Specifically, Adler will take a year to investigate water supply and sanitation policies and practices in developing countries and to examine how these challenges impact the day-to-day activities of the people.
The project will be conducted in three phases. Phase One will take place in the United Kingdom and will explore how the U.K., which maintained colonies in southern Africa, played a major role in the establishment of the water policies of South Africa through the middle of the last century.
The second and third phases will take place in two former British colonies-South Africa and Zambia. South Africa, a moderate-income developing country, has taken a lead in establishing environmental policies and in assisting with the development of other African countries-while facing its own major internal development issues caused by its huge economic inequities. Phase Three will continue to examine the deficits in the water supply and sanitation in Zambia and the effects of those deficits on an economically underdeveloped country.
Through her Watson Fellowship research project, Adler hopes ultimately to make a contribution to finding viable solutions for these dire problems which are faced by many developing nations.
As a child of scientists, Adler has always been fascinated by scientific research. She says, "My interest in biology began early, but as I became aware of the socio-economic challenges faced by the world's population, I became enthralled with the application of science and technology to make the world a better place for everyone." At Caltech, Adler double-majored in biology and the history and philosophy of science, facilitating her interest in studying the effects of science on society, and the inverse.
Following her Watson project, Adler plans to pursue interdisciplinary graduate work to obtain a PhD in the biosciences and public policy. Eventually she hopes to work in science policy to help resolve issues faced by the developing world.
Adler graduated from Caltech with honor earlier this month. She is also a Noland Leadership Award winner; a Beckman Political Fellow; and a recipient of the Los Angeles Philanthropic Society Scholarship. During her sophomore year, she interned with the science and technology adviser to the secretary of state in Washington, D.C. While at Caltech, Adler cofounded a science policy reading group, was active in the campus Democrat Club, and was a member of the Caltech Y.
Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Adler in her spare time enjoys cooking, hiking, camping, swimming, watching movies, and spending time with friends.
This year the Thomas J. Watson Foundation awarded fifty $25,000 fellowships for travel and exploration projects. Watson Fellowships are granted to graduating college seniors from designated universities and academic institutions to conduct one-year independent study projects outside the United States. The program encourages participants to immerse themselves in other cultures and to develop a broader sense of international concern. The program allows participants to pursue a passion that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue in their careers or lives. ###
Contact: Deborah Williams-Hedges (626) 395-3227 debwms@caltech.edu
Visit the Caltech Media Relations website at: http://pr.caltech.edu/media
Written by Deborah Williams-Hedges