MY Camper Sara Laurila: Geoengineering to fight climate change
Last but not least MY Camper to be introduced in MyScience is 17-year-old Sara Laurila. She is especially interested in atmospheric sciences, and does martial arts during her spare time.
17-year-old Sara Laurila is from the capital of Finland, Helsinki. She studies in IB Programme of Ressun lukio high school, where she takes higher level classes on math, physics, chemistry, and biology.
Sara says she has always been interested in science, for example evolutionary biology, but two years ago she started to get particularly interested in climate change. Since then her main interest in natural sciences has been atmospheric science.
“I was pretty determined to make some sense out of all the hassle around global warming,” she says and adds that her interest in the dynamics of atmosphere has expanded beyond the aspects related to climate change.
Sara heard about MY Camp from her biology teacher. “Initially, I didn’t think of applying, but once I found out more about the camp and its themes, I knew I wanted to at least give it a try,” she says.
When she started to fill out the application form, she realized how much she actually wanted to participate, the main reason being the chance to get to know other people with passion for science.
“The camp also offers some pretty unique opportunities in terms of visiting different places and meeting scientists, so that too is something I’m really looking forward to.”
Sara is in MY Camp’s Climate Change theme group. She did her project plan on using stratospheric sulfate aerosols in geoengineering.
“Geoengineering as a topic is quite fascinating: while at least solar radiation management may not be used to mitigate global warming anytime soon, it does offer some interesting possibilities,” she says.
For instance, sulfate aerosols generally provide a negative radiative forcing effect, and they are already found from the atmosphere due to both natural and anthropological processes, Sara explains, and adds increasing aerosol levels could be used to temporarily slow down the warming.
“Climate system of course is very complex, and while calculating the correct amount of aerosols alone would be very difficult, there are also a number of possible side effects, which need to be considered.”
When asked about her plans for her future, Sara replies that is still too early to say. “It looks like I am going to continue to university to study physics – and perhaps then make a career in atmospheric sciences in a way or another.”
In addition to Sara’s academic interests, she is trying out martial arts wushu and taekwondo, and fencing. At home, she has also four aquariums.
Have a look at Sara’s project plan.
Visit also Millennium Youth Camp’s website.
Elisa Lautala is the editor of MyScience. With her educational background in translation and communication, she is learning more about science everyday. Elisa likes all kinds of cultural events, good books, warm weather, and aqua-jogging.