Idea: Natural Science Applied to International Development
Keywords: NGO, Geomorphology, Hydrology, Ecosystem Services, Community, Agriculture, Academia, Agroforestry
Description: I dream of working as a natural scientist is the service of missions/development agencies Looking for ideas on ways to work academically while meeting acute needs felt by the world's poor.
Story: I am currently working towards a MSc in Physical Geography (geomorphology), and have additional expertise in Agroecology and Permaculture (Certificated Permaculture Designer), Geology (BA), and Environmental Science (Teaching Experience).
I am looking for ways to link this passion with the needs of the world's poor. Over 1/2 of the most impoverished people in the world live in rural poverty. The rural poor are nearly completely dependent on ecosystem services for survival. Therefore, it seems natural that natural scientists (experts in ecosystem services) would have something to offer these people (and the agencies who seek to serve them).
Furthermore, as the vast majority of scientific investigation has occurred in the developed world (typically, though not exclusively in Northern temperate regions), it is probable that many interesting and important observations of the biogeosystems in the developing world (typically, and also not exclusively in equatorial regions). By working alongside people and agencies in the developing world, who have local expertise, it is possible that academics may be able to identify significant knowledge holes and frontiers in their disciplines.
Design:
Ideally, research could be done that would:
be invited by local communities
involve local education and participatory research; so that with increased understanding of the systems local stakeholders can invest in the solution of practical (engineering) problems
and result in noticeable standard of living improvement without increased pressure on the local environment.
Furthermore, this research would need to:
address known or newly uncovered frontiers of global biogeoscientific understanding
be grounded in established biogeoscientific thought
and admit progress that has implications outside of the local system.
The keys are:
finding partners who are aware of specific environmental problems that need solved and who are motivated to assist in the solution of those problems
finding participatory agencies who will fund the research
discerning which of these problems will be fertile ground for academic thought
designing studies that will increase local understanding of the Ecosystem Services system while also providing data with which to explore theoretical scientific ideas
converting data into publishable material
and converting local understanding into local solutions
Progress; I am looking for:
researchers who have experience doing this kind of work (in any field) and are willing to mentor me
researchers who have expertise in biogoescience that meshes with mine who are willing to mentor me scientifically while I take the risk of working in an applied-theoretical context in the developing world
people/NGOs who are aware of local environmental problems and who are willing and able to facilitate the presence of an academic researcher
advice on what else to be looking for
