Maya Alia is graduating from Harvard Extension School in May 2025 with her Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Sustainability focusing on sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI). During her time at Harvard, Maya became involved in campus sustainability initiatives and programs, including the Office for Sustainability’s Council for Student Sustainability Leaders (CSSL). Learn more about Maya’s experience at Harvard.
How are you involved in working with the Office for Sustainability?
“I started with CSSL in the fall of 2023. It has been a wonderful two years!”
What is your best memory working in sustainability at Harvard?
“One of my favorite and most rewarding memories working in sustainability at Harvard was organizing and leading a design-thinking workshop. We had the opportunity to collaborate with Anas Chalah, Assistant Dean for Teaching and Learning at Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, who brought such energy and depth to the session. He led an incredibly engaging and hands-on workshop that challenged students to reimagine sustainable solutions through a design thinking lens.
“What made it especially meaningful was the interdisciplinary spirit of the event. We had students from a range of programs all coming together around sustainability. It was really powerful to see how different perspectives shaped the way people approached problem-solving. That kind of cross-pollination is what makes working in sustainability so exciting.
“After the workshop, I developed a follow-up worksheet to help future students integrate the lessons into their own projects. Contributing something lasting to support others in their sustainability work felt incredibly fulfilling. That experience reminded me how creativity, collaboration, and systems-thinking can lead to truly impactful and innovative ideas—and how sustainability thrives when it is embedded across disciplines.”
What other sustainability-related experiences did you have on campus or beyond during your time at Harvard?
“During my time at Harvard, one of the most meaningful sustainability experiences I had was through my capstone project, where I explored the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainability. Specifically, I analyzed the productivity gains enabled by an AI chatbot in relation to its associated carbon emissions. It was both exciting and challenging to dive into the nuances of quantifying impact in such an emerging space.
“What made the project especially rewarding was the way it pulled together insights from so many of my courses. I drew on everything from measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and conducting lifecycle assessments to sustainable IT practices and the broader themes of digital transformation. It felt like the perfect culmination of my academic journey—getting to ask new questions about responsible tech use while applying the technical and systems-based thinking I had developed throughout the program.
“Beyond the classroom, this project also sparked conversations with peers, faculty, and professionals working at the intersection of tech and climate, reinforcing how interdisciplinary and evolving the sustainability field truly is.”
What are your plans moving forward?
“I’ll be continuing to work on the Corporate Sustainability department at KPMG, focusing on a range of decarbonization, reporting, and AI.”
What advice would you give to incoming students related to sustainability and climate (e.g., classes to take, groups to join, etc.)?
“Get involved and stay curious—sustainability is needed in every industry and environment. No matter your field, there are opportunities to apply what you are learning to help build a greener, more resilient world.”