The Howard County
I N
F O C U S
VOL.15, NO.1
F O R
P E O P L E
O V E R
5 0 JANUARY 2025
More than 30,000 readers throughout Howard County
PHOTO COURTESY OF SABRINA FU
LEISURE & TRAVEL
A luxury cruise from Tokyo reveals the beauty, historic sites and friendly cultures of Japan and South Korea page 10
Earth-conscious from youth Growing up in Burma, Fu was conscious of humans’ impact on the environment. She cringed at the thought of trash ending up in landfills. “I didn’t realize this was unusual until I met other people who had the mindset ‘out of sight, out of mind,’” she said. Fu earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from UC Berkeley in 1991, focusing on the development of alternative fuels. While doing the research for her degree, Fu realized that part of the problem wasn’t the science, but whether there was societal will to invest in change. “If we really wanted alternative energy, we would have policies that encourage more people to buy into it because [that
Sabrina Fu, an Ellicott City resident, volunteers to fight climate change with a group called Citizens’ Climate Lobby. “We don’t care about who you voted for in the last election, what you look like, what you wear, or anything at all. If you want to be part of the solution, come and help us,” Fu said.
means a] lower cost per person,” she said. This realization led Fu to decide to work on practical solutions. After completing her degree, she moved with her husband to the D.C. area, where she got a job in the remediation of nuclear and hazardous waste. Now Fu teaches at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where she has been a science professor for 23 years. In
August, she became the program director of Environmental Science & Management, overseeing the undergraduate and graduate programs in environmental science, as well as managing faculty. Fu believes higher education is important in cultivating critical thinking skills in
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By Shannon Brown After more than a decade as a volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, Sabrina Fu has some advice for would-be environmental activists: Keep an open mind. “We should advocate for solutions, but we need to use the logical part of ourselves,” she said in an interview with the Beacon. “Being curious and open-minded is so important. Go out and talk to people and meet on common ground.” Fu, an Ellicott City resident, speaks from experience. She estimates she has spoken with about 4,000 people through her work with Citizens’ Climate Lobby, primarily through “tabling” events, in which volunteers set up a table at events like reggae concerts and farmers markets to speak with the public about climate change. Fu also believes we need to work together to create change. “We’re just not going to be able to address something big as individuals. We have to have the voice of strong groups,” she said.
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