June was another productive month for the AKU-ACER team, marked by significant community engagement, impactful research, and exciting international collaborations.
A major highlight was a field school where we hosted 43 students and two faculty members from Aga Khan University's School of Nursing and Midwifery, East Africa (SONAM EA) based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. From June 22 to July 2, these healthcare professionals immersed themselves in community outreach across Olmot, Oltrimet (Arusha), and Sepeko (Monduli) wards. Their focus on integrating mental, community, and environmental health, with an emphasis on public health and nutrition, directly benefited over 200 residents who received free health screenings and consultations. The positive feedback from community members underscored the value of these services.
AKU-ACER researchers also made substantial academic contributions in June. The team celebrated the publication of three new journal articles, two insightful book chapters, and a timely opinion piece on plastic pollution, further solidifying AKU-ACER's expertise in critical areas.
Dr Bashir Adelodun, a post-doctoral fellow co-authored the journal article Impact Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover on Urban Heat Waves Using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning Algorithms. He also authored two book chapters published by Springer Nature: The Sustainability Shift: Addressing Environmental Degradation Through Circular Practices and Navigating Circular Horizons: Introduction to the Concept of Circular Economy and Environmental Resilience.
Meanwhile, Dr Happiness Moshi, Researcher, Climate and Natural Resources, co-authored the article An Innovation of Two Established Methods for Monitoring Water Colour and Clarity: Participatory Science Using the Mini- and Midi-Secchi Disks published in the Frontiers in Environmental Science Journal. Professor Emmanuel Sulle, Director at AKU-ACER, also made his mark, co-authoring Sugar, the Plantation, and the State in Tanzania published in the Journal of Peasant Studies, published by Francis & Taylor.
Beyond local impact, AKU-ACER broadened its global reach. Professor Sulle represented the Centre in Europe, attending project workshops at the University of Cologne and participating in the 10th European Conference on African Studies (ECAS) in Prague. At ECAS, he co-chaired a panel and presented his paper, "Indigenous Eco-politics: From Decolonising to Liberating Conservation in Africa".
These international engagements also paved the way for exciting new partnerships. Discussions in Cologne, Bonn, and Prague explored potential collaborations, including a formal MoU with Technische Hochschule Köln (TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences). TH Köln has even identified AKU-ACER as an international contact for their ambitious "SpeiseWald Süd" urban food forest project.
