Siyeon Joo, a rising high school senior from Lafayette, Louisiana, is deeply committed to climate advocacy and environmental policy. As an ambassador for the Climate Initiative, she collaborates with local libraries to host webinars and promote climate-fiction young adult novels. Through her roles as a Water Challenge Ambassador and a member of the Gulf of Mexico Youth Climate Summit and Advisory Congress, she has developed a passion for data-driven climate justice and water conservation.

Growing up near the Gulf, Siyeon witnessed the economic impact of coastal erosion on Louisiana, inspiring her to merge her interests in biology, policy, and community service. She explores human health, climate, and equity-based preparedness, particularly as a leader on her mayor’s youth advisory council, embodying the principle of ""thinking globally while acting locally."" Her advocacy has been recognized by the Associated Press, the New York Times, and local newspapers.

Beyond her environmental work, Siyeon serves as a Girl Up USA youth advisor, advocating for gender justice. She also enjoys conducting astrobiological research, which she presented at the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research, and cancer research at the University of Chicago.