Shortly before transitioning from the Navy to UC Davis to begin working on my PhD, I attended a conference hosted by the Navy's Maritime Civil Affairs Group. Ambassador Symington, the keynote speaker, had worked in a number of African, Asian, and Latin American countries. Speaking on the importance of providing humanitarian assistance and other forms of civil support, AMB Symington told the audience that the "loose definition of middle class in most countries around the world is knowing that you and your family will be able to eat the following day."
The profundity of his message captivated me: he reminded us that people facing starvation, particularly parents with children at that brink, will always focus primarily on providing food for their family, not improving their community or the environment. For this reason, economic growth must be the first step in improving any country's state of being. In the United States, most individuals take fulfillment of their essential needs for granted, although we have far too many people in this country that are hungry, homeless, and without adequate medical care or social support. Internationally, there are people around the globe lacking even the most basic necessities. I believe that creating jobs and industry, in a manner that is sustainable and contributes to the long-term socioeconomic well-being of the local community, is a vital first step in improving the lives of these individuals and eventually improving the infrastructure and environmental health of entire countries.
The words of Ambassador Symington have come back to me many times since attending the Civil Affairs conference. We cannot improve the welfare of individuals and the health of their nation until we improve their socioeconomic status, and this improvement does not need to be at odds with conservation of natural resources. Lasting change can only be generated by empowering and educating local communities, by providing them with the skills to develop sustainable industries. This is what my work and my research aim to do.
Welcome to my site!
The profundity of his message captivated me: he reminded us that people facing starvation, particularly parents with children at that brink, will always focus primarily on providing food for their family, not improving their community or the environment. For this reason, economic growth must be the first step in improving any country's state of being. In the United States, most individuals take fulfillment of their essential needs for granted, although we have far too many people in this country that are hungry, homeless, and without adequate medical care or social support. Internationally, there are people around the globe lacking even the most basic necessities. I believe that creating jobs and industry, in a manner that is sustainable and contributes to the long-term socioeconomic well-being of the local community, is a vital first step in improving the lives of these individuals and eventually improving the infrastructure and environmental health of entire countries.
The words of Ambassador Symington have come back to me many times since attending the Civil Affairs conference. We cannot improve the welfare of individuals and the health of their nation until we improve their socioeconomic status, and this improvement does not need to be at odds with conservation of natural resources. Lasting change can only be generated by empowering and educating local communities, by providing them with the skills to develop sustainable industries. This is what my work and my research aim to do.
Welcome to my site!
