Alim Makanov is a junior at The University of Texas at Austin, majoring in government and Plan II Honors, with a minor in philosophy and a certificate in conflict prevention, management & resolution through the Bridging Disciplines Programs. On campus, he served as a legal director for the Sustainable Building Initiative, where he helped establish the branch and expand the legal team's scope, and as a standards chairman with Pi Kappa Phi. In addition, Makanov has volunteered with the Probate Court for almost two years, resulting in more than 100 case completions to safeguard the special needs community. Furthermore, he has worked with Icelis Global as a legal intern, conducting research on financial and sustainable regulatory policy in Qatar and the GCC. After graduating, Makanov hopes to attend law school and pursue research in ethics and conflict mitigation.