UNM Honors College Alumnus Kineo Memmer Explores Diverse Perspectives in Environmental Advocacy
October 25, 2024
“I have learned a lot about the different perspectives of people depending on their degree, or even depending on where they grew up and other factors in their lives!”
Kineo, a dedicated Honors College alumna at the University of New Mexico, is making marks in advocating for interdisciplinary learning. Originally from California, Kineo found herself relocating to Taos in High School, and has since pursued her Environmental Science major and Sustainability Studies minor at the University of New Mexico. She hopes to work in natural resource management someday, with a specific focus on water resources.
One of the aspects Kineo loved about the Honors College is the intimate and collaborative class environment. She emphasizes the value of small class sizes, which foster engaging discussions and diverse perspectives. “I learned so much from my peers each semester from class discussions, which would not be possible if we were in a larger lecture-style class.” she says.
Honors had been integral to Kineo’s education at UNM. As a STEM major, she found comfort in taking Honors courses to balance her workload and explore subjects outside her field of study. Courses Kineo had taken have been in subjects such as theater and human rights, all the way to natural disaster management. Her interdisciplinary experience in Honors had been transformative. “It has been such an interesting experience being in classes with people of all different majors, from English to engineering,” she explains. “I have learned a lot about the different perspectives of people depending on their degree, or even depending on where they grew up and other factors in their lives!”
Kineo's engagement with the Honors College goes beyond participation; she actively contributed to our academic community. She has participated in a panel discussion at the Western Regional Honors Council (WRHC) conference in Albuquerque, alongside faculty members Megan Jacobs and Leslie Donovan. Their panel, titled, "Re-envisioning the Future: How Can the Academy Mitigate Climate Change?," focused on student climate activism, how professors can highlight sustainability in their classes, and how art can be used as an activism and teaching tool for environmental issues.
Kineo and Megan recently published the article, "Addressing the Climate Crisis through Science and Art: The Value of Interdisciplinary and Intergenerational Team Teaching" in the journal, Honors in Practice.
As Kineo embarks on the next chapters of her journey, she displays the importance of embracing new challenges. Her active engagement within the University of New Mexico community, such as her role in UNM LEAF, has helped prepare her to make other significant contributions in her future endeavors. Kineo's versatility and dedication demonstrate her potential to excel in whatever opportunities lie ahead. Kineo completed a senior teaching option in honors where she co-developed and team taught the honors course, Eco-Art: Making Art to Reconcile with the Climate Crisis with Associate Professor Megan Jacobs. The Honors in Practice journal article, “Addressing the Climate Crisis through Science and Art: The Value of Interdisciplinary & Intergenerational Team Teaching” unpacks what Kineo and Megan learned from co-developing the course and partnering with the New Mexico environmental organization, Land Witness Project.
Kineo is currently a Soil Conservation Technician at the USDA-NRCS (United States Department it Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service). This agency works directly with farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to conserve natural resources and improve agricultural productivity. She is also a member of Youth United for Climate Crisis Action (YUCCA), and works everyday to advocate for climate justice and structural change in her community.
