For this Alumni Spotlight, we spoke with Stephan Crawford, to hear how the MSEM program led him to a new career with the Climate Music Project. Growing up in Southern California and spending many of his early days sailing around Catalina Island, Stephan and his parents would count how many sharks they saw. When he reached his early 20s he no longer saw sharks swimming and realized our natural world needed protecting. Outside of sailing and being outdoors, Stephan also has a passion for the arts, but wasn’t sure exactly what kind of career that would bring him. So, he decided to explore a career in government services, working with the Department of Commerce on international cleantech and energy, also getting involved with UN Climate Summits to expand his work horizons. That’s when he realized his scientific understanding was insufficient to make a difference in the environmental field, so he decided to apply to the MSEM program.
When asked about what part of the program was helpful to him in his career, Stephan explained that MSEM as a whole was incredibly significant. He talked about how each of the courses he took were relevant to what was happening real time in the world and that each of his classes revealed synergies, showing just how interconnected management strategies are. He was also appreciative of how the highly-valued MSEM degree was accessible to full-time professionals. Most impactful for him was his experience with the MSEM Master’s Project. Stephan appreciated how his mentor for the research project, Rob Toya, took the time to connect and guide him through the process. Stephan’s project assessed management strategies to reduce nitrogen runoff from agricultural practices in order to enhance biodiversity and continue supporting food production, because as he says, we all need to eat. Another valuable aspect of MSEM was the networking. A classmate in the MSEM-MBA dual degree program would later help Stephan turn his musical ideas into a successful organization.
After MSEM, Stephan continued to explore his personal passion for the arts and one night while in his studio, tapping a metal rod, the rhythm hit him and he thought…why not use music to promote climate science? So, he decided to do just that. He left his government job and created the Climate Music Project (CMP), an effort to communicate climate science and motivate climate action through music. Recognizing that many people have limited knowledge of the climate crisis, he wanted to find a way for people to hear the climate, to develop a feeling for the disruptions, by having composers write music with data from climate scientists. The CMP has commissioned shows around the world and expanded their formats, to make sure their music is accessible to everyone. You can learn more about their current campaign “Be Cool” or follow them on social media @theclimatemusicproject for upcoming events.
