Center for Sustainable Development & ESG

Lead mentors: Eric Obeysekare, Alberto Frigerio

2024 Team:

AlmaU Team:

Alina Alpysova

Leyla Zhumabekova

Balzhan Siazbayeva

Laura Imangalieva

Lehigh Team: Angie Bravo Kaelyn Bulich Mila Jovanovic Habiba Swarna

Students and professors of Almaty Management University (ALMAU) and Lehigh University are developing a network of Central Asian researchers to develop research in Central Asia and beyond. The Central Asian Researchers Network (CARN) is an intellectual and academic community consisting of PhD students, young researchers and experienced professors from all over the world who share the interests of Central Asia. The main goal of CARN is to increase research capacity, connect researchers with each other and, ultimately, increase research results in Central Asia over the next three years. The LinkedIn-based CARN community uses a three-pronged approach that includes creating high-quality educational materials, stimulating research collaboration through personal and virtual events, and creating multimedia resources to inspire and educate young researchers. The CARN team collaborates with students and faculty at Lehigh University, other American stakeholders, and the American Consulate for International Education to strengthen and expand the network throughout the Central Asian region (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan).

https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12826042/ 

Lead Mentor: Sean Vassilaros

 2024 Team:

 AlmaU Team:

Tamila Sadykova

Anuar Erlanuly

 Lehigh Team:

Cami Bennett
James Chang
Mattes Crichton
Nathaniel DiCicco
Aziret-Ali Ismailov
Allison Bronson
Malika Buribayeva

Students and professors from Almaty Management University (ALMAU) and Lehigh University, is dedicated to developing educational tool called Save Tuba. Through interactive activities and learning exercises, students will connect with Tuba, gaining practical insights into sustainability while enhancing their cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities.

Project Description:

Almaty, the commercial capital of Kazakhstan and a major hub in Central Asia, is facing enormous challenges with sustainable urban development. Uncontrolled migration burdens the housing infrastructure, outdoor air quality, access to clean water and waste-water management systems at the constantly-growing periphery of the city leading to negative environmental consequences which compromise economic growth. For example, despite investing over $500M over the last 15 years in recycling systems, only 11% of municipal solid waste is actually recycled.

Save Tuba is a mobile game application for students aged eight to eleven to help them develop sustainable behaviors through gamification and inquiry-based learning techniques. Save Tuba engages its users emotionally through the main character Tuba, an endangered saiga antelope found in the Kazakh Steppe. Elementary school students interact with this character while completing learning exercises and activities to gain a practical understanding of applied sustainability and develop sustainable habits. Besides positive habit formation and behavioral change, engaging with game characters and emotions have also been shown to improve children’s long-term memory and cognitive abilities such as creative problem-solving.

The Save Tuba team will work closely with students and faculty from Almaty Management University, Abai University, the Kazakh Education Ministry, and other stakeholders to pilot the app in several schools over the next year. We are seeking students from all majors across campus with a deep interest in sustainability education and action. Students with graphic design skills and app design/development skills are particularly welcome.

To learn more about the Save Tuba team: https://savetuba.blog/

Lead Mentor: Joseph Menicucci

2024 Team: 

AlmaU Team:

Aidana Baibulsinova

Umid Abdullayev

Amina Tolegen

Lehigh Team:

Ella Sokich
Ranni Torrez
Daniel Weir
Shane Haycock
Asher Mendelson

Launched in 2023, this innovative project aims to address food and water shortages among migrant workers in and around Almaty, the vibrant cultural capital of Kazakhstan. Realizing the pressing problems faced by these vulnerable groups, students of the Almaty Management University (ALMAU) and Lehigh University have teamed up to develop practical solutions aimed at improving access to basic resources.

Project Description:

Kazakhstan, the second-largest economy among the former Soviet republics, has been a destination for migrant workers from elsewhere in Central Asia and the world for several years. After a slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities for migrant workers in Kazakhstan are expected to grow rapidly in the coming years – and challenges of unfair and exploitative labor practices, food and water access, and worker housing will likely grow as well. This new project began in 2023 with the initial goal of developing solutions to food and water insecurity amongst migrant workers in and around the fast-growing cultural capital of Almaty, Kazakhstan.

After two weeks of fieldwork in 2023, the team has developed a working knowledge of important aspects of the fresh produce supply chain from the point of entry into Almaty to the consumer. Moreover, conversations with individuals and experts who help those who seek food assistance revealed that socioeconomic status – regardless of ethnicity or country of origin – is the primary driver of food insecurity in Kazakhstan. Finally, Kazakhstan is a country with a rich nomadic heritage and a unique culinary tradition centered around a meat-heavy diet. However, this dietary preference has led to a concerning challenge—micronutrient deficiency among children. Kazakhs also consume more than three times the WHO-recommended daily allowance of salt. Too much sodium in a diet can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

Students from all majors are welcome to apply for this project. The 2024 project team will use gathered information to propose possible paths for the continuation of this project. These paths will be explored in detail during fieldwork in Almaty in the summer of 2024. Students should have keen interest and/or experience or interest in: food security; human health and nutrition; solving complex problems; and/or the languages and cultures of Russia and Central Asia.

Lead mentors: Denisa Duvanova, Ainar Nurgaliev

2023 Team:

AlmaU team: Aidana Baubalsinova

Moldir Siyazbayev

Lehigh Team: Jessica McCurry, Kalyana Ru On Erdene-Ankhbayar, Alua Bekbosynova, Alan Wilson

Breathe Almaty is an innovative initiative from students and professors of Almaty Management University (ALMAU) and Lehigh University, aimed at solving the urgent problem of air pollution in Almaty. The project aims to revolutionize the way people think about and combat air pollution, emphasizing the importance of human empowerment. The research project begins by highlighting the alarming concerns of more than 90% of the surveyed residents regarding the effects of air pollution on health and the environment. However, there is a significant barrier, and only 68% believe in their ability to solve this problem. Breathe Almaty’s five-year plan assumes an increase in the percentage of people who believe in their potential to solve environmental problems from 68% to 95%. The project uses a four-pronged approach, including pioneering research on the cognitive effects of air pollution exposure, affordable air monitors providing real-time data, cost-effective air filters, and targeted public outreach. The research project challenges preconceived notions by examining the immediate cognitive effects of exposure to air pollution, seeking to change public perceptions and promote evidence-based thinking. The introduction of affordable air monitors with an emphasis on accessibility and functionality encourages people to actively participate in reducing exposure. In addition, the project presents affordable air filters using the best filtration technologies to make clean air suitable for every household. The project is in line with the wisdom of Elinor Ostrom, emphasizing collective action and the role of local communities in finding sustainable solutions.