In the summer of 2024, the FinEst Centre has the pleasure of hosting two interns from Stanford University. Interns were visiting Estonia through the Stanford Baltics Exchange Program that also enabled Assistant Professor Ralf-Martin Soe, the founding director of the FinEst Centre, to visit Stanford as a Global Digital Governance Fellow in 2023.

The internship in 2024 is part of an ongoing effort to build continuous collaboration between the smart cities’ community at Stanford and Estonia.

Now, get to know Ishrita, one of the curious and ambitious interns who spent her summer in Tallinn, Estonia and working with the FinEst Centre for Smart Cities.

What draws you to these topics?

I’ve always been passionate about sustainability and environmental science. Growing up in Dallas, Texas—a city known for its intense heat and food deserts—I witnessed firsthand how climate change exacerbates these challenges.

Many of my friends and local communities were severely affected, from struggling with asthma due to poor air quality to farmers facing drought-related crop failures. Seeing these impacts drove me to get involved with climate work through local and international NGOs, as well as participating in protests in Dallas. These experiences deepened my passion for sustainability and inspired my studies in college! 

What value did you expect to gain for your studies and interests from your experience at the FinEst Centre?

The FinEst Centre offered me valuable insights into European cities and their sustainability initiatives. I was interested in how Estonia’s e-Governance is advancing rapidly, how Baltic and other Western European countries approach biodiversity practices, and gaining a perspective on non-U.S. work cultures.

Most of my previous sustainability work has been U.S.-centric, so it provided a different perspective, exploring and understanding sustainable city development in other regions. 

You arrived at the end of June; what did you notice about the Centre, the team, or Estonia in general?

I love the work culture at the Centre—everyone was incredibly supportive and eager to share their experiences. I enjoyed having lunch with a different person from FinEst each day, learning about their projects, work, and life insights.

The Centre’s international and hybrid environment is also a highlight; my mentors, Laura Mrosla and Henna Fabritius, are from Germany and Finland, respectively, and many others are based in Latvia or other European countries. It’s wonderfully flexible and accommodating. 

During the summer I was working on the UrbanLifeCircles project with researchers in Tartu, where they’re developing 3D models and interactive biodiversity maps. These will be used to create the “Biodiversity Game,” where users can explore biodiversity impacts and learn about indices and scientific methods. This game will eventually be part of an exhibit at the Estonian Natural History Museum, and I’m thrilled to be voicing the exhibit!