The primary goal of this course to introduce UW students to India’s environmental policies pertaining to conservation and development. Through lectures, discussions and individual research, students will gain insights about how these policies were developed, put in place, and their outcomes.

This blog site highlights student accomplishments and travel experiences to India.


Saturday, April 30, 2016

Kathie Beasley presented her research on environmental pollution associated with a major Indian festival

Kathie Beasley presented an overview of the environmental pollution associated with Vinayakar Chadturti, a Hindu festival celebrated throughout India. At the conclusion of this festival, large and small statues of this venerated deity are immersed in standing and running water bodies.



The environmental pollution left behind from this annual festival is lasting due to the lead content in paint, and other materials used for making the statutes. Her research focused on the increasing demand for these statues and the impacts of decorative lead-based paints on water quality.


Anne Nicole Reed wins second place in the 2016 Best Undergraduate Research Projects award

Anne 'Nicole' Reed won second place in the Best Undergraduate Research Project award in 2016 Wyoming Undergraduate Day for her human-elephant conflict research in India. UW's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) selected three student presentations to honor excellence in UW undergraduate Research. Nicole shared second place with another student Roslyn Fleming (English Honors Program).

Nicole presented her research findings and insights she gained from the field trip to India. After completing the literature-based research in spring 2015 on human-elephant conflict, she traveled to India in summer 2015 with Alanna Elder (BS Agroecology & ENR) to gain first-hand information about this problem, and how people and elephants are tolerating each other.

These prizes, according to Dr. Rachel Watson, were offered to research presentations that showcased the "interfaces between science and the human condition addressed in a nuanced way that shows understanding and not simply consideration".

Dr. Watson and a panel of judges reviewed 270 abstracts and selected 9 semi-finalists. Judges attended each of these 9 presentations and selected three winners. Nicole received this award at the banquet on April 30, 2016.