Dhyana Quintanar Solares
Yale University
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies / Mexico
Research Topic: Evaluation of Bus Rapid Transit Systems in Latin America and Beyond: Criteria Development for Transport Indicators and Database Development

I was born in urban Mexico, an environment overwhelmed with stark socio-economic contrasts, where opportunities for improvement are limited to a privileged few. Although originally from Mexico City, I grew up in Cuernavaca, a city south of the capital known as "the city of the eternal spring" because it enjoys pleasant weather most of the year. Although my city is praised for its green and flowering gardens in some areas, this reality is not enjoyed by all of its inhabitants. Growing up across the street from a recent squatter settlement, I was exposed to the marked differences in living conditions that are prevalent throughout my country. As a six-year-old, playing with kids who lived in corrugated metal shacks and dirt-floor, one-room houses, I realized that even across the street from me some people lacked access to essential services like running water or electricity, which I took for granted. I now realize that my street was a microcosm of Mexico itself, where middle class residences and a disadvantaged community live in close proximity. This and many other daily experiences living in Mexico instilled in me a strong sense of commitment to improve the living conditions in my country.

I was unusually fortunate to have received the highest quality of education in Mexico with full scholarships because my mother, a single parent, worked at private bicultural schools. Building on that opportunity and achievement I was awarded the Barbara GÛmez Scholarship, a full scholarship to Bryn Mawr College. It was in this liberal arts college where my passion for environmental science prospered. Spending my summers and breaks doing community service in Mexico, volunteering at public children's hospitals, and reaching out to people in low income neighborhoods who did not have access to clean water and air, I increasingly felt the need to integrate my human values focus into my academic knowledge and expertise in science. After graduating with honors in Biology and Environmental Studies, I decided to pursue a Master's in Environmental Management at Yale University, a degree that incorporates my social and academic interests. Despite all the responsibilities of a student living abroad, I have never lost focus of the commitment that I hold to my country, which has only strengthened as I envision ways to use my interdisciplinary knowledge to the situation in Mexico.

I have gotten involved in activities and internships, such as that with EMBARQ, the World Resources Institute Center for Transport and the Environment, that particularly relate to the sustainable development of urban areas in the developing world. I have been specifically focused on land use and urban transportation issues, two areas that strongly shape the social, economic and environmental fates of cities and countries. I envision myself as a high-level public administrator in my country, impacting the decisions that lead to success stories in sustainable development. I have been incredibly fortunate to have received excellent education and preparation to become such a leader because of the generosity of individuals and institutions who share the value of education and practical learning experiences.