El Salvador

Overview

The main program activity of this project is an eight-week International Research Experience in agricultural communities of El Salvador. Over the course of 8 weeks, we focused on understanding issues of water availability, gender and power relationships, root causes of vulnerability within communities, and the installation of hydrometeorological monitoring equipment. This research integrated graduate students with MTU faculty advisors, CUAHSI mentors, LWR staff, Universidad de El Salvador - Facultad Multidisciplinaria Paracentral professors and students, and rural farmers to conduct group projects. The goal was to create opportunities where students from many universities can exchange ideas and advance concepts with project partners that help inform local partners’ development interventions and research for subsequent cohorts.

This project is a collaboration of Michigan Technological University (MTU), CUAHSI, and Lutheran World Relief (LWR) in El Salvador, funded as a National Science Foundation International Research Experience for Students (IRES).