Earthwatch Award Recipient Summary
Awardee: Geraldine Brick
Affiliation: The Fletcher School of Environmental Studies, Tufts University
Project: Samburu Conservation Research Initiative
Award: 2004 Michael Rose Ecology Scholarship
Project Synopsis
Dina Brick is a candidate for a Masters of International Affairs at The Fletcher School, with an interest in combining the fields of public health and the environment. She has a background in sustainable development and environmental education, having taught for two years in Micronesia and acted as a park ranger at Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico. As a Rose Scholar, she participated in Earthwatch's Samburu Conservation Research Initiative (CRI), a valuable opportunity to experience field research in an entirely new cultural and environmental context. Working with Drs. Alexander Njue and Kiplagat Kotut of Kenyatta University, Ms. Brick helped survey water resources and assess the impact of both wildlife and local communities on water availability and quality. She stayed on for several weeks beyond the team dates to implement her own research project, the basis of her Master's thesis but also an important contribution to the CRI.
Award Outcomes
The Rose Scholarship allowed Ms. Brick to:
· Gain field experience combining her interests in conservation and public health
· Design and implement her own field study on local perceptions of conservation
· Develop a familiarity with East African cultures and environmental issues
Before she was awarded the Rose Scholarship and went to rural Samburu, Kenya, Ms. Brick had no field experience with conservation or development projects in Africa. Her participation in the Earthwatch Samburu CRI was an ideal opportunity to merge her interests in both conservation and public health in a cultural context that was new and inspirational to her. The project gave her first-hand knowledge of conflicts between local communities and wildlife over natural resources such as water, and an intimate look at the human side of conservation.
Ms. Brick learned how to design and implement her own research at Samburu, focusing on local community perceptions of natural resources and conservation programs. She asked community members about recent changes in the local resource base, their perceptions of the causes of such changes, and what effects these changes have on people's lives and livelihoods. Her project benefited from the support of Earthwatch scientists and other Kenyan colleagues she met in the Samburu CRI. Ms. Brick's findings are a valuable addition to the research program at the CRI, and will help guide future conservation efforts. They are also the basis for her Master's thesis at Tufts University.
Through the course of the Earthwatch project and her own research, Ms. Brick gained an intimate knowledge of the Samburu people, their local language and culture, and the unique environmental circumstances they face. Her experiences here gave her new perspective on her future career, and the inspiration to continue conservation and development work in East Africa. She feels that the Rose Scholarship will be invaluable background as she pursues jobs and fellowships in these fields.
Publications and Papers
Master's thesis, pending
Opinion article in Earthwatch Institute member journal, pending
Quotes
"The Rose Scholarship changed the way I look at the world. Working in a place so rural and traditional, meeting incredible people who live in a completely different reality than I do, working closely with researchers from Kenya and around the world-all of this has opened my eyes.
"I have a better understanding of the Samburu community, the pastoral and nomadic way of life, the rangeland landscape and water scarcity situation, and the priorities of local people in terms of resources. I will continue to research this area and some of these issues in my future work."