In Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, brick workers face a harsh reality: with each breath, they inhale dangerous particles. From hazardous aerosols released in the brickmaking process to emissions from vehicles and factories, air pollution in the region is inescapable.
Concerned about the effects of these exposures, an interdisciplinary team from Brigham Young University came together to conduct a research study in Nepal, aiming to measure brick workers’ exposure to pollutants and to assess their respiratory health. The eventual objective is to determine what strategies they can develop with the Nepali people to improve their well-being.
“We all have a common goal, and our unique ways of learning are creating this big-picture effect,” says BYU nursing student Symbria Lewis.
The BYU group drew from many areas of expertise. Faculty and students in nutrition, dietetics, and food sciences performed health assessments. The nursing team collected saliva and blood samples. The public health group fitted workers with air pollution monitors. Cell biologists analyzed blood serum for inflammatory responses to exposure. BYU engineers assessed community development challenges.
Hands-on, collaborative learning experiences like the one in Nepal are extremely valuable for students—and for their future employers, says Jodi Chowen, managing director of Careers & Experiential Learning at BYU. “What employers are really looking for now is fit with their culture and experience with others in unique circumstances. These experiences provide that.” Chowen says employers love BYU students because of their experience and maturity, often stemming from serving missions for the Church around the globe. “So often when employers engage with our students, they say, ‘Wow, we need more of them.’”
Helping students succeed in their selected disciplines is a major objective of BYU, but experiential learning and BYU’s culture of service goes deeper than that. As disciples of Jesus Christ, BYU students, employees, and graduates are motivated by love for God and His children. A Christ-centered education prepares students to serve, lift, and lead. “Students who understand their identity as children of God, children of the covenant, and disciples of Jesus Christ instinctively recognize their covenantal responsibility to help their fellow human beings,” says C. Shane Reese, president of BYU.
The world can rely on BYU’s students, faculty, and alumni to be tireless problem solvers and committed community builders—sharing light and hope for the benefit of the world. Because a Christ-centered education means not only learning a concept but applying what you learn in a Christlike way and showing love for all God's children. Visit byu.edu/fortheworld to explore stories of service; or scroll down the page to find interns, apply to BYU, or to find alumni in your local area.