Ana Bachurova

What motivates you?

"Professionally, the opportunity to work on impactful projects that can create development opportunities and bring positive change.

"Personally, to be surrounded by people who are creative, mission-driven and trustworthy. In such an environment, you can be at your best, explore ideas, brainstorm without the fear of failure, engage in constructive conflict, and ultimately be motivated to do more, to go further."

What drew you to your professional field?

"My very first memory of articulating an idea to work in the environmental field is from my childhood when I remember thinking, “I want to work on something that prevents people from throwing out trash on the street”. 

"As I embarked on my studies (environmental management), I understood that nature conservation, environmental pollution and climate change topics are not just for NGOs and ‘tree-huggers.’  These topics are key factors in businesses, profitability, economy, health, comfort/standard of life, etc. That is why I decided to dedicate my career to this field and attain interdisciplinary knowledge and experience in these complex multi-faceted issues." 

Why did you apply for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program?

"The fellowship is an opportunity to take a side step and take some time to explore new approaches and concepts applied in my field. Professional development should not only mean going up in an organization’s hierarchy, it also means continuous learning and broadening the horizon. It is a valuable time investment, and it is worth it.

"I applied for the Humphrey Fellowship, as I believe it will offer opportunities to add cross-disciplinary knowledge, skills, practical perspectives and exposure to new mentors, fellows and experts."

What do you hope to take away from this fellowship and apply to your work or at home?

"My work at home will be focused on accelerating low-carbon and sustainable development, ultimately targeting to achieve net-zero ambitions. This requires a fundamental transformation in the economy and in the mindset of business and society. The question is no longer ‘WHAT needs to be done’ – there are sufficient targets, commitments, pathways, analyses, etc. The real question is HOW to get it done, and the answer requires a broad horizon and understanding of links, complexities and synergies.

"In this regard, my main takeaways from the fellowship will be new knowledge and perspectives, new experiences to apply interpersonal skills, and exposure to new ideas through mentors, fellows and experts."

What is something from your country that you would like to share with the UC Davis community?

"Bulgaria is very rich in traditions. I would love to present some key traditions to the fellows and the UC Davis community, including the signature dance, horo." 

How would you like to engage with UC Davis and the community here?

"I look forward to attending many events and conferences on campus and in the community and engaging with students, professors and citizens. I am fond of 'out of the box' engagement strategies, and it would be interesting to connect with like-minded people and organize a climate or SDG engagement event. I would be also happy to participate in mentorship initiatives. Communication and presentation skills are door-openers, and I would love to share experiences and tips with younger students and other interested fellows."