Bachelor of Science, Biology • The University of British Columbia
Bio
Hanaa graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in
Biology. During her undergraduate studies, she was involved in a range of activities including
participating on the Varsity Field Hockey team and working in various scientific research
positions in the Department of Gastroenterology and the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain
Health, both at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
In the upper years of her degree, Hanaa pivoted her full attention towards sustainability. She
completed an independent research project on the extinction dynamics of large mammals in the
late Pleistocene aiming to guide current conservation efforts and rewilding strategies. She also
joined CHANS Lab and dedicated much of her time to helping launch and run a sustainability
project of UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability called CoSphere,
founded by Dr. Kai Chan. Through this work with CoSphere, she helped navigate the
partnership of over 25 environmental organizations and more than 600 members, developed
and coordinated several initiatives, created industry-related content, and led numerous
marketing strategies, among many other tasks.
These valuable experiences deepened Hanaa’s passion for creating a more sustainable future,
while also enhancing her knowledge of system change for sustainability. This sparked her
interest in leveraging science to transform current business systems towards sustainability,
leading to her interest in the MScSM program.
During her free time, Hanaa enjoys spending time outdoors whether it’s running, hiking or
playing sports.