Date
September 26, 2025
Sharing Alumni Successes: From Brown Pre-College to the United Nations
2023 Course-Based Research Experiences(CRE) student Gracelyn Atmadja shares her experience of being invited to speak as a youth representative at the United Nations.
“ The UN experience became a natural extension of my work at Brown. By presenting my ideas directly to politicians, international stakeholders, and policymakers, I was able to highlight the critical role of youth engagement in shaping the future of our cities and communities. ”
Gracelyn was invited by the United Nations to the 5th "International Forum on Low Carbon Cities" and the 2025 "Regional Partners Forum on Sustainable Urban Development” as a youth representative at their Asia Pacific Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. At Brown, her research focused on making paper cups truly recyclable by using nanotechnology to separate their paper components from the plastic lining that normally prevents recycling and biodegradation. This research demonstrated how science can directly drive sustainable development and proved the potential of youth-led innovation to address urgent environmental challenges.
Looking ahead, she plans to scale her patented innovation through corporate partnerships to prevent microplastic release and drive the transition toward truly sustainable and environmentally safe communities.
1
of
3
2
of
3
3
of
3