CCNY PhD Student Ana Mejia Represents Youth Voices at HLPF 2026 Side Event

Ana Mejia, a PhD student at The City College of New York (CCNY) and member of the United Nations University Hub on Remote Sensing and Sustainable Innovations for Resilient Urban Systems (R-SIRUS), served as the youth representative during the panel discussion at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2026 side event, “UN Water Conference Academic Hub: Mobilizing Research and Evidence for Effective Outcomes”, held at United Nations Headquarters on Thursday, 9 July 2026. Representing the next generation of researchers, Ana Mejia highlighted the critical role of scientific innovation and remote sensing technologies in advancing evidence-based decision-making for sustainable water management. Her participation underscored the importance of empowering emerging scholars to contribute to science-policy dialogue and to help shape the outcomes of the 2026 UN Water Conference. The panel brought together experts from academia, the United Nations, and Member States to explore how research can strengthen implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6, enhance climate resilience, and translate scientific knowledge into practical solutions for global water challenges.