By Fred Byrne
Ainhoa Burgos Aguilera / Cover Image
(Photo Credit: Lara Nicolis / The Gaudie)
What did you study and why?
So I was lost regarding what to do, but once I chose to study Biology, I thought to myself ‘How did I not see this before? Nature is my passion!’ Pretty much half my family works in a nature park in the south of Spain, and I’d go and visit them at least once a year ever since I was little.
Why did you choose the University of Aberdeen?
I had the privilege of going to an international school. The education system in Spain is quite broken - it’s a lot of memorising, then spitting it all out at the exam, and you’re not actually learning anything. So I knew I wanted to study abroad. I found out that because of the European Union I could study in Scotland for free. So I applied blindly to five Universities in Scotland. And honestly, I chose Aberdeen because they accepted me first, and it’s been the best decision of my life!
Why was moving here the best decision of your life?
I was born and raised in Madrid. It’s a busy city - everyone’s minding their own business, going everywhere quickly. I fell in love with the feeling of community in Aberdeen. I know finding a community is a struggle for many students, particularly for those who are only here a short time. For me, this feeling of community came mostly through The Secret Garden, because I started making loads of connections with community growers, local businesses and environmental organisations. I guess that’s what made me stay in Aberdeen, lots of people started knowing me, and I felt that I could make a difference.
How will you expand the feeling of community to students?
Promoting and signposting existing communities. Many students won’t engage unless you present opportunities to them, hence I’ve been working on the Community Events Calendar, where various activities are listed including tennis, climate action talks, meditation, LitSoc conversations, and sauna sessions!
Do you have a life philosophy?
Something that has inspired me since I was a teenager was ‘dream big, work hard, and make it happen no matter what.’ It resonates with me because I'm a dreamer but also a hard worker. So, I feel like you can achieve everything that you want if you work super hard. In terms of lifestyle, my big thing is ‘reduce’, from food to clothes – the clothes I’m wearing now were my friends’ clothes and I stitched the holes.
Ainhoa spoke with our reporter in the Secret Garden on Old Aberdeen campus
(Photo Credit: Lara Nicolis / The Gaudie)
What activities have you been involved in?
I’ve been in the Secret Garden Society and the Photography Society, but I was also in the Conservation Society and the Ethics & Environment Committee. I would often attend events organised by the Marine Society and Zoology Society, such as their beach and park clean ups. And in 2021 I was also the person that said, like, ‘Hey, let's start Fridays for Future!’, so we started the local branch.
What was the response to Fridays for Future?
There was quite a bit of traction in the first two protests that we did. Then the group became quite small, and we were struggling to get people engaged, as always, but we widened the range of activities. So instead of just focusing on protesting, we delivered workshops on climate anxiety and sign-making, for example.
Do you feel connected to Aberdeen?
I think so. To be fair, I don't know why. There are so many things wrong with this city, and part of me is asking ‘Why am I putting so much effort into improving this town that I would probably not live in after the next 10 years?'
What does the Students' Union do well?
The Union supports its students. Our advice team is honestly so small, and yet they do so much to help students. The Students’ Union is good at organising events. Plus, we successfully bring student views to the higher ups in the University, and at a local level. And we even take things nationally, like with the Borderless campaign.
What could the Students' Union do better?
We fail to engage students. All of us are putting so much effort into different things so it might be worth having less events but focusing on getting more engagement – but I don’t know if that’s the solution. The AUSA website is crap – it's the slowest website in the world and not very intuitive! I will acknowledge I’ve got things to improve myself. An external company, Blackshaw Management Consulting, produces reports on Student Officers, and their report on me recommended that I prioritise tasks, since there’s just so many things I want to do! I could also be better at showing all the work I do behind the scenes.
Why did you re-run?
I re-ran because I started so many things which I couldn’t just leave half done, like the Zero Waste Shop or the Tool Library idea. I was so convinced last year that I would do everything in one year. But then I realised that, no, things go way slower than I had thought. That’s how politics works. I still fear that there are things I will not achieve by the end of my second year.
How easy is it to make the changes you want to see?
The Zero Waste shop was quite easy. Joe, an AUSA staff member, was like ‘cool, I got the funding already’. For the Tool Library, we have the funding already but we just need a space. I won’t even start about what it’s like dealing with the City Council. I’ve noticed that at the University, there are many people who’ve been around so long that they’re stuck in their mindset and it’s so hard to bring change. But it’s a matter of keeping talking to them, and they are open to change - but not everyone. For example, the University agreed to run climate assemblies, but they only did one - but what about the rest? It’s been more than a year since I attended a climate assembly when I was a student. Communicating with the University is slow.
During the interview Ainhoa noticed a female sparrow by the bird box (Photo Credit: Lara Nicolis / The Gaudie)
You’ve worked on Hedgehog Friendly Campus campaign– what is it?
The title ‘Hedgehog Friendly Campus’ is a marketing strategy, and some people have literally laughed at the idea, but behind it is a wider biodiversity project. We have a checklist of actions required for accreditation, like installing bird boxes. The University agreed for me to cut a hole in some fence to allow wildlife to roam freely. I’m not sure if they said ‘yes’ because they’re excited or to shut me up, but I’ll cut the hole before the end of summer anyway!
What are your top priorities for the coming academic year?
I started the role focused on sustainability and will continue all the campaigns I’ve started. But I realised my remit is broad and my priorities include inclusivity and accessibility. I have three cousins with disabilities, and when I first came to Aberdeen, I was shocked that Braille language isn’t widely used in public spaces like bus stops. I did a campus tour with a wheelchair user, which was also eye-opening. I aim to campaign on wheelchair accessibility and for British Sign Language to be a default option at Graduations . I want everyone to feel safe and able to express themselves, regardless of gender, ability, orientation, beliefs or culture. Communication is priority - this includes showing all the work I do behind the scenes and updating the website on sustainability goals in an engaging way.
How will you measure your success in the role?
Many initiatives rely on me and Joe to function, like setting up the Zero Waste Shop. I want to ensure changes in the longer term, and the way to do that is feed into policies and frameworks.
Ainhoa’s 2024 Election Poster
(Image Credit: ausa.org.uk)
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