Victoria Duffy

Victoria Duffy is a senior from New Hartford, Connecticut pursuing a degree in Environmental Science and a double minor in Sustainable Food Crop Production and Math. As a child she gardened, camped, and spent hours playing in the woods with her brothers, establishing an early fondness of nature. After joining the FFA in high school, she realized farming and sustainability are topics she is passionate about. She fostered this passion by volunteering with a nearby land trust in high school, working at a local, family run farm each summer, and eventually volunteering at Spring Valley Student Farm once in college. Victoria fell in love with the community at Spring Valley and applied to live there during the summer before her junior year. At this time, she also began working for the UConn Adventure Center (UAC). Through UAC trips, she further confirmed the joy she feels when in the outdoors and her desire to protect such a sacred space. After a summer (‘23) living and working as a naturalist educator in the Adirondack mountains, she returned to Spring Valley with the passion to teach people about connecting to the natural world and utilizing organic farming practices to sustain healthy soils. When not working at the UAC or the farm, Victoria can be found analyzing soil samples for UConn’s Technical Assistance for Brownfields program. The plan is to determine contaminants for the purpose of implementing community gardens. At COP28, she wishes to gain a global perspective on climate issues and how individuals can make a larger impact through social or political movements, while also asking about sustainable agriculture and how to divest from fossil fuels in the green energy sector. After graduation Victoria will be joining Kira Goldman in Sri Lanka, 2024, WWOOFing (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms), and attending an Earthship Building Class in Taos, New Mexico. Perhaps one day she will dedicate herself to environmental law, engineering, or a PhD, but until then, she will continue summiting mountains, reading her favorite fantasy series, and prioritizing the gym over schoolwork.