Anna Zoodsma conducts research in Guatemala

2017 Aug 24

Anna Zoodsma of Poughkeepsie, NY, spent two weeks in Guatemala this summer learning about the country's water resource problems and environmental issues, spending time with local residents, and working toward solutions.

In its fourth year, the field course, called "Water and Environment of Guatemala," brought 16 students to Guatemala for two weeks, where they took water samples and analyzed water quality data from Lake Atitlan and the surrounding drainage basin. The course is led by Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Sciences Tracy Allen.

Zoodsma is majoring in Environmental Science at SUNY Oneonta.

Based on their observations, interactions with local residents, and data collection, students worked to identify sustainable solutions to the area's water resources problems. Students were also able to learn about agriculture while touring a coffee plantation and, later, take in the area's natural wonders, including the Pacaya volcano, which is active.

The students went into a Guatemalan elementary school to teach fifth and sixth graders about the lake and water quality, and they also installed water filtration systems into some of the area homes. These interactions were particularly meaningful and rewarding, they said, and the trip, overall, was eye-opening.

“It was a really amazing trip, and that was heightened by the really knowledgeable professors and passionate students who were there," Zoodsma said. "I feel like I got to experience so many different things, not even just environmental issues but the culture and social aspects of Guatemala, too.”