Daniel Acosta, a Ph.D. student in the department of environmental and global health at the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions, is completing his initial three months of fieldwork in Mauritania, a sovereign country in northwest Africa. Acosta received the Research Abroad for Doctoral Students Award by the University of Florida International Center to continue conducting his dissertation research in Senegal, a country in west Africa.
Acosta stated, “This award represents a personal achievement and a significant step forward in my academic journey. I’m incredibly grateful to Global Gators for believing in the potential of my research and providing me with this platform to expand my knowledge. I’m also deeply thankful for the unwavering support from Dr. Sarah McKune, the Sahel Research Group, the Center for African Studies, the department of environmental and global health, and College of Public Health and Health Professions.”
Dr. Taleb is a sociologist from Mauritania who is the collaborator through the CEROS research center (Centre D’ Etudes Et De Recherches Sur L’Ouest Saharien). Acosta will work closely with Dr. Taleb on data collection and analysis for his dissertation research, which is embedded in a project funded by the MINERVA Initiative from the U.S. Department of Defense. The project is titled “Social & Institutional Determinants of Vulnerability & Resilience to Climate Hazards in the Sahel”. This project is led by Dr. Leonardo Villalon (PI), Dr. Sarah McKune (Co-PI), and Dr. Renata Serra(Co-PI). Lemrabott Yahya is a consultant who aided in the initial scoping trip to the study area.