Sitting in the House of Lords to speaking at the United Nations, Aliza Ayaz has been advocating for climate change at the highest levels. Having such an impact might seem out of reach for many, but in this interview she breaks down how she achieved this as well as helpful tips for others to follow.
Aliza has shown that being passionate about a cause can lead you to global stages whilst also balancing work/study life. We have no doubt that Aliza will go on to lead at the global level and be the voice for the next generation. TML is pleased to present our latest interview which will hopefully inspire many others to also pursue their passions.
1) You’ve recently completed a BSc Population Health Sciences, this is a new course at UCL. What were your expectations before you began and did the course meet them?
People who work in the medical industry sometimes get so busy with their tasks that they wind up envisioning their patients as an endless procession of individuals and not part of a larger group that deserves careful monitoring to keep society as a whole healthier and safer. This is normal point of view for medical professionals, especially when you are down in the trenches, just trying to keep the schedule from falling apart as you seek to give each patient proper treatment in the limited time you have allocated that day. Population Health dissects the solutions to these. Be it the electronic health records, aggregating patient data or researching patterns of health outcomes.
From controlling the number of people who fall ill to infectious diseases to dealing with the growing issue of violence in crowded cities, monitoring the health of groups is an important aspect of the BSc that I just completed.
As opposed to keeping my options open, I was diving into a very niche course. I was a bit sceptical about how it would pan out practically since no one had ever graduated with a BSc in Population Health yet – it’s normally a masters level specialisation. I communicated my concerns to the department and the Programme Director quickly got in touch with me to discuss the value of the degree. I could see that the department was very efficient and they were set to address the gap in demand for population health expertise; there is an increasing need of population health analysts on localised levels to all the way in WHO. Plus, I knew I had a hunger for epidemiological studies, rooting from my science background as well as Mum’s inspiring profession.
2) You’ve worked at a lot of public bodies ranging from the NHS to the UK Civil Service; it feels like making a change in the world is something you’re passionate about and will continue to do?
Yes, definitely. I always think about something that is incentive-based, to prevent before we need the cure. So, in the instance of the coronavirus pandemic, I found front-line workers and high-school students who needed what I wanted to give them, which is educational motivation, exercise goals, nutrition goals, accountability to community service and a halo of gratitude.
All around the world, we have people who are about to fail out to things: to poor mental health, to drugs, to corruption, to bribery and social injustice and ingrained economic poverty. It’s important to think how I can use my curriculum for the benefit of my loved ones and extend this to society and others. I always tell my friends they could be the reason someone gets a scholarship and or gets into a major university. When I did that, that kind of stuff really felt good. I want to keep doing it again and again.
3) You found the Climate Action Society. This gained a lot of support – all the way to the UN. Can you give us an overview of what your aims are with this organization?
When most people hear the word climate change, they think that it is synonymous for anti-fossil fuels. However, given the dynamics of the current world progression and industrialization rates, climate action is modernised and evolving- it means rather to integrate fossil fuels sustainably than to discard them completely. Small misconceptions like these are buried into our minds, and they allow for pre-conceived nutshell ideas that need to be dug open to solve the problem at both local and global levels. In the broader philosophical purpose, as humans continue to alter the natural landscape and exploit the plethora of natural resources available to them, they also possess the moral obligation to make responsible decisions.
The young generation needs to be exposed to the idea that human desires and resources are constantly changing and that the best approach towards sustainability is to achieve not order, but rather ‘managed chaos’, as we balance the various ethical and economic issues concerning human development. I set up the Climate Action Society to do exactly that.
As President I was working to improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. I passed down the Presidential reins because I think it’s important and now maintain my position as the Chairperson. CAS continues to explore ways to integrate climate change measures into coursework, national policies, and strategies and planning.
“The young generation needs to be exposed to the idea that human desires and resources are constantly changing and that the best approach towards sustainability is to achieve not order, but rather ‘managed chaos’.”
4) You’ve been a student advocate in the House of Lords; how was that?
As you know I have been lobbying for diversity & inclusion in sustainability and climate education. It’s very easy to let any position be passive, whether an advocate or CEO. At such entities, promises are batted around and policy takes awfully long amount of hours and energy to come to fruition. But I wasn’t settling for a passive voice. I knew the only way out of the jungle is to have a set point that I was trying to get to or I may get stuck going in circles.
While the terrain may shift under your feet along the way, you don’t change your destination, you find a way through. So yes, people were really surprised by a young advocate but they were brilliantly receptive of my views. When there was hesitance, I put in a lot of hard work to push for the sustainability sector’s goals: reports, debates, infographics, meetings and so on. I learnt a lot and I made some great progress because people could see it was a win-win.
5) What do you think is the biggest issue for this generation?
I think issues really vary for every demographic of this generation. One I can think of off the top of my head is not understanding how to cope with the rat race.
I see an increasing number of people pushing others over in view of their personal or professional benefit. I know of people who have lied for their social image, who will use people for connections, for jobs, for resumes and cover letters, for networks, or for invitations to a silly party. I also see people imitating others and copying their work or choices. But why does this have to be at the cost of falsehood, based on deception or manipulation and without where credit is due. I am shocked because very young people are doing this from as early on as schools to universities. This means a lot of things: the competition isn’t healthy anymore, young people are struggling with who they are around people, they are nervous about putting themselves out there. You fail to be your own person, and you struggle to find a truly supportive social network.
I also think there is an increasing judgement from people, and so the average individual puts pressure on themselves to tackle these judgement in addition to their personal battles. So, make things easy and learn how to have a dialogue – not just a monologue. Fight for your goals and build a support system for yourself, but this doesn’t mean you get so blinded by ambition or self-benefit that you are ready to plot and scheme, to network and climb by pushing others over. Be forgiving, be kind, be genuine. Be understanding and practise compassion.
6) What advice would you give to anyone who want to be involved in organizations such as the UN, government bodies or large NGOs?
I am often asked if the key is networking or connections. May be it plays an integral role for some, but it is far from that for me. That came later.
I think the key is hard work, genuinity in what you really want from your participation in such organisations and the faith in your ability to try to make things happen.
When you are fighting a tough battle, it is important to not let your emotions or goals be clouded by what other people think of you, or the standard of your contributions. With either you will never amount to anything as doubt will hinder your ability to succeed.
Above all, be compassionate and honest – as a growing individual, in your work, in how you work with your colleagues. Please also don’t get too disheartened when things don’t work out- I know it is easy to be disappointed but good/bad energy always comes back.
If you don’t have a good support system telling you, “You are capable, you are able and, most of all you are worth it”, be that person for yourself. I remember sending my first ever research paper and proposal to the UN. This was my first venture into sharing myself and my views with the world and I was so nervous about it.
7) When you’re advocating for fundamental changes in society, there isn’t ever a finish line. How do you define success when tackling issues?
It’s very subjective. If you are really willing to become self-aware, you will notice an issue around you. You will be driven to do something about it and that’s a success at an individual level. So, thinking, reflecting, reading the news, talking to people, understanding culture. Cultural perspective is so important for an impact on businesses and the environment. Then before you realise it, you will already be creating change.
Success is helping more people, or by helping the same number of people to a greater extent. Success is by doing something which has benefits that last for a longer time. As long as you’re engaged in such processes, that is success.
8) Are there any people you admire?
If privacy wasn’t a concern, I would have very much liked to spell out the names of my family members, some teachers, professionals, friends and seniors. But yes, I admire many people for different things – from their perspectives, to their warmth and genuine well wishes to their deep-industry knowledge. I most admire Mum and Dad.
9) What’s the future for Aliza?
Yet to be decided.
Alhumdullillah, I am really lucky: I have received many opportunities, I have people who believe in my potential and who recognise my ability. Just the other day, I got a call from one of the directors at the Department of Health and Social Care about a role in the country’s COVID recovery plan. I occasionally receive really kind messages and recommendations from MD’s who guide me to apply at their company.
So, from studying a masters at Harvard or UCL to a super exciting role at a big corporate, to continuing work for a start-up I have been involved with, I have some fantastic options on the table. I am going to spend some time assessing and discussing them with a few people who are aware of my academic curiosity as well as what I want to get out of a career, people who are experts in their own field and people who would want the best for me. So, whatever it is, I am really excited.
10) Final Four
11) LinkedIn Profile
