Omo-Turkana Research Network

These blogs are an inside look at the implications of technological developments, such as hydropower dams and commercial agriculture in the Omo-Turkana basin, based on the analysis within Social-Ecological Change in the Omo-Turkana Basin: A Synthesis of Current Developments. Every technological development has trade-offs - in these posts we will outline the social-ecological system in the basin and the resulting trade-offs, from an environmental, cultural, and economic perspective.

Our writers 

Hello, my name is Nate Olson. I am an undergraduate student at Michigan State University. I am pursuing a BS in Applied Engineering Sciences. I have a deep interest in sustainability issues, which manifests in my minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and in my work with Dr. Hodbod. I am a research assistant for Dr. Hodbod at MSU and one of my first tasks was to write some summaries of elements of the Omo-Turkana Basin as blogs. I hope these blogs shed some light on this complex system-based sustainability problem and promote conversation about this topic.

Hi! My name is Alexa Marsh and I am also an undergraduate student at Michigan State University. My major is in Environment Studies & Sustainability, but I am also pursuing a minor in Entrepreneurship & Innovation. I am interested in all aspects of environmental sustainability: renewable energy, landfill diversion, food systems, etc. Furthermore, I think the way these factors affect people socially and culturally should be studied much more. This is why I thoroughly enjoyed studying this research project and writing blogs for Dr. Hodbod. I hope these blogs help others better understand the implications that have come with the changes in Omo-Turkana basin.