CIERP Alumni Perspectives: A Conversation with Min Soo Kim
By Hengrui Liu
This blog post is part of CIERP and CPL’s AAPI Heritage Month Blog Series, where current Fletcher students interview alums of Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander heritage about their time at Fletcher and their successful careers in the environment sector.
Min Soo Kim, a Korean woman, lived and studied in the Philippines from grade five through the end of high school. Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, the Philippines is an archipelagic country consisting of about 7,640 islands. The location and island geographic characteristics make the country vulnerable to typhoons, sea-level rise, and climate change. Min Soo recalled that her high school teachers had constantly emphasized the adverse impact of climate change. The fickle weather on the island had been stamped indelibly in her adolescent memory. It was from there that she started to connect with the idea of climate change. Today, as an associate professional at the Green Climate Fund, Min Soo is helping developing countries reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.
However, Min Soo hadn’t worked in the environment and energy field until her second job at Deloitte Consulting. It was there she coordinated a smart grid project between the Korean government and the state government of Illinois to commercialize the integration of EVs and power grid. Later, she led the Philippines Project at the Global Green Growth Institute, where she initiated talks with the Climate Change Commission of the Philippines to develop a subnational-level climate adaptation project. The two-year experience at the Global Green Growth Institute made Min Soo realize the importance of international cooperation and coordination in combating climate change. Although she already had a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in international studies under her belt, Min Soo decided to pursue another master’s degree in environment and climate change this time.
When asked why she chose the Fletcher school, Min Soo stated that, “Fletcher was the only school I applied to, and it was CIERP that attracted me to the program.” Self-described as a “weird” MIB student, Min Soo took more courses in the IERP field than average MIB students. When Min Soo came to Fletcher, Professor Kelly Sims Gallagher was at the White House as a senior policy advisor for the second-term Obama administration. “She [Professor Gallagher] has been an inspiration to me,” said Min Soo. Fortunately, in her second year, Professor Gallagher came back to teach, and Min Soo’s wish came true. Under Professor Gallagher’s instruction, Min Soo completed her thesis about the carbon emissions trading scheme in South Korea, analyzing the impact of carbon pricing on the manufacturing sector at the early stage of the Korean ETS.
After graduating from the Fletcher, Min Soo entered the Green Climate Fund (GCF), where she helps developing countries tackle climate change issues. Working for GCF was her dream. “Before I came to Fletcher, I said to myself I would work for GCF when I return to Korea,” Min Soo said. When asked what advice she had for Fletcher students who are interested in the environment field, she stresses the importance of having a goal and following where their heart go. “One of the biggest [pieces of advice] I would like to give to Fletcher students, not just for women or people who want to look for jobs in environment, is that you have to focus on the field you most want to do. I had about five years of working experience before I came to Fletcher. I came to Fletcher because I wanted to improve and broaden myself in this field. I wanted to reach the next career step through [my education at] Fletcher. It is important to focus on what you really want to get out of the Fletcher resources.”
Life is full of uncertainty and opportunity. When Min Soo graduated, the job market in the U.S. wasn’t bright. As an international student, she also needed to deal with the visa issue. Even with years of working experience and two master’s degrees in hand, she struggled to find a job. It was friendship and the “Fletcher bond” that helped her overcome life and career challenges. She gained support and strength from her childhood friends from the Philippines. The bonds forged at the Fletcher school assisted her in finding solutions to career challenges. “We [Fletcher graduates] may not graduate in the same year. We may not attend the school at the same time, but there exists that Fletcher bond. When we walk around, looking at each other, we have warm smiles on our faces, acknowledging and saying thank you to each other,” Min Soo said.
When asked how the Green Climate Fund functions and what her daily routine at GCF looks like, Min Soo said, “Basically, GCF receives funds from the developed countries to help developing countries transform towards low emissions and climate-resilient pathways. Our work is to approve green projects. We are not the implementing party but conducting due diligence on the funding proposal side for multi-million-dollar project plans. My work at GCF centers on the capacity-building program. I have been working on this program since I started my job here. When I came in, I was the only person running the program. As the team grows, I am now taking on the appraisal role of the project proposal. My daily task is to appraise project proposals and make sure they are meeting our standards.”
Hengrui Liu is a predoctoral research fellow in The Climate Policy Lab at The Fletcher School, Tufts University.