At the recent Global Changemakers workshop: The Race to a Greener Future, Aspen NZ alumna, Shreya Singaraju spent three and half days with young leaders from the Aspen International Partners network to address the ethical, geopolitical, and economic complexities of environmental sustainability and the procurement of critical minerals and rare earth metals. Reflecting on her time in Warsaw, Shreya shared three takeaways that have reshaped her outlook on global and local challenges.

In Favour of Pure Science, a collaboration between the 14 international Aspen Partners, is the final report detailing pure science's global challenges and opportunities. The accompanying symposium was an engaging and thought-provoking discussion among the Partner representatives, including New Zealand's Professor Richard Blaikie.

A far reaching conversation with a group of experts discussed the state of pure (basic) research in New Zealand co-chaired by Aaron Mertz, Director of Aspen Institute’s Science & Society Program and Christine Maiden Sharp, CEO of Aspen Institute New Zealand.

“Overall, New Zealand underspends and undervalues science & research. Pure science is vital to remain economically competitive and needs to be more inclusive and relevant, to increase trust and impact”.