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A science student with a passion for helping people in developing countries struggling with energy needs will head to the United States next month as a youth delegate at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings.

Haweya Ismail, from Daglish, who is studying a Bachelor of Science with majors in environmental science and economics at The University of Western Australia, will join four other young Australians as part of the Global Voices World Bank and IMF Australian Youth Delegation in Washington DC.

Haweya was chosen partly through her participation in Hope for the Horn, which raised money for the drought in Africa, and for her research on energy poverty which showed an increasing number of people in developing nations were struggling to meet their energy needs.

And UWA environmental engineering student Riley McAuliffe, from Mosman Park, will travel with four other Global Voices youth delegates to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's 19th Conference of the Parties, to be held in Poland in November.

"My research focus is on the Alliance of Small Island States, their vulnerability to the effects of climate change and their ability to negotiate at the UNFCCC," Riley said.  "This issue is very relevant to Australia, as the international community is placing pressure on Australia to assist our island neighbours."

Riley will have the opportunity to witness and influence international negotiations between countries first hand at the summit, which is expected attract a range of world leaders.

Meanwhile, at the Washington meetings - which bring together thousands of government officials, private sector executives, journalists, civil society representatives and observers to discuss issues of global concern - Haweya will have the opportunity to discuss her research with experts and learn how to promote her work.

"Attending this forum will allow me to put my skills and knowledge of economics into practice," she said.

In preparation for their trips, the students recently travelled to Canberra and met key government and diplomatic figures involved in foreign affairs, trade and climate change.  As part of their sponsored experiences, they will undertake a Research Fellowship with Global Voices and will produce a paper on an aspect of their respective summits' agenda.

Global Voices provides opportunities for young Australians to engage with international policy both in Australia and abroad.  It achieves this through regular events and research and development to coordinate youth delegations at important diplomatic forums internationally.

Link to SBS podcast with Haweya Ismail

Media references

Haweya Ismail (+61 4) 02 830 596
Riley McAuliffe (+61 4) 32 795 499
Kirby Taylor (Global Voices)  (+61 4) 25 574 440
Simone Hewett (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8) 6488 7977  /  (+61 4) 13 444 154