Sara Langdon chats with alum Andrew Brown
Andrew Brown is a Junior Environmental Policy Analyst at The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France. He received his Bachelor of Arts (BA) from William & Mary in 2012, where he studied public policy. Brown then went on to receive a Master of Science (MS) from University College London in 2019, where he focused on learning about sustainable resources. In his time between his degrees, Brown worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Falls Church, VA, where he had previously interned as an undergraduate.
As a Policy Analyst at the OECD, Brown works on circular economy. The equivalent division at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is called sustainable materials management. The concept aims to reduce waste generation and maintain material value. On a day-to-day basis, Brown deals with policy issues such as the choices made in a market with costs borne by society and works with economic instruments in order to internalize external costs. One of the main issues he focuses on is extended producer responsibility (EPR). Brown explained that this is when the producer is made responsible for their product at the post-consumer stage of the product lifecycle. He speaks to countries' leaders about this. It is all about how producers can work to be more sustainable.
Being located in Paris is one Brown’s favorite parts of his job. He enjoys being able to work with interesting people from many different places and cultures, including co-workers who are: Germans, Italians, Japanese, Slovakians to name a few. It allows for a multitude of perspectives on any issue. One of the skills Brown uses the most on the daily is writing. He says being able to write clearly is one of the most important things he learned as an undergraduate. Every single word has to mean something and be understandable.
A degree in public policy is multifaceted, covering courses in both the economics and government departments. When asked how he knew which one he liked the most, Brown said economics made more sense than political science, “You make assumptions about how the world works and then use those in order to get answers.” He wishes he would have spent more time studying anthropology because he believes observing how the world works helps one make better assumptions in modeling.
When recalling his time at William & Mary, Brown was very complimentary of the support he received from his professors. One of his favorite classes was Natural Resource Economics with Robert Hicks. Another favorite was Economics of Law with Sarah Stafford. They provided him with really good theoretical knowledge and support in his postgraduate endeavors.
When asked what advice he would give current undergraduates, Brown emphasized the importance of pursuing what you find you are passionate about. Figure out who is doing the most interesting version of what you are interested in. Pick a U.N. sustainable development goal. Try to get some experience in the field that you are interested in – perhaps with a summer internship and get that firsthand field experience while you are young. Reach out to people to ask questions and advice, most professionals want to help young people.
I would like to thank Mr. Brown for his participation in the Policy Careers Chat Program. It was a pleasure to talk to him and to learn about his path from an undergraduate at William & Mary to where he is today. He provided excellent advice that public policy students should take into consideration.
