Written by Kathryn Dixon (Bard College, Class of 2016)
As a student at Bard my education has encompassed many subjects ranging from mathematics to Asian economic history, but I was only able to directly use my knowledge and expertise because of LIASE and their gracious grant. With this grant I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to attend the 5th annual New York Times’ Energy for Tomorrow. The conference focused on three main areas in the energy sector: political, financial, and innovational. Covering a span of three and a half days, the conference featured key note speakers such as the Prime Minister of Malaysia, The Honorable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, and others. Over the duration of the conference, I met top professionals from the New York Times, the oil and gas sector, solar venture capital firms, and top political members for Southeast Asia and Europe, and was able to speak with keynote speakers, who have outstanding roles in their areas of expertise. These people became long-term contacts and also friends, who I still connect with today. Without the help from the LIASE Group and their confidence in me, I would not have been able to experience such a unique and important trip, which would help me in my studies and future goals.
