What comes to mind when you hear the phrase Human Rights? For many people, Human Rights means social justice and many may equate careers in Human Rights to nonprofit and advocacy work. And yes, those careers do exist, but often overlooked are the vast array of opportunities that require a science, data, or technology background.
When industrial properties are abandoned and leave environmental contamination- those areas (called brownfields) are often concentrated in inner cities and poor neighborhoods, disproportionately affecting minority populations. The problem solvers in this area are made up of scientists, engineers, urban planners, and grant writers.
If we look to the Engineering for Human Rights Initiative right here at UConn, you can get a glimpse into how a technical education can support making the world a better place. We need those who can explore the entire lifecycle of a product including its design, the labor that goes into production, and the environmental impact of delivering that product to the market. What happens to that product when it reaches its end of life? These questions are answered by research, data, and technical problem solving.
In the area of Cybersecurity, Privacy, and Human Vulnerability, these professionals are involved in protecting the privacy of others and ensuring transparency and integrity of data to improve the accountability of organizations. Researchers in this area try to understand how much the government should regulate privacy and how access to data privacy can be assessed as a fundamental human right.
These are just a small sample of areas that touch Human Rights. To learn more about how you can use your major to improve the lives of others, schedule an appointment with a Career Consultant.
