Community, Technology, and Sustainability in Nepal (Winter Break Intensive)
Nancy Erbstein
School of Education
Nancy Erbstein is an associate professor in residence in the School of Education and serves as Associate Vice Provost, Global Affairs. Her own undergraduate study abroad experience in Nepal led her to pursue a second major in South Asian Studies and several years of work there. Her experience laid the foundation for her subsequent research and practice promoting youth civic engagement among typically under-represented populations. Having focused much of her more recent career on California youth well-being, she is thrilled to again pursue collaboration with Nepalese youth, NGOs, researchers and community partners.
Jonathan London
Human Ecology
Jonathan K London is a professor in the Department of Human Ecology/ Community and Regional Development. His academic training is in environmental studies, city and regional planning, and environmental social science. His research focuses on the impacts of environmental hazards on disadvantaged communities and the ways in which these communities organize to address these challenges. With Dr. Nancy Erbstein, he is co-founder and director of Youth In Focus, a youth-led participatory action research organization. London’s study abroad experience in the Brazilian Amazon, early career work in Nepal, and current experiences in diverse California communities inspire him to create learning opportunities for students to explore intercultural, collaborative and solutions-oriented research. He teaches courses on environmental justice and youth and social change.
A Message to Students and Parents
International and intercultural learning was foundational for all of our program instructors’ academic and professional careers.
All of us have spent many years working globally. Through this work, we have come to appreciate the importance learn to collaborate across cultures, and even across disciplines. We believe in drawing upon local insights and support efforts to build local leadership to make a positive, sustainable and equitable impact in communities. These are the principles to which we have devoted our careers as researchers and educators.
We are so pleased to help create opportunities for students to develop their cultural skills and technical capacities early in their own academic careers. We are excited to offer students a unique intercultural learning experience as they join with Nepalese university students on collaborative service-learning projects. Nepal is an ideal place for building these intercultural skills. It represents a unique combination of diverse and ancient civilizations together with a rising generation of young adults who are committed to finding innovative solutions to economic, political, social, and environmental challenges and who use social media and international travel to engage with peers around the world. We are thrilled to introduce UC Davis students to this vibrant culture through hands-on learning with their Nepalese peers.