Agricultural Education and Communication (AEC) PhD student Rock Aboujaoude Jr. set out to identify and build institutional connections that could expand opportunities for real- world impact in Central Asia. As a result, conversations with university heads led to several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed between the University of Florida and Samarkand State University and Konya Technical University, creating long- term institutional partnerships.
What began as independent field research and academic outreach for Aboujaoube has quickly evolved into much more as those connections have grown. Aboujaoude visited Uzbekistan and Turkey last August, where he spent time with his dissertation research supervisor, Dr. Abror Gadayev. Dr. Gadayev serves as Vice Rector of the Samarkand State University. Additionally, Aboujaoude was able to meet with several members of the universities and members, including Dr. Selim Dogan from Konya Technical University in Turkey, during his time abroad. Throughout these meetings with both university leadership, faculty, and research institutions across the region, overarching themes of climate resilience, agricultural systems, and research collaboration efforts emerged.
After his visit last year, Aboujaoude invited Dr. Gadayev and Dr. Dogan to visit the United States in January. One of the major goals of the visit was to sign MoUs with each university. Members of the universities were able to meet with various UF faculty who share a similar background and ongoing projects. This fostered conversations and potential collaboration strategies.
Dr. Scott Angle, UF’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), sat down with both Dr. Gadayev and Dr. Dogan at the University of Florida campus from January 3rd to 11th.
Impact
As a result, the conversations culminated in the signing of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between partner institutions in Central Asia and the University of Florida. The MoUs highlighted the parties’ intent to promote and strengthen teaching, learning, and research, as well as expand mutual contacts to create collaborative opportunities. “I had the honor of facilitating the signing of these agreements, formalizing pathways for joint research, faculty exchange, and student collaboration”, said Aboujaoude. While Aboujaoude is in the infant stages of his dissertation work, the impact of these collaborative efforts has helped guide his investigation of the adoption of regenerative farming and the use of climate services in Uzbekistan. Dr. Sadie Hundemer, a faculty member in AEC communications, serves as his supervising professor at UF.
The MoU acts as a catalyst for a shared commitment and long- term cooperation between the parties, each with regions facing acute climate and agricultural challenges. “Agreements like the one UF is proud to sign with our Kenyan friends are important tools to kickstart collaborations,” said Angle. “Our nations share challenges related to water quality and quantity. I look forward to sharing expertise so that we can jointly develop solutions and responses.”
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