RuiJun (Sunny) S Saperstein
Guangzhou, China, and Montreal, Canada
Class Of: 2012

Campus: Manhattan
Major: Environmental Technology, M.S.

Engineering graduate student RuiJun (Sunny) Saperstein's mission to stabilize climate change sounds complicated, but the motivation behind it started with some simple pop culture about advocating for social issues – the Academy Award-winning film Bowling for Columbine.

"I feel that we should care about everyone in the world," says Saperstein, who aspires to one day research climate change for the United Nations. "Sustainability as the balance between humans and nature is important. I got that from the movie."

At NYIT, Saperstein is working on the Long Island Carbon Footprint Project, research that she will use for her master's thesis. She is also vice president of the Green Careers Network (GCN) for the Manhattan campus and the Chinese Student Association (CSA). On Tuesday, Nov. 8, the CSA will co-sponsor a nonprofit networking luncheon at the Manhattan campus with the Community Service Center.

"I love nonprofit organizations, and I think this event is a great way for students to interact with them, to show how much they can contribute to their community and also to learn about volunteering and internship opportunities," Saperstein says. "It's a win-win situation for nonprofits and students."

She also volunteers for the nonprofit Green America and is helping to plan the group's first green festival in New York for Earth Day on April 22, 2012. Recruiting NYIT volunteers and guest speakers is her main task.

Saperstein's convictions are strong, in part because she did some soul-searching before starting her master's degree.

"I have many different backgrounds," says Saperstein, who was born in China and grew up appreciating French culture in Montreal. "Before coming to NYIT and after graduating from McGill University in Canada, I traveled the world for fashion and art. It's very important to 'have the courage to follow your heart and intuition' as Steve Jobs said in his speech at Stanford."

Predictably, her travels took her to France and other European countries, but the place that impacted her most was Bhutan, a Buddhist country in Asia's Himalaya Mountains. Instead of measuring gross domestic product as an economic indicator, Bhutan focuses on peoples' happiness.

"Bhutan as a country is based on happiness," she says. "It's rare to see a country measure gross national happiness and that's inspiring."

When she decided to pursue a master's degree, Saperstein chose NYIT for its small classes and engaging professors. She was hooked after sitting in on the classes of Stanley Greenwald, professor and chairperson of the department of environmental technology.

"For grad school, finding a mentor is very important for building a career," Saperstein says. "Professor Greenwald has been a great mentor."

Saperstein also looks up to public figures such as Steven Chu, secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy, and sustainability advocate Lester Brown, founder of the Earth Policy Institute. In her family, she considers her father-in-law, Guy Saperstein, a role model for his work as a civil rights attorney and environmental advocate.

All of these people and activities have provided Saperstein, who speaks four languages, with the skills and insight she needs to succeed in the workplace.

"NYIT is a great school to get involved in," she says. "Doing my research and being a vice president for both GCN and CSA has helped me to grow and mature in many ways. I've become a better team player and leader."