September 2024 - Keough Insider

Conducting research so communities can live without fear

By Tavin Martin

In 2023 I attended a Kellogg International Scholars event where Keough School professor Susan Ostermann gave a talk about her new research project in Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico. The National Science Foundation-funded project analyzes how individuals from these regions — regions that are legally connected to the United States but whose communities often have a tense relationship with the government due to cultural and political histories — interact with building codes and construction processes while managing and preparing for events such as earthquakes, hurricanes and snow.

I had previously spent two summers volunteering in Puerto Rico and I had also traveled there many times to learn more from local communities about Puerto Rican culture and lifestyle. Given my background and research interest in Puerto Rico, I asked Professor Ostermann if she would take me on as a research assistant. Since that moment, I have worked on the project.

In January 2024 I traveled to Puerto Rico during Notre Dame’s winter break before beginning my study abroad semester in Chile. I assisted Professor Ostermann’s project collaborator, Professor Abbie Liel from the University of Colorado, with interviews and data collection in the San Juan area.

After taking a break for my study abroad semester, I began coding data that had been collected by Professors Liel and Ostermann and other student research assistants. Using the software ATLAS.ti, which facilitates analysis of qualitative data, I reviewed notes and data collected through interviews and observations and identified themes and commonalities between actors and communities across the three regions. The goal of the research project is to discover effective building practices that protect vulnerable communities from natural disasters.

My role as a coder has not only grown my skills as a student and researcher but also has influenced my research interests. While coding for the National Science Foundation project, I was simultaneously conducting field research for my thesis in Rapa Nui and Vieques, Puerto Rico. During my time in Vieques the community was hit by tropical storm Ernesto, and I witnessed firsthand how Viequenses prepare for natural disasters and how they must deal with the aftermath for weeks or months later.

These communities are not strangers to natural disasters such as hurricanes, but that does not make the process of preparation any easier. I encountered many people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder following previous disasters, namely Hurricane María. In addition to protecting their houses with wooden boards and sandbags and purchasing gasoline for generators, many people have to emotionally prepare themselves for what they know will be a long recovery time, potentially without power, water or fresh food.

It is one thing to read and learn about the impacts of building codes and construction practices on these communities through my work on the project, but it was a completely different experience to work alongside emergency response teams and live with community members as they struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy without power.

Through this project I aspire to help communities like Vieques to create sustainable and safe building practices that will protect their environment, houses and families. My hope is that this research helps communities in Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico to live without fear of losing their homes and feel prepared for every scenario when extreme weather events occur.

Tavin Martin is a senior global affairs and Latino studies major who also is earning a minor in Education, Schooling and Society (ESS).

What I learned in Rome about the Catholic Church, peacebuilding and human dignity

By Maddie Colbert

Editor’s note: Maddie Colbert, a Notre Dame junior majoring in global affairs and theology, took the three-week summer course Catholic Approaches to War and Peace: the View from Rome. The course is taught by Keough School professor Jerry Powers at Notre Dame Rome. In the blog post below, Maddie reflects on her experience.

As my classmates and I stood with the congregation at the Basilica di Santa Maria in Rome’s Trastevere neighborhood for evening prayer, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and struck by the beauty of the community praying together. We had just been given a tour of the Community of Sant’ Egidio headquarters by Elizabeth Boyle (MGA ‘23, BA ’20), who described the community’s mission as “the three p’s:” prayer, poverty and peace.

ornate interior of basilica di santa maria in trastevere — *Evening prayer with members of the Community of Sant’ Egidio in the Basilica di Santa Maria*.

Sant’Egidio expanded their initial mission of befriending the poor to include peacebuilding and negotiation, operating from the conviction that “war is the mother of all poverty.” The Sant’Egidio approach prioritizes building personal relationships and understanding the culture of those they work with, as well as conversations with state and non-state actors to hear various perspectives. Sant’Egidio’s patient, personal approach creates a safe space for peace talks away from outside interferences. Similarly, their work with the poor and vulnerable emphasizes friendship and encounter, rather than viewing those living in poverty as a burden.

After evening prayer, our class had dinner with Elizabeth at Sant’ Egidio’s restaurant, Trattoria degli Amici. The restaurant is run by those Sant’Egidio has befriended in the community, including people with various disabilities who work alongside professionals and friends who help voluntarily.

*Elizabeth Boyle (MGA ’23, BA ’20) provides a tour of Sant’Egidio’s Rome headquarters*.

In our class at Notre Dame Rome we discussed integral human development — the care of every person and the whole person — and its foundation in human dignity. Promoting integral human development is to promote a more peaceful and just society. As a truly global institution, the Catholic Church must find ways to address global Church-related issues while also uplifting local Church leadership. Our instructor, Professor Jerry Powers, explained the importance of integrating different levels of engagement in peacebuilding work to connect grassroots efforts with the national and international levels.

As part of our class we also visited the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, a Vatican department created by Pope Francis in 2017. From dicastery staff we learned how subsidiarity — authority operating at the lowest level possible and the highest level necessary — can be instrumental in developing solutions to local challenges while also remaining connected to the universal Church. Dr. Gabriele Verga, who leads the research and reflection department of the dicastery, explained to us the importance of dialogue with the national bishops’ conferences to identify regional or multi-regional issues. After an issue is identified, the dicastery conducts research to later provide the bishops with recommendations so they can implement solutions based in the context of their diocese.

*Author Maddie Colbert (far right) with classmates Isabel Rettino, Emily Ledford and Alejandra Ricardo in the Vatican Gardens.*

The dicastery’s emphasis on subsidiarity promotes dialogue that includes Catholic voices at every level. Although the Church certainly faces challenges in promoting integral human development, its advocacy work is guided by a shared understanding of the importance of human dignity.

In our class we continued to discuss the many approaches to peacebuilding and how the Church engages with the modern secular society. In a world where science and technology can be weaponized, used as a Band-Aid solution for development issues or, more positively, channeled to uphold the dignity of the human person, having conversations about scientific advancement is vital to building peace.

Despite a general critique of technocratic solutions to issues, the Church does embrace modern science and technological advancements. We discussed this perspective during a visit with Cardinal Peter Turkson, chancellor of both the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, in his Vatican office. We talked about the importance of having conversations about the ethical use of technologies, especially those that could potentially “replace” the human agent, like generative AI. The pontifical academy seeks to include both Catholic and non-Catholic scientific experts from all over the world in these dialogues while also staying rooted in the teachings of the Church.

Cardinal Peter Turkson speaking with Notre Dame students in the Pontifical Academy for Sciences and Social Sciences. — *Cardinal Peter Turkson (in white shirt) chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, meets with Notre Dame students in Vatican City.*

Cardinal Turkson emphasized that faith and science can coexist and support one another, but also that technology can either uplift human dignity or create a “dignity deficit.” He spoke about the intersection of traditional Church teaching and the modern world: “Faith should be rooted, but never stagnant.” Recognizing both the importance of staying rooted in faith and responding to current events and human needs, we are reminded that faith equips us to respond to the needs of our world.

Before our conversation with Cardinal Turkson, we had the amazing opportunity to have a tour of the Vatican Gardens and the historic offices just behind the Vatican Museum, given by Cardinal Turkson himself. I thought it was a perfect illustration of his earlier point: the office of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences is housed in a historic building, full of beautiful artwork and pictures: a reminder that scientific advancement is meant to be in conversation with tradition, history and faith.

During our final class meeting we talked with Professor Cenap Aydin, a Muslim scholar-activist specializing in interreligious dialogue, from the global movement Religions for Peace. We discussed how interreligious dialogue can be productive for bringing communities together because of the benefits of exchanging one’s deeply held beliefs. The professor emphasized that Catholicism and other faiths encourage dialogue with the “other” because of their shared humanity, and that true respect and appreciation for another can be seen in the fight for religious freedom, which comes not from a historical event or law, but from our human dignity. Interreligious dialogue can help create tolerance and appreciation for other faiths and their lifestyles, building a stronger pathway for peace.

Notre Dame students visiting Vatican City as part of their 3-week summer course Catholic Approaches to War and Peace: the View from Rome.

In Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis emphasizes recognizing charity (or love) as the core of politics, through which we can prioritize human dignity in our search for peace (Fratelli Tutti, 187-189). At the center of the Church’s peacebuilding mission is the conviction that we are one human family, and the dialogue taking place in these organizations seeks to uplift the human dignity that we share. I hope to take part in the Church’s peacebuilding mission, starting at home by promoting dialogue and a culture of encounter.

While helping entrepreneurs in South Africa, I discovered the beauty of unfamiliar terrain

Before my experience with the Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in South Africa (EESA) program began, I did everything I could to prepare. I read every article I could find and watched a video of a student from last year’s cohort at least a hundred times. In hindsight, I realized that there was nothing I could have done to prepare for what was ahead of me.

My seven-person team, BuMandla Consultancy, included students from the University of Notre Dame, the University of Colorado Boulder, and the University of the Western Cape. We spent six weeks serving as consultants for our two clients, Kudzai from Kuhle Nails and Beauty and Nomgcobo from Gcogco Clothing Studio.

We began by learning everything about their businesses: marketing, human resources, inventory management, customer experience, bookkeeping, and more. We then identified the most important issues for the businesses and worked to develop and implement solutions to these problems.

Author Julia Flood (far right) with her student consultant team, BuMandla Consultancy, and
Michael Morris (fourth from left), professor of the practice in the Keough School of Global Affairs.

Each day presented new challenges that often seemed impossible: How do we set prices that generate enough profit to sustain the business while remaining affordable for the township community? How do we convince employees to stay when competitors offer higher salaries? How do we ensure our clients understand how to use the bookkeeping spreadsheets we create for them?

The questions never ended, and as these problems arose, I quickly realized that I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. But that was the beauty of it all. The unfamiliar terrain forced us to brainstorm, try, fail, and try again. My team and I tackled these problems, with some of our deliverables being a human resources development workshop, a costing calculator, a plan for downsizing services, employee accountability systems, and marketing campaigns. I was challenged more than I thought possible in those six weeks, but I also experienced more passion, hope, and personal growth than I ever had before. Waking up with purpose each day, working with passionate people, and having an impact on entrepreneurial businesses was so special.

I arrived in Africa with the intention to serve clients, but in reality, they served me, teaching me more than I could have ever learned in a classroom. Kudzai and Nomgcobo showed me what genuine commitment looks like and how passion and a drive to learn are the keys to progress. Before EESA, I viewed entrepreneurship as creating a new, never-seen-before idea, something you might see on Shark Tank. But throughout my time in South Africa, I learned it is much more than that. I now understand that entrepreneurs are people with dreams who pour their whole selves into their businesses. They creatively solve problems and continue onward, maintaining hope regardless of their circumstances and challenges. They question what is around them and choose to push beyond mediocrity. Entrepreneurs chase excellence. Watching Kudzai and Nomgcobo live this out daily taught me how to do the same. I learned to follow their lead, chasing excellence by embracing uncertainty through two key principles: adaptation and vulnerability.

Adaptation is critical
Working with limited resources and funds, we encountered many challenges in executing our goals; we had to adapt. At Kuhle Nails and Beauty, a shattered window and an absence of exterior branding created an unprofessional first impression. Rather than getting the window repaired, we saved money by covering the broken glass with a large Kuhle logo, which improved the business’s appearance and made branding more visible.

*Helping a client improve the appearance of her storefront with a new logo*.

We also wanted to paint the logo on the wall, a project that required significant adaptation. We hoped to purchase a stencil, but due to high prices and limited time, we had to create one ourselves. We printed the logo on a large paper and then used what was available—a kitchen knife—to cut it out. The painting process proved to be even more difficult. The windy weather broke the thin paper stencil, and we used tape to reassemble it before painting. This branding project exemplifies how EESA helped me develop a “we will figure it out” mindset. Rather than becoming overwhelmed by problems that seem impossible, I know I will figure out a way by thinking creatively, using available resources, and not giving up.

Kudzai, the owner of Kuhle Nails & Beauty, worked with the EESA student team to paint her business logo at one of her salon locations.

The key to growth
During my interview for EESA, Professor Michael Morris described how the greatest sign of an educated person is someone who recognizes what they don’t know. EESA showed me this firsthand and taught me the value of vulnerability through my clients and myself. Nomgcobo was especially hesitant to admit she didn’t understand the intricacies of her business, and her financial systems were practically nonexistent. Once we built our relationship further and she became comfortable opening up, growth was noticeable.

We had discussions and developed systems to help her gain control of her business. I experienced this same growth within myself throughout my work on my team. I leveraged the strengths of my group members to build upon my weaknesses. Admitting what I wasn’t confident with and then diving head-first into it was critical; that is how I learned and grew. Kudzai said it best herself. She gave a speech to her 60 employees during our human resources development workshop and said, “Each one of you is special in their own way. Let’s embrace each other’s strengths and weaknesses and master the art of bringing out the best in each other.”

At the end of EESA, I walked off the plane feeling ready to embrace life’s unpredictable challenges and take on the world. I attribute the transformational growth I experienced to the unfamiliar terrain I charted and eventually became more comfortable in. Stepping outside my comfort zone was the best thing I could have done. I may not have ended poverty or increased my clients’ income by a million dollars, but I empowered Kudzai and Nomgcobo and they empowered me. It was an honor to work with such passionate people who are paving a pathway out of poverty through the power of entrepreneurship.

I am forever grateful for the friendships, knowledge, discomfort, challenges, and victories that EESA provided me. Thank you, Kudzai, Nomgcobo, BuMandla Consultancy, Dr. Morris, Professor Erick Mueller, and Professor Jamie Kraft. Thank you, EESA. And thank you, South Africa. I am so lucky to have met people who made saying goodbye so hard.

Notre Dame sophomore Julia Flood is an economics major who is earning a minor in social entrepreneurship & innovation through the Keough School’s McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business.

Top photo: The author’s student team, BuMandla Consultancy, at the closing ceremony for the Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in South Africa program, wearing scarves made by their client, Gcogco Clothing Studio.