Katherine Cornett ’19

As a senior engineering student at Cornell University, Katherine Cornett ’19 was one of six undergraduates selected to be a Cornell delegate at COP27 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, (fall 2022) to present her paper “Impacts of Coastal Flooding on the Kingdom of Tonga.” Leading up to this, Katherine worked closely with representatives from the Kingdom of Tonga to accurately illustrate their specific issues and immediate and long-term concerns. Using scientific modeling, she demonstrated how only a slight rise in global temperatures will have a ripple effect resulting in catastrophic consequences for Tonga and other at-risk regions.  Katherine noted, “As this was a global conference, I met many students from around the world with similar backgrounds in climate science and engineering. Our conversations have given me renewed hope that, together, we will find solutions to this existential threat.” Amazing work, Katherine!