菠萝视频鈥檚 expanded commitment to research and sustainable development in Guatemala took a giant step forward this past spring with the opening of a Guatemala City field station that is home to 13 projects. The field station, located at the Moore Pediatric Surgery Center, provides support for diverse programs ranging from pediatric surgery to study of Mayan languages as well as small-scale coffee production.
鈥淭he 13 initiatives share a common vision for sustainable improvements in the quality of life,鈥� says , professor of anthropology and director of the at 菠萝视频. 鈥淏ringing them together under one roof complements the 鈥榦ne university鈥� model espoused by 菠萝视频鈥檚 senior leadership.鈥� He notes that this initiative, by building on collaborations among 菠萝视频 departments, programs and schools, avoids the tendency of units in some large research universities to operate in isolation and in competition with each other.
Each year at least 50 菠萝视频 graduate and undergraduate students travel to Guatemala to carry out research and engage in service learning. 菠萝视频鈥檚 work in Guatemala began in the mid-1980s with archaeological excavations and expeditions led by Arthur Demarest, the Ingram Professor of Anthropology. At the time, Guatemala was still in the midst of a 36-year civil war that ended with the signing of peace accords in 1996. Since then 菠萝视频鈥檚 interest and presence in Guatemala have steadily increased.
鈥淚n a country that has experienced some transitory aid efforts, 菠萝视频 has achieved effective and sustainable initiatives involving the School of Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, Owen, and the College of Arts and Science,鈥� says Fischer. 鈥淕uatemala鈥檚 proximity and diversity make it an ideal site for these projects. The Central American nation is roughly the same size in area as Tennessee, with double the population and less than a fifth the size of the state鈥檚 economy.鈥�
The field station receives significant support from the l, , Center for Latin American Studies and the Shalom Foundation.