Miami University, Zambia scientists research environment

Students from Miami University recently visited Zambia, where they studied environmental research in three-week study abroad workshop.

The students were accompanied with a team in Zambia as well as professors and colleagues from the University of Zambia. This is part of the Zambia Environmental Management Agency, which is conducting three ongoing projects for researching the environment.

There were eight students and three professors who collected water samples and other scientific data. They traveled through challenging rural terrain as well as crowded streets in the city to conduct their research. The students said that learning in a foreign country helped them to see their research in a different light; the hands-on approach will benefit them throughout their careers.

Part of the research was building cooperative relationships with leaders and residents living in the communities where they researched. The goal is to use community needs as the basis for their research, including the communities more and more as the ongoing research occurs.

“Many in low-income communities are rightfully wary of groups of mainly white students and scientists entering their communities,” Jonathan Levy, the team leader and director of Miami’s Institute for the Environment and Sustainability, said.