Ana Isabel Carmona
I am from Madrid, Spain, but I lived in the United States for many years. I would describe myself as an outgoing individual—always willing to help and learn. My primary passions are the environment and international relations, which is why I specialized in these two fields.
"IE has given me the necessary knowledge and experience to be able to enter the professional world as a young adult, while also granting me friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Thriving in a diverse environment
Ana’s passion for sustainability and the environment is evident throughout her international education and career. Before coming to IE University, she spent time in the U.S. studying environmental management and international studies at Indiana University. Upon graduation, she conducted research in international environmental law before returning to her home in Spain in 2018.
Ana calls the ecosystem at IE University “incredibly diverse,” which is something she has always valued. She loves hearing what people from all over the world can bring to a conversation, describing the program lectures as being much more interesting because of it. She cites a time in class when they were discussing an economic case study about Turkey. The Turkish students were able to provide a unique perspective that gave her a much deeper understanding of the matter.
When asked about her experience in the dual degree program, her environmental commitment shines once again. She has always believed that to study the environment properly, an international perspective is essential. But, she had always focused more on public affairs as opposed to the private sector. Seeking a better understanding of both, Ana says the Master in Management and the Master in International Relations “complement each other extremely well.”
“I wanted to continue my education in English while maintaining an international environment as much as possible. IE provided all of these things: learning about business and international relations, learning in English, and an incredibly diverse school.”
This dual perspective has certainly helped her professionally. In her role as Business Development Manager at photovoltaic company Tentusol, she has to talk to stakeholders from investment funds and public administration bodies. The valuable insights she gained into the inner workings of both worlds have helped in these interactions. She also cites the outstanding networking opportunities at IE University as a factor in her current collaboration with TycheTools, working on their IT solution as an environmental, social and governance specialist.
In the long run, Ana hopes to transition into working for the European Union or European Commission, ideally in international environmental management on water quality and accessibility. She has already gained an inside look into these institutions as a contributing editor on a Joint Research Centre book about the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus in developing countries.
Looking back on her time at IE University, Ana is grateful to have found such a diverse group of individuals and opinions in her studies. Not only has she gained the necessary knowledge and experience to enter the professional world, but also “friendships that will last a lifetime.” Through the global setting and group work, she learned things from her peers that she would not have in a traditional classroom setting—which have been vital to her career.
