NOTABLE ALUMNI

Zakia’s academic journey has been deeply rooted in environmental science and marine ecology. She completed her BSc in Environment Management at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) in 2017. Her passion for marine ecosystems led her to pursue an MSc in Marine Science at the University of Science, Malaysia (USM). Zakia’s dedication to marine research extended to her senior project at IUB and her MSc thesis at USM, both centered around marine coral species. Zakia has held diverse roles throughout her career. She served as the Marine Policy Coordinator at the Wildlife Conservation Society and worked as the Assistant Manager of Sustainability and Management at Bangladesh Petrochemical Company Limited (BPCL). She also was a Teaching Assistant and Postgraduate Secretariat at the School of Biological Sciences, USM, and was involved in research capacity at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), the Economic Dialogue for Green Growth (EDGG) at Adam Smith International, and ACI Limited Crop Care and Public Health. Currently, Zakia is pursuing her PhD in Marine Biology at James Cook University in Australia. Her research focuses on understanding the susceptibility of early life stages of macroalgae to herbivores.

Rigan graduated from the School of Environmental Science and Management at IUB in 2013 with a B.Sc. in Environmental Management. He began his career with the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) and subsequently worked on projects under Oxfam Global, the Full-Bright Programme, BBC Media Action, the University of Waterloo, United Nations University, Manchester University, WorldFish, and Practical Action Bangladesh. In 2018, Rigan joined the United Nations Migration Agency (IOM) to respond to the world's largest Rohingya refugee crisis where his focus was on WASH, Shelter and Non-Food Items, cash-based programmes, disaster management and environmental sustainability. In 2023, Rigan went to IOM Turkey, supporting the Earthquake Recovery and Cross-border programme. He is now based in Juba, South Sudan, supporting one of IOM’s largest missions globally.

Alavy completed her MSc in Environment Management at IUB in 2020 after earning her Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from Monash University. Her MSc thesis focused on analyzing the environmental performance of the RMG industry in Bangladesh and exploring pathways toward a greener industry. Alavy has a diverse background, having worked as a Consultant for the PACTII program at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and as a Communication Coordinator at the Sajida Foundation. Excitingly, she has been selected as one of the seven PhD candidates for the “Resource Nexus for Sustainability Transformations (NEXtra)” Program at the United Nations University, with studies set to begin in October 2024. The NEXtra program offers a unique opportunity for doctoral research under joint supervision by experts from TU Dresden, UNU-FLORES, and IOER.

Atif started his journey at Independent University, Bangladesh in 2016 when he enrolled in the Department of Environmental Science and Management. After spending a couple of fruitful years at IUB, Atif decided to transfer his credits to Brooklyn College, New York where he completed his B.A.. in Urban Sustainability with a concentration in Environmental Science. His passion for the environment and the solid grounding of the basics of environmental science at IUB helped Atif in his studies. Atif has recently completed his MSc in Toxicology from Colorado State University in 2024 and hopes to pursue a career as a regulatory scientist.

Halima graduated from IUB in 2021 with a B.Sc. in Environmental Science. A self-motivated and enthusiastic person with a positive mindset Halima has worked at SF Denim Apparels Ltd ,Bangladesh as a Trainee Officer (Environmental Management System) and Real Dairy Australia Pty Ltd. as a Quality Control Analyst. Currently she is working in customer service at Zeus Street Greek in Sydney, Australia.