By MC2 Michael Ehrlich

Royal Australian Army Capt. Melissa Joy, left, and Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lt. Mark Powell, right, are pictured with Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP) Dean Bill Gates in Ingersoll Hall, March 10. Joy and Powell recently competed in an international simulation competition offered by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA).

"It was a public policy competition. By looking at a model, we were trying to minimize global temperature increases," said Joy.

This was NASPAA's second annual student simulation competition. Joy and Powell were both selected for their background in model development.

The goal was to reduce the rate of global warming by 2 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. Joy's team, which won the regional division, used a holistic approach including taxes on carbon, coal and oil emissions in addition to offering subsidies for renewable energy.

"[The data] was input by specialists from industry, economists and climate change scientists," said Powell.

Joy and Powell met with Gates after returning from the competition. He noted that events like these provide a unique educational experience.

"They expose them to a broader set of public policy issues than they typically see in our specialized and tailored degree programs," said Gates. "They also allow our students to meet students from other accredited schools and learn more about the diversity of programs and students within this community."