Let’s meet our new interns in Denmark, and our new students in South Africa! But first, we welcome Michaela – who after a 3-month internship is now onboard with us as THINK Denmark’s Communications Officer.
Michaela Higgins Sørensen
Communications Officer, Denmark
Hi everyone! I’m Michaela, a 27-year-old Danish South African who grew up in Mozambique, but am currently based in Copenhagen. I completed my master’s degree in June 2021, at Aalborg University in Denmark, in Development and International Relations – with a specialisation in Global Gender Studies.
For the past four years, I have been working in the gender, peace, and security field, as well as the gender and development field. I have particularly focused on gender and nuclear disarmament, as well as feminist foreign policy and human security. I also have a strong background in volunteering and leading within United Nations Youth Associations, and am also well-seasoned in the youth empowerment arena.
Over the years, I have refined my passion for communications with impact, and am passionate about strategic campaigning and advocacy work to make the world a more peaceful and sustainable place for all.
At THINK, as the Communications Officer in the Copenhagen office, I am working on our strategic communications, boosting our social media presence, as well as assisting with daily tasks. I feel so privileged to be part of such an innovative, talented, passionate, and welcoming team, and I can’t wait to see our comms shine and portray all of THINK’s wonderful work!
Ziyuan Aria Zhou
Project Intern, Denmark
Hello everyone, I’m Aria, a 23-year-old originally from Southern China. I’ve been living in Sweden since 2019, and now find myself in Copenhagen. I completed my bachelor’s degree in Lund, majoring in Economics and Sociology, and now I’m pursuing Global Development at the University of Copenhagen. Recently, I joined the vibrant scene at THINK as a project intern.
So, why did I jump on board? Well, first off, I’ve always been drawn to the intersection of different disciplines, and my academic journey in Economics and Sociology has given me a taste for diverse perspectives. The opportunity to delve into Global Development aligns perfectly with my passion for understanding and contributing to positive global changes.
As a project intern, my main responsibilities revolve around promoting our NFT hoodie and expanding the THINK universe in the wild realm of the metaverse. While virtual exploration wasn’t initially on my radar, it’s been a blast! I’m genuinely excited to collaborate with all of you, and contribute to positive changes.
On a lighter note, a fun fact about me is that I also work as a part-time tattoo artist – so I am passionate about stabbing people with ink, hahaha!
Looking forward to this journey together.
Rebecca-Carena Lengeling
Communications Intern, Denmark
Hey! I’m Rebecca-Carena, and I am a 23-year-old from Germany. I have joined THINK as a communications intern until the middle of June! Having lived in The Netherlands, Ireland and South Korea, I love exploring new cultures and am hence studying International Communication Management.
As your new communications intern, I’ll be helping out with events, refining our communication strategy, and crafting social media content. I’m looking forward to being part of this inspiring and ambitious team, to delve deeper into different cultures (specifically the Southern African culture), and to learn more about the world of innovative medical solutions.
On a side note, a little fun fact about me: I have a twin brother – yes, we share the same birthday but we actually don’t look alike!
I am looking forward to getting to work with you all.
Alessia Marzullo
Community Engagement Student, South Africa
Hi everybody! My name is Alessia Marzullo and I’m 24. I am Italian, but I have lived and studied in Copenhagen for the past year and a half. I have a bachelor’s degree in Social Science, and I’m currently doing my master’s in Global Development.
My education strongly encouraged an interdisciplinary perspective, combining competences and methods from anthropology, developmental studies, economics, sociology, political sciences and so on. During my master’s I had the chance to fly to Nepal and conduct fieldwork research around the topic of exclusion and social dynamics in Community Forestry. In Italy, I have also worked in some educational projects to support minors with special needs or socio-cultural vulnerabilities.
This will be my first experience joining a network that cares about people’s health, and I can’t wait to contribute to your fundamental purposes.
At THINK, I will be working as a trainee in the Community Engagement Office in South Africa. I’m especially looking forward to learning everything about knowledge dissemination, community training and the interaction of socio-cultural and medical aspects.
It goes without saying that I can cook Italian food, and I would be happy to have people over to try some! It’s a great pleasure to be part of such a kind-hearted organisation.
Jenalle Anthonypillai
Research Student, South Africa
Hi I’m Jenalle Anthonypillai, 23 years old and from Melbourne, Australia. I developed a passion for global health recently – when I had the opportunity to study at Lund University in Sweden for a year, and found that health in differnt nations is something that interests me greatly.
I am currently studying a master’s degree of Public Health at the University of Melbourne, and have a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science. I have had research experience working as an assistant for various studies in Australia, and was a teaching associate for Monash University school of public health and preventive medicine in Melbourne.
I am excited to join the THINK team in South Africa, and explore and study more about infectious diseases.
I am very passionate about making a difference in the health field, so I joined THINK due to their strong research background in South Africa. I look forward working with you for the next few months.