Faculty-Led | Ecology & Conservation
Overview
Kenya has a high invertebrate multiplicity, much of which is yet to be studied and documented. In a developing, agricultural country like Kenya, invertebrates play an integral role in public health and food security. This makes this study both fascinating and vital. This program provides students with the tools needed to study insects and arachnids in the field and understand their roles in the health of an ecosystem and the national economy.
Why Kenya?
This program is primarily based in Western Kenya’s Kakamega Forest, the Eastern-most remnant of the central African ‘Congo-Guinean Rainforest’. The overall diversity of this rainforest, along with its proximity to economically important water bodies and both large-scale and subsistence farms makes this a natural starting point for this study. Kakamega is split into two parts: the first is run by the Kenya Forest Service, which allows a limited amount of human activity and extraction of forest products; the second is run by the Kenya Wildlife Service, which allows for no extractive activities. Both areas will be studied, along with nearby farms, rivers, and Lake Victoria to the southwest.
Learning Outcomes
During this program, students will:
- Develop valuable intercultural communication skills through language and culture lessons and meaningful community engagement
- Analyze and understand the diversity of Kenyan wildlife through the collection and analysis of various invertebrate species
- Critically reflect on individual growth and transformation by means of structured reflection sessions and transformative questionnaires
- Analyze the various challenges facing the conservation of Kenyan wildlife and the ways in which these are being actively overcome
Note: Specific learning outcomes and activities can be constructed in collaboration with EDU Africa’s dedicated curriculum development team.
Contributors
Laban Njoroge
Laban is a research scientist and the head of the Invertebrate Zoology Department at the National Museums of Kenya. He has conducted research, inventories and detailed studies of Kenya’s invertebrate fauna across the country over many years, and has a passion for teaching and passing on his knowledge to future scientists. Njoroge has specialized in aquatic insects, including dragonflies and mosquitoes, but has a far-reaching knowledge of much wider taxa as well.
His research interests include Medical and Forensic Entomology with a lot of interest in the taxonomy and ecology of mosquitoes, as well as development of new trapping systems for various disease vectors. He is also interested in conservation entomology, especially in the use of macro-invertebrates as indicators of an ecosystem’s health.
Customize Your Program
Our friendly and experienced program consultants will work closely with you to develop your custom faculty-led program from conceptualization to execution. We believe every journey to Africa gives students the opportunity to learn and transform and we pride ourselves in our ability to create unique, sustainable and truly African transformative learning journeys.
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