FIELD-BASED RESEARCH AND INFORMAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Geoscience research and field work in developing countries often faces unique challenges and obstacles to success. This presentation summarizes lessons learned and logistical considerations of field research in a developing country. It is based on my 10 years of experience travelling regularly to Bangladesh and Mexico to study processes contributing to human exposure to fecal pathogens, arsenic and fluoride from groundwater consumption. Through my work, and that of colleagues across the Geosciences, I’ve learned that collaboration between scientists from developed and developing countries is a potent force to transform conditions in the developing world. International researchers employ and mentor students from developing countries and help them make connections to good graduate programs. In many cases, these students go back to their home countries to teach the next generation of geoscientists and the public.

A given field trip will succeed or fail based on how well scientific and logistical components are planned and implemented in unpredictable, and sometimes adverse, conditions. The scientific objectives of a field trip should be discussed early and agreed upon amongst the team members. Tasks should be ranked according to their value to address the objectives so the top priority tasks can be targeted first. Most field trips will produce both real-time data and samples that will be analyzed upon return to the home country. Upon returning from the trip, samples should be organized and processed, and field notes and observations should be rapidly incorporated into conceptual models that address hypotheses.

When trip tasks include testing air, water or soil quality the local population should be informed in a timely way about the results of the testing in the local language. This requires close partnerships between the hosts and travelers to follow up with testing results. The host country scientists and students should be encouraged to present results from the field trip at local and international conferences. Earth System processes operating in the developing world are under-studied. By partnering with scientists and students in these countries there is great opportunity to generalize previously discovered phenomena, or discover new phenomena.