Student Perspective
By: Marcelo Caballero Carrasco, Master’s Student | Universidad San Sebastián, Chile
At more than 50 years old, attending the 2026 IIES Science & Policy Workshop & Graduate Student Forum at the Université de Toulon was my first time at an international event of this kind.
I arrived with curiosity, some nerves and many expectations, and I left with something I didn’t expect: renewed hope.
Together with my colleagues from Universidad San Sebastián, I presented our poster “From External Dumping to On-Site Circularity: Reducing Emissions in the Lo Ruiz Tunnel Project (Santiago, Chile).” It is based on my master’s thesis, which compares the traditional “excavate, transport and dispose” model with a circular approach that reuses construction and demolition waste on site. Sharing our work from Chile with people from so many countries was a proud moment for me.
Image: Marcelo Caballero Carrasco (left) pictured with co-presenter Carolina Vasquez (right) and supervisor Dr. Ariel Barrera (middle) in front of their poster during the poster session.
What struck me most was seeing so many students and young people truly committed to environmental issues. Their energy, their questions and their ideas showed me that the future of our planet is in good hands.
For someone of my generation, that is very encouraging.
The forum also opened my eyes to topics beyond my own field. I was especially interested in nature-based solutions, blue carbon capture, environmental justice, and the recognition of Indigenous peoples and their ancestral knowledge. These are issues we are also working on in Chile, and it was inspiring to see how other countries are approaching them, often with new ideas we can learn from.
Image: Marcelo’s hat at the opening session of the 2026 IIES Workshop & Graduate Forum.
This study reflected the IIES conference’s emphasis on translating environmental science into practical sustainability solutions.
One presentation that stayed with me was “Water and Energy in Central Asia: Climate Challenges and Pathways for Sustainable Development” by Diana Charyyeva (TU Delft, Young Water Diplomacy Program). It reminded me that water and climate challenges are shared across very different regions of the world, and that regional cooperation is part of the solution.
I believe networks like the IIES are very valuable. They help bring knowledge together across countries and disciplines, and I hope they also lead to real cooperation between institutions, professionals and students.
I have to admit that my English is limited, and I didn’t catch every detail of every presentation. Even so, I understood the core messages of the forum, and the warmth and openness of the participants made me feel welcome.
Language was not a barrier to sharing a common purpose.
Image: Marcelo taking a selfie with his colleagues from Universidad San Sebastián in the auditorium of the University of Toulon.
I am grateful to the IIES, the Université de Toulon and Universidad San Sebastián for making this experience possible.
To anyone who thinks it is too late to start: it isn’t. I would encourage every student, whatever their age, to take part.
Image: Marcelo (second from the right) standing in front of the University of Toulon entrance with fellow participants.
Read more stories written by students like Marcelo who participated in our IIES events:
