I often wonder what was the point of learning if it cannot be applied to real-world issues? I remember my outreach days in the slums of Lagos and how much the SDGs felt like the "must follow" steps to achieve the long-term of a more sustainable society. But as in my post-Bsc learning, i discovered that reality and theory are two different things in trying to solve the problem of poverty, hunger, and environmental governance which are my main research areas. Researching why Nigerians still use plastic bags in 2021 and the impact on the environment at the interdisciplinary level gave me a deeper hunger to chase a transdisciplinary sustainability Ph.D. dream. Now, i am researching methodological cosmopolitanism and ocean governance with a focus on the loss of marine biodiversity in Marine Protected Areas. My work now is entrenched in environmental governance, policies and knowledge co-creation. I love it (at least for now) because it is practical beyond familiar disciplinary boundaries.

Margaret Aligbe
I am a PhD student with a background in interdisciplinary sustainability studies now focused on transdisciplinary research in Ocean governance.