Zhanel Sabirova is a MAERES student from Karagandy, Kazakhstan. She graduated from SDU University, Kazakhstan, where she studied International Relations. Her prior career experience started in a junior year of college, when she worked as a project manager at Kazakhstan National Federation of Clubs for UNESCO. While at KazFUCA, she implemented national and international level projects aiming on the spread of UNESCO principles and ideals. After graduation, Zhanel became an assistant-instructor at the Department of Social Sciences at SDU University, where she was promoted as an Education Program Coordinator a year later. Research interests of Zhanel includes Climate Change Politics and Financing Environmentally Friendly Initiatives in Central Asia. While at Georgetown, she plans to pursue the Certificate in Global Human Development as she hopes to advance her expertise in clean energy investment and development, focusing on the Eurasian region.