On her visit to the Technical University of Loja (UTPL) Ecuador, Professor Fagan has presented her research on water and social sustainability as part of dissemination of her EU H2020 research projects. The visit is hosted by Dr Diego Alejandro Ochoa Jimenez, Head of the Department of Economics on the invitation of Dr Pascual Garcia who works on alternative development models. Fagan described the challenges and complexity of engagement around questions of gender, access and governance of natural resources based on research findings from the H2020 funded WATERSPOUTT research programme in Uganda, Malawi, Ethiopia and South Africa. She has engaged in workshops and discussions on possible research collaborations with Dr Luz María Castro and Dr Diana Bravo of the Natural Resources Research Cluster in the Department of Economics and Dr Tamara Briceño Sarmiento of the Geology Department among others. The UTPL research focuses on the Sangay National Park which is a significant source of water for the region and Prof. Fagan will be assisting with the gender component of same. The altitude in the park ranges from 900 to 5,319 meters above sea level and is an extremely biodiverse area that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. It is populated by the Inca descendants in the Andean highland regions and the Shuars in the Amazon. (Photo is of The Reclining Inca God of the Mandango Mountain, Loja, Ecuador.)
Professor Fagan will continue to meet researchers with a view to preparing collaborations on water research during her two weeks visit to the Department of Economics (November 14th-27th).