Karen Lau

Karen Lau is a sophomore from Norwich, Connecticut majoring in economics with minors in Asian American studies and political science. Her advocacy for environmental justice began with the Connecticut Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL). She worked with Dr. Roger Kuhns, CCL’s CT State Coordinator, and Anne Schmidt to advocate for the Climate Emergency Act, a bill that would accelerate the pace of the clean energy transition and lead to a fossil-fuel-free economy. Through this work, she learned about the intersection between climate change, housing insecurity, and racial equity. As a COP27 Fellow, she is eager to deepen her understanding of climate change’s impact on refugees, learn about crafting clean energy policy, and witness climate negotiations. Currently, Karen is engaged in humanities research as an inaugural UConn Humanities Institute Undergraduate Research Fellow and a 2022 Holster Scholar. She is also involved in the Human Rights Symposium, UConn College Democrats, and the Special Program in Law. She aspires to work in education policy and public interest law after graduation. In her free time, she enjoys reading The NYTimes Modern Love column, listening to Wallows, and collecting corduroy pants.