MDP STUDENTS BRING YOUTH VOICES TO GLOBAL TOURISM SUMMIT DECEMBER 20, 2022 Three MDP students, 1st year Anne Jean Baptiste, and 2nd year Kashish Kalwani and Gail Cheng, represented Emory MDP at the Global Summit of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in early December 2022. The Riyadh Summit involved about 3000 business leaders, government officials, and civil society groups who came together to discuss how to support the sector’s post-pandemic recovery and move towards a safer, resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future. Anne, Kashish, and Gail were part of a group of 30 students from MDP programs around the world who joined a delegation of 300 young people from 90 countries representing youth perspectives and leadership at the Summit. MDP participation was organized by the SDG Academy and facilitated by Dr. Lucia Rodriguez, Director of the Global MDP Association. Besides attending speeches and roundtable discussion by youth delegates, the MDP students networked with other youth leaders and visited the historical site of Diriyah. See photos of the MDP delegation here.
|
TAYLOR SPICER RECOGNIZED AMONG 2022 OUTSTANDING EMORY ALUMS DECEMBER 8, 2022  Taylor Spicer (MDP 2015) is chosen to be one of the 2022 cohort of 40 Under 40 Emory alumni who are doing especially inspiring and innovative work! Taylor is Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability Initiatives (OSI) at Emory University, having started interning with OSI while a MDP student, nearly ten years ago! In her current role, Taylor works with students, faculty, staff, vendors, and community members to promote sustainability on campus and beyond. Taylor's interests span from the global to the local. Globally, Taylor is an advisory board member for the Youth Sustainable Development Network, an organization focused on youth empowerment and education on the Global Goals. She has done research on land rights in Rwanda, on rural social movements in Brazil, and on the effects of gender norms on climate adaptation among African farmers. Locally, Taylor is on the Wylde Center board and was previously on the Generation Green Board of the Georgia Conservancy She is part of the LEAD Atlanta 2022 cohort and was an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer at the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. Taylor is one of two alums representing the Laney Graduate School among this year's 40 Under 40.
|
MDP STUDENT ATTENDS UN CLIMATE CONFERENCE WITH EMORY DELEGATION NOVEMBER 28, 2022 Kashish Kalwani (MDP 2023) was part of the Emory student delegation to the Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), known as COP27, held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt earlier this month. Prof. Eri Saikawa, Director of Emory Climate Talks had launched and led the student delegations since 2015. Kashish had opportunites to witness President Biden’s address, delegates’ policy negotiations around climate change mitigation and adaptation, and youth activists protests in a country where public demonstrations are illegal. An environmental justice advocate, Kashish also moderated a panel discussion entitled “Youth: From Resistance to Power.” The COP Conference ended with a breakthrough agreement to establish a loss and damage fund for vulnerable countries. While at the conference, Kashish met up with Mian Cheng (MDP 2015), Climate Change Program Manager at Vanke Foundation in China, one of 15,000 companies worldwide that signed a UN Global Compact to promote sustainability, resilience and inclusivity through their business. Read about the Emory student delegates’ experience here >>.
|
MDP ALUMS WORK WITH CARTER CENTER TO SAFEGUARD U.S. DEMOCRACY NOVEMBER 18, 2022 As American citizens awaited for the midterm elections, Rachel Lastinger (MDP 2017) and Bella Cockerell (MDP 2021) were busy working with The Carter Center’s US Elections project to bolster trust in the democratic process. Drawing upon its experience in monitoring over 100 elections in 40 countries, TCC begun focusing on US elections in 2020, directing its efforts to providing objective information, ensuring process transparency, and building bipartisan, grassroots networks in three key states. In recent weeks, Rachel and Bella deployed to Arizona, where they helped coordinate activities and communications, manage and analyze data, and train citizen observers. Rachel worked in Ethiopia and South Africa prior to completing her MDP degree and joining the TCC. She participated in election observation in Nepal, DRC, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, switching to the US election team last year. A former graduate assistant with TCC Rule of Law program, Bella joined Rachel's team as a temporary contractor, after working on youth empowerment with the Girls Scout of USA and as community organizer with the Partnership for Southern Equity. Read more here>>.
|
ADRIENNE HINES PARTICIPATES IN B-CORP EVENT AND EXPERIENCES NOVEMBER 8, 2022 Adrienne Hines (MDP 2023) was awarded a travel fellowship to attend the 2022 B Academics Roundtable in Philadelphia, PA. The event, focused on “Humanity at Work in Academia: Informing the Future of Business for Good”, involves business leaders, researchers, educators, and students interested in Certified B Corporations. These are companies committed to using business as a force for good. Adrienne has been working with the Goizueta Business School B Corp Lab student consultant team for CompostNow, an emerging industry leader in regenerative agriculture and accessible compost related products and services. In summer 2022, Adrienne was selected for Mailchimp’s competitive summer internship program, which enabled her to learn more about best practices in Corporate Social Responsibility. She now looks forward to connecting academic research and industry leadership and to cultivating equitable and sustainable impacts in the B economy. Adrienne’s dedication to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion is also reflected in her service as an EDGE (Emory Diversity in Graduate Education) ambassador during her time with MDP.
|
CHAN WILLIAMS DISCUSSES MENTORING AT GLOBAL INCLUSION CONFERENCE OCTOBER 24, 2022
Chan Williams, MDP Assistant Director, traveled to San Francisco CA to attend a Global Inclusion Conference, a forum seeking to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in global education. Titled “Mentorship, Partnership, and the Power of Ubuntu: I am because we are” ("Ubuntu" is a Nguni Bantu term meaning "humanity"), Chan's presentation stemmed from her collaboration with Obse Ababiya and Kenya Casey (Emory's Office of Global Strategies and Initiatives), and Gary Rhodes (California State University). Drawing on the MDP experience during the pandemic and the racial reckoning following Mr. Floyd's murder, Chan stressed that "supporting student engagement and wellbeing as they wrestle with global inequities and systemic injustice is a key part of mentorship". Chan encouraged universities to do more than promoting academic learning: faculty and staff should actively listen to students, connect them with available resources, support the creation of inclusive networks, and nurture students' capacity for the care and compassion needed to become effective change-makers in the world. The presentation included an interactive exercise to exemplify the power of community building and belonging. |
CJ O'BRIEN'S LEADS THE FIGHT AGAINST MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION OCTOBER 12, 2022
CJ O’Brien (MDP 2021) is first author of an article published in PLOS (Public Library of Science) ONE, a high impact open access interdisciplinary journal that aims to fast-track publication of rigorous scientific findings. Part of a special issue on plastic pollution, the article draws upon CJ's undergraduate honors thesis research conducted under the supervision of Prof. Kwesi Connor, who is a co-author. The study analyzed the effects of microplastics on marine mussels, which serve as bioindicators of ecosystem health as well as filter water, thereby improving habitat conditions for other species. CJ’s interest in plastic pollution started while studying biology at California Lutheran University and deepened during her MDP studies through internships with Oceana, a non-profit devoted to protecting marine environments. After graduation, CJ was hired by Oceana as Plastic Pollution Associate to coordinate campaigns and facilitate collaborations across science, policy, and communities. While at Emory, CJ co-founded Plastic-Free Emory, a student initiative that successfully advocated for a formal commitment by the university to phase out unnecessary single-use plastic by 2026. Read an interview with CJ here >>. |
DR. HILARY KING PRESENTS FOOD SYSTEMS RESEARCH AT YALE UNIVERSITY SEPTEMBER 30, 2022 MDP Associate Director Dr. Hilary King was an invited speaker at a Colloquium at the Yale Macmillan Center Program in Agrarian Studies. Established 30 years ago with funding from the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, the Center is an interdisciplinary initiative that promotes development approaches grounded in the lived experience and understandings of rural communities. Dr. King’s paper is entitled “Brighter Spots: Tracing the Roots of Resilient Pandemic Response in Atlanta’s Alternative Food Systems". It analyzes farmers' strategies to maintain supply chains, develop innovative market solutions, and serve under-resourced community members during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on ethnographic methods and qualitative data analysis, the study shows that, in time of crisis, alternative food systems' focus on smaller-scale operations and social network building outperforms conventional systems that optimize for efficiency and profitability. The research involved several students, including Hampton Stall (MDP 2020) and Jamie Lutz (MDP 2021) as well as MDP Visiting Instructor Dr Yulia Chuvileva. Dr. King is now leading a USDA-funded research project on the effects of marketing and organizational practices on farmers' economic viability and quality of life, with the support of Emory research scientist Anna Ellis (MDP 2013).
|
CELEBRATING REBECA QUINTANA, MDP PROGRAM MANAGER SEPTEMBER 18, 2022 Each year Emory University recognizes staff who have reached service milestones: this year MDP Program Manager Rebeca Quintana (pictured here with President Fenves at the awards ceremony) reaches 25 years of employment at Emory, 12 of them with MDP. Rebeca joined the program at inception and contributed significantly to shaping it. Rebeca’s own training in anthropology, cross-cultural experience, and fluency in Spanish have been huge assets to the MDP program. She has managed the operational, financial, and human resources aspects of the program as well as worked directly with students on course enrollment, field practicum logistics, finances, insurance, and visa issues, etc. Of Mexican and Nicaraguan heritage, Rebeca has been especially supportive of international students. MDP students and alums have benefited from Rebeca’s genuine interest in their lives and dedication to their wellbeing. Rebeca has also served on university-wide committees to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. She will be greatly missed by the MDP, LGS, and Emory communities. Read more here >>.
|
LYNDSEY CZAPANSKY CONTRIBUTES TO STUDY ON GENDERED AGRICULTURE SEPTEMBER 8, 2022 As many MDP students do, Lyndsey Czapansky (MDP 2021) interned at CARE International during her time in the program, serving in different roles, including Qualitative Research Analyst. In that capacity, she contributed to a study on the role of women’s agricultural collectives in food and water systems across different countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana and Guatemala). The recently published report documents how women’s collective action in agriculture can catalyze transformative changes in other aspects of women’s lives, such as reducing domestic violence and increasing access to financial services. During her internship, Lyndsey worked with Paul DeMerritt and the Food and Water Systems team at CARE. The analysis was also guided by several CARE staff, including Caitlin Shannon, CARE Research and Inquiry Lead and MDP Visiting Faculty, who is one of the leaders of the CARE-Emory Collaborative. Lyndsey is currently senior specialist in innovation and learning in global housing finance systems with the Terwilliger Center for Innovations in Shelter at Habitat for Humanity. Read the report here>>.
|
EMORY MDP WELCOMES ITS MOST DIVERSE COHORT IN PROGRAM HISTORY AUGUST 26, 2022 We are delighted to introduce the Class of 2024, the most international cohort in MDP history. The group of 15 students - which includes 80% who identify as women - comprises natives or citizens (some with dual nationality) of several countries, most of them located in the Global South: China Ghana, Haiti, Kenya, Kuwait, Myanmar, South Korea, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The students had a busy first week on campus, including attendance of the Laney Graduate School’s orientation on August 16th and a three-day MDP orientation on August 17th - 19th, which introduced them to key aspects of the program, to the Emory campus, facilities, and resources, and to best practices in culturally sensitive and socially inclusive communication. Students also had an opportunity to get advice and encouragement from several MDP alumni. The Resume Ramp Up workshop led by MDP Visiting Instructor Dr. Yulia Chuvileva prepared our incoming students to apply for internships. Watch the MDP students, alumni, faculty and staff at a Welcome Reception here>>.
|
MDP STUDENT CONTRIBUTES TO INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE IN INDIA AUGUST 14, 2022 Kashish Kalwani (MDP 2023) served on the organizing committee and as a moderator and volunteer at the Rising with Kindness - International Youth Conference, which was held at Kanha Shanti Vanam in India from August 12 to 14, 2022. It was organized by the Heartfulness Institute in association with All India Council of Technical Education and UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development. Participants were based in fifty-five countries, including 15,000 young adults who attended in person and an additional 20,000 who attended virtually. A diverse range of experts interacted with the youth and discussed the transformative role of kindness in fields such as communication, career development, mental health, climate justice, education, healthcare, and sustainability. “This conference brought together many young adults committed to promoting kindness towards oneself, community, and nature and to integrating kindness into efforts to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals” says Kashish. The event, which was free of charge to enable any interested young person to attend.
|
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CHAN WILLIAMS COMPLETES LEADERSHIP TRAINING AUGUST 10, 2022 MDP Assistant Director Chan Williams, M.Div., has completed the Aspiring Leaders at Emory training. The program selects high potential Emory employees based on demonstrated motivation, adaptability, resilience, and interpersonal skills. The curriculum entails about one hundred hours of training over five months, addressing leadership, communication, and change management. Participants incorporate those learnings into personalized leadership development plans. Chan joined MDP as program assistant in 2011, while a student at Emory's Candler School of Theology. Chan spearheads many initiatives that lead to MDP student success: guiding MDPers’ fulfillment of academic requirements, facilitating access to electives, monitoring engagement in US-based internships, coordinating summer practicum logistics, and supervising program management and operations. Chan also serves as the Coordinator for the MDP Coverdell Fellow Program for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and similar partnerships. Chan has a background in psychology, youth counseling, and community engagement and, in addition to her MDP role, teaches a course for the Office of Undergraduate Education, covering topics such as Connections & Communications, Civic Engagement, and Academic Planning.
|
PAULITA BENNET-MARTIN AUTHORS ARTICLE ON OCEAN CONSERVATION JULY 24, 2022 Paulita Bennet-Martin (MDP 2016) is a Belizean-American with a passion for the oceans. She is one of the authors of a recent article published in the high-impact journal Marine Policy, entitled “An assessment of the viability of commercial lionfish fishery in the US Virgin Islands." Based on interdisciplinary field research funded by the National Science Foundation, the article centers on the potential role of market-based approaches in eradicating invasive species that threaten native fish in tropical waters. The research team interviewed commercial fishers and other local actors in the effort to analyze barriers and opportunities for successful development of a market for lionfish for local consumption. Paulita’s involvement with this project spanned her two years at Emory, working as a Research Assistant with Emory’s Department of Environmental Sciences (including a summer field practicum in the US Virgin Islands) and then as Research and Outreach Coordinator following her graduation. For the last four years Paulita has worked with OCEANA, an international nonprofit dedicated to protecting the world’s oceans, currently serving as Federal Policy Manager. Read article here>>. Read more about Paulita's work here>>.
|
MDP FACULTY AND ALUM DISCUSS HOW TO SUSTAIN SOCIAL JUSTICE ACTIVISM JULY 10, 2022 How do we "live beyond" social trends, such as displaying a Black Lives Matter sign in our yards? What are individuals and communities currently doing to sustain the momentum in the ongoing struggle for Black lives two years after the murder of George Floyd? These questions were explored in a roundtable discussion organized and moderated by Josh Griffin (MDP 2021) and hosted by Carter Center’s Forum on Human Rights. The panelists included MDP Faculty Lorrie King, MPH, Director of Special Projects with the Romero Institute and the Lakota People's Law Project and Dr. Kristian Jones, Asst Professor at the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. The event is part of a very successful series of roundtables focused on social justice that Josh initiated during a research assistantship with the Carter Center while an MDP student, which he now continues to spearhead as consultant. Josh’s also serves as Program Manager with the University of Washington’s Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity, focusing on promoting critical engagement with race and its intersections to interrupt privilege and bring about structural change. Watch roundtable recording here>>.
|
MDP DIRECTOR SPEAKS AT SYMPOSIUM ON LATE CLIMATE POLICY EXPERT JUNE 24, 2022 Dr. Carla Roncoli was one of the four panelists who discussed the intellectual legacy of Prof. Steve Rayner during a virtual memorial seminar. The virtual event was sponsored by the Royal Anthropological Institute and by the Institute for Science, Innovation and Society at the University of Oxford in the UK, which Prof. Rayner directed until his untimely death in early 2020. Prof. Rayner combined training in religion, philosophy, and political anthropology and was uniquely prescient in bringing social sciences to bear on vital debates about climate change as far back as the 1980s. His career spanned across academia, applied research centers, and policy advisory bodies in the US and the UK. He authored over 175 publications and several books and contributed to three of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) reports, and his research was widely covered in the media and very influential in policy circles. Dr. Roncoli’s remarks focused on Prof. Rayner’s pioneering research on the factors that affect whether and how climate predictions are used within institutions that govern natural resources, such as water management agencies. |
MDP ALUMNA CO-AUTHORS ARTICLES ON GENDER EMPOWERMENT IN WASH JUNE 10, 2022 Kudos to MDP alumna Amelia Conrad (MDP 2016) who co-authored an article entitled "Water, sanitation, women's empowerment: A systemic review and qualitative metasynthesis" and published in the journal PLOS Water. The study was part of the MUSE Project, a Gates Foundation multi-country research project on women's empowerment in the context of urban sanitation. Based on an analysis of over 250 peer-reviewed publications, mostly focused on Asia and Africa, the authors recommend that more comprehensive gender-transformative approaches to challenge and reduce systemic constraints on women's and girls' resources and agency be integrated into the design of water and sanitation programs. This work served as a foundation for a set of survey measures, the Agency, Resources, and Institutional Structures for Sanitation-Related Empowerment (ARISE) Scale, which Amelia also helped develop and validate and presented in another co-authored article published last year. Amelia worked on the project during her three-year tenure as Senior Public Health Associate in the Department of Environmental Health in the Rollins School of Public Health. Prior to that, Amelia worked with consulting firm JBS International and interned with the Carter Center, and CARE during her time with MDP. She currently serves as Senior MEL Advisor with the Frontier Design Group. |
MDP ALUM RECEIVES DISTINCTION AWARD FOR WORK ON HEALTH EQUITY MAY 25, 2022 Sumon Ray (MDP 2016) was one of 19 Emory University staff members who received a 2022 Distinction Award. Sumon serves as Communication and Development Manager with the Task Force for Global Health (a nonprofit connected to Emory and an MDP partner). The Award recognizes Sumon's exceptional commitment and accomplishments in bridging the gap between public health and racial equity. Working with the Council for Opportunity, Diversity and Equity (CODE), Sumon developed a speaker series known as “Faces of Global Health” that provides a virtual platform to share meaningful stories from the perspective of minority voices in global health. Sumon came to MDP with a degree in journalism and public health from the University of Georgia and after service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana. A masterful storyteller and photographer, during his time at Emory, Sumon spent two summers in the Philippines working with Habitat for Humanity documenting the experiences of resettled communities who were displaced by hurricanes. We are so proud of our alum! Read more >>.
|
MDP CLASS OF 2022 ATTENDS IN-PERSON GRADUATION CELEBRATIONS MAY 10, 2022 The Class of 2022 distinguished itself for more than academic excellence: they showed incredible resilience and resourcefulness during two years of COVID19 challenges. The 16 students joined Emory MDP in Fall 2020 and endured a whole academic year of virtual learning, and then more restrictions and uncertainties during this past year. They joined other Master’s and PhD students for the Laney Graduate School (LGS) Diploma Ceremony on May 8th. During her address, the LGS Dean Dr. Kimberly Jacob Arriola recognized the accomplishments of three LGS Master’s students, including MDP graduate Samridhi Rajbhandari. Another MDPer, Shafila Rahman was the flag bearer marshal leading the Master’s graduates into the ceremony. Most MDP students officially graduate in August, following their second field practicums, but they take part in the official festivities for their graduation year. MDP students can also opt for early graduation in May by counting their academic-year internship in lieu of their second summer practicum. See the MDP graduates, their families, and faculty and staff enjoying some (nearly) unrestricted fun Here >>.
|
NORA CARGILE AND EGHI TEAM CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL GAG RULE REPORT APRIL 30, 2022 Graduating MDP student Nora Cargile (MDP 2022) contributed to a groundbreaking report entitled "Chaos Continues: The 2021 Revocation of the Global Gag Rule and the Need for Permanent Repeal." Drawing on data from multiple countries, this report outlines the enduring negative impacts of the Global Gag Rule, despite its revocation in January 2021, advocating for the policy's permanent repeal. Nora collaborated with other students from across the university as part of a multisciplinary field scholar team funded by the Emory Global Health Institute. In conducting the study, the team partnered with Fòs Feminista, a global alliance dedicated to expanding access to rights-based sexual and reproductive health care while also building feminist solidarity among organizations across the Global South. "Working on 'Chaos Continues' has been an illuminating experience. Through my work with the team I have gained the language to talk about U.S. global health policy from an analytical perspective. I am grateful to have worked with such incredible team members and mentors", says Nora. The team was led by Emory professors Drs. Anna Newton-Levinson, Roger Rochat, Samantha Luffy, and by Bergen Cooper from Fòs Feminista.
|
EMORY MDP MEMBERS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE APRIL 15, 2022 The LGS Dean Annual Address and Inaugural Award Ceremony marks the completion of Dr. Kimberly Jacobs Arriola’s first academic year as Dean of the Laney Graduate School. Since taking the helm of LGS in Fall 2021, Dean Arriola has shown in many ways to be an enthusiastic champion for MDP. MDP Associate Director, Dr. Hilary King – who has been serving as a successful and dedicated instructor, academic advisor, and internship supervisor over the last several years - received the Exemplary Master’s Mentoring Award. Dr. King’s ability to foster new ways of addressing development challenges by linking theoretical learnings with sustainable and equitable practices across global and local scales is a huge part of what makes Emory MDP truly unique. One of Dr. King's mentees, Darnesha Tabor (MDP '22) won the Laney Outstanding Master’s Student Award for her academic excellence, leadership potential, and service. Last year, Darnesha was granted a highly competitive Graduate Education Diversity Internship (GEDI) by the American Evaluation Association, the only Master’s student in a highly selective small cohort of GEDI fellows across the US. Read more >>.
|
DR. KING DISCUSSES CRITICAL PEDAGOGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT STUDIES MARCH 30, 2022 Associate Director of MDP, Dr. Hilary King attended the annual Society for Applied Anthropology meetings, which took place in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 26-30, 2022. "SfAA is a meeting of anthropologists committed to advancing positive social change in the world. For me, this conference provided an opportunity to think more about the value of the contextual lens that our MDP program brings to development," says Dr. King. While at the conference, Dr. King engaged in a workshop on "Enhancing Your Program's Ability to Meet Practitioners Needs" where academics and practitioners brainstormed about ways to improve instruction of anthropological methods and increase our student's abilities to articulate their value for applied research and practice. Dr. King also contributed to a virtual symposium Innovative Practices and Pedagogies for Teaching Undergraduate International Development Studies, which brought together 40+ people from around the world to discuss innovative strategies for teaching development studies. These ranged from the use of theater in the classroom to field-trip based assignments to writing TIPS letters (letters to things, ideas, people and self) as strategies for bringing to life development's complex possibilities.
|
MDP ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER RECEIVES AWARD MARCH 15, 2022 Emory University has awarded Dr. Kathryn Yount - a member of the MDP Advisory Committee - the Marion V. Creekmore Award for Internationalization, which is given each year to an Emory faculty member who excels in the advancement of Emory’s commitment to internationalization. Dr. Yount's is the Asa Griggs Candler Chair of Global Health at Rollins and is professor of global health and sociology in Emory College. She is a leader in women’s empowerment research and is the founding director of GROW, an initiative to advance scholarship, leadership, and social change with respect to women’s and girls’ empowerment, the prevention of gender-based violence, and women’s health. MDP celebrates Dr. Yount for her devoted mentorship and a career-long commitment to women's global health and to global gender equity. MDP Founder, Prof. David Nugent, received the award in 2016, as did two other members of the MDP Advisory Committee (Ramakrishnan and Kitron). Read more >>
|
MDP DIRECTOR IS CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR FOR NEWLY RELEASED IPCC REPORT FEBRUARY 28, 2022 The 6th Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change report on Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability was recently launched. To produce this report, over 600 authors reviewed the state-of-the-art challenges and solutions associated with the growing climate risks. For the 2nd time, MDP Director, Dr. Carla Roncoli was a contributing author for the chapter on Africa, providing analyses of adaptation responses in food production systems across the continent. She draws on her 30-year fieldwork experience among smallholder farmers in West and East Africa and long-standing collaborations with African national and regional partners. In particular, her research centers on the interaction of techno-scientific expertise and local knowledge systems in agricultural decision-making and environmental management. While recognizing that indigenous knowledge has receiving greater attention in recent IPCC reports, Dr. Roncoli notes that “these assessments must give a central place to the voices of indigenous people, not just to harness their knowledge to fill science gaps, but to recognize that they play key roles in the wellbeing of our planet and all living things”. Read more >>
|
MDP STUDENT WINS 2022 INTRAMURAL EGHI CASE COMPETITION FEBRUARY 5, 2022 Kashish Kalwani (MDP '23), Gail Cheng ('23) and Henry Blinoff (’22) took part in the 2022 Intramural Emory Global Health Case Competition held by the Emory Global Health Institute. The competition provides multidisciplinary teams of Emory students with an opportunity to address a real-world global health challenge in a competitive and collaborative environment. This year’s case was about "Envisioning a New Olympic Era: Using the Olympic Games to Promote One Health Preparedness." Cheng’s team received honorable mention with a cash prize of $500. Kalwani's team developed the case study "One India - Ekta" and secured the first place, with a cash prize of $3,000. The winning team will go on to participate with 50 other teams from universities representing six continents in the March 2022 Emory Morningside Global Health Case Competition. “I am honored to contribute the skills and approach I am learning as an MDP student to my team. It was also fun to connect with brilliant students from different programs at Emory and work together to create something we are proud of!” says Kalwani. Read more >>
|
WENLU YE COMPLETES PHD AND STARTS POSTDOC AT UC BERKELEY JANUARY 10, 2022 While MDP is a professional degree and most of our alums pursue careers after graduation, a few become interested in delving deepr into research. Dr. Wenlu Ye (MDP 2015) was among those who went on to pursue a PhD in Environmental Health at the Rollins School of Public Health, which she succesfully completed in December 2021, under Prof. Eri Saikawa. While in MDP, Wenlu did a summer field practicum with the Nature Conservancy in China and a second practicum with the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security research program in Kenya, working on financing mechanisms to foster climate risk management in agriculture. After graduation, Wenlu worked with the Tibetan Village Project in Tibet, where she observed the health problems caused by indoor cookstoves and became interested in the relationship between climate change and air quality. In 2020, Wenlu first-authored an article entitled “Household air pollution and personal exposure from burning firewood and yak dung in summer in the eastern Tibetan Plateau” and published in the the journal Environmental Pollution. We congratulate Dr. Ye and wish her well as she begins a post-doc appointment at the University of California, Berkley later this month. Watch Wenlu present her research here>>.
|