ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2024
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 52,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2024 on 6,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 280+ campuses worldwide (just 5%) were selected to host the 4,000+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT SANKARA VINAYAGAM T, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2024.
National Institute of Technology Tiruchirapalli | Tiruchirappalli, India | Advancing SDG 13, SDG 11 & UNAI 9
" I am excited to be a Millennium Fellow because it represents an incredible opportunity to amplify my efforts in addressing critical environmental issues through innovative, community-driven solutions. The Fellowship aligns with my commitment to creating sustainable impact and empowers me to further develop and implement effective waste management strategies that foster positive change in our communities. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Empowering Communities to Quantify and Sustain Green Cover
Quantifying Green Cover: A Scalable Methodology for Community-Driven Tree Mapping and Environmental Impact Assessment
This project focuses on developing a methodology for quantifying tree density, oxygen production, and temperature reduction using open-source tools like QGIS and QField. Instead of conducting fieldwork, the project emphasizes creating a scalable, replicable approach for communities to map and analyze trees within their local environment.
The methodology allows users to:
- Accurately quantify the number of trees in a defined area.
- Estimate ecological benefits such as oxygen production using scientifically validated allometric equations.
- Assess the cooling effects of tree cover by analyzing spatial temperature data.
- Visualize the data in compelling formats like interactive dashboards to make the findings accessible to non-technical users.
The project's primary goal is to empower communities and institutions to understand the tangible benefits of green cover. By enabling data collection and presenting the findings in user-friendly ways, the project seeks to drive action toward increasing and sustaining tree cover, fostering environmental awareness and stewardship.
Key Features:
- A step-by-step workflow for mapping trees using GIS tools.
- Templates for estimating oxygen production and temperature reduction.
- Innovative strategies to engage non-technical users in tree mapping.
- Data-driven storytelling to inspire actionable solutions for sustaining green cover.
By simplifying complex processes, this project ensures that anyone, from students to community leaders, can adopt and adapt the methodology to suit their needs.
About the Millennium Fellow
Sankara Vinayagam has exhibited exemplary leadership and proactive engagement in addressing critical environmental issues. His work on the Solid Waste Management project is especially noteworthy. Through extensive fieldwork and direct community involvement, he has acquired an in-depth understanding of the intricate challenges associated with waste management in rural areas. His adeptness in problem identification, innovative solution development, and community mobilization is truly commendable.
The project's primary focus on establishing a self-sustaining waste management model seamlessly aligns with the mission of the Millennium Fellowship. Sankara Vinayagam has exhibited strong acumen in project management, community outreach, and adept problem-solving, rendering him an ideal candidate to spearhead a sustainable initiative on campus.
In addition to his involvement in solid waste management, Sankara Vinayagam has showcased exceptional leadership in his roles as the head of a club and team. He has effectively led and motivated teams, demonstrating exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills. These experiences have equipped him with the essential abilities to build and lead a successful team within the Millennium Fellowship.
Sankara Vinayagam’s commitment to social responsibility is evident through his contributions to the Social Responsibility team. His unwavering sense of civic duty and desire to effect positive change within the community are invaluable assets that will assuredly contribute to the success of the Millennium Fellowship.
