architectural education, this experience helped me realize that my skill set is transferable and it broadened my options for post-grad work.”