UCD is delighted to welcome world-renowned economics professor and global leader in sustainable development, Jeffrey Sachs, to campus.
Known for his work in sustainable development, poverty reduction and international economic reform, Prof. Sachs is director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He previously led Columbia’s Earth Institute from 2002 to 2016 and spent over 20 years at Harvard University.
Prof. Sachs is a prominent advisor to the United Nations, serving as president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and an SDG advocate for Secretary-General António Guterres.
His bestselling books include The End of Poverty (2005), Common Wealth: Economics for a Crowded Planet (2008) and The Price of Civilisation (2011). The Economist magazine has ranked him among the world’s top three most influential living economists.
Prof. Sachs previously visited UCD when he was awarded the Ulysses Medal by the University in October 2016 for his outstanding global contributions to economic development, sustainability and fighting poverty. At the ceremony he emphasised the moral obligation to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
This event is co-designed with students. Three—Kendra Paleczny, Elizabeth Zion and Amber Cher—will briefly speak of their own experiences engaging with the SDGs in UCD before Prof. Sachs addresses the audience.
Student participants:
Kendra Paleczny is a MSc Politics & Data Science Student at UCD and a recent graduate of the BSc Sustainability. Passionate about climate literacy, circular economy and inclusive, student-led change, she co-developed the UCD Sustainability Toolkit — a digital resource now on Brightspace and Moodle — and currently leads UCD Circular, a student initiative tackling textile waste through swap spaces and community events. Whether it's designing interactive tools, launching reuse initiatives, or advancing campus biodiversity planning, Kendra is committed to making sustainability more collaborative, practical, and empowering - especially for students outside traditional environmental fields.
Amber Cher is a multidisciplinary professional from Malaysia with professional experience in project coordination, change management, business strategy, sustainable development and entrepreneurship across North America, Europe and Asia. Her curiosity has led her from sustainability and policy to the complex world of space governance, where technology, corporate practices and international regulations intersect.
She holds an M.Sc. in Sustainable Development from University College Dublin, graduating with First Class Honours. Her Master’s thesis explored gender, backlash politics and inclusive governance in the U.S. commercial space sector, applying feminist frameworks and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to examine how policies and organisational practices shape equity. She presented her research at the Gender and Sexuality Politics Conference 2025 and has taken part in international UN and space sustainability-policy forums, including UNOOSA-led conferences, the European Space Policy Institute, and the UN World Space Forum. She is also a contributor to the forthcoming Cambridge Handbook on Women’s Rights.
Building on this research, Amber is driven to explore the structural dynamics that shape participation in space governance, particularly around inclusion, power, and long-term sustainability. She is keen to collaborate, contribute, and leverage her experience to advance equitable and responsible space initiatives.
Elizabeth Zion is a youth advocate and researcher specialising in eco-anxiety and youth mental wellbeing. She recently completed her MSc in Sustainable Development at University College Dublin with First Class Honours, where she developed Gratitude-Based Sustainability (GBS), a framework bridging sustainable development and youth mental wellbeing through evidence-based gratitude practices.
Her work has been published on the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s SDG Academy platform. In May 2026, she will present at the Educational Studies Association of Ireland (ESAI) Annual Conference, where her proposal was selected from 400 submissions.
Elizabeth previously served on UNICEF’s Global Youth Advisory Board, representing Ireland, and delivered a TED Talk that has reached over 1.8 million views. She has appeared on national television and worked with international organizations on youth advocacy.
Elizabeth is currently preparing to pilot GBS in Irish secondary schools through the Senior Cycle SPHE curriculum. She is also participating in the SDSN Youth global consultation in partnership with the Ford Foundation, contributing to youth-led strategies for advancing sustainable development and wellbeing.