Research pair delivers a presentation

PACT Program

Promoting research collaboration between undergraduates and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows in Global Development

Practitioner-Assistant-Collaborative Training (PACT) Program

The PACT Program pairs talented Global Development undergraduate students to serve as Research Assistants, with our very own Humphrey Fellows for a 7-week independent study every spring semester. This is a great opportunity for Global Development students to gain real-world development experience working with Humphrey Fellows on development projects related to their work in their home countries. 

Group of students after presentation
The 2024 cohort of PACT participants in Global Development. Photo provided.

Earn academic credit

Global Development students receive 1 credit (S/U) of independent study (GDEV 4970), while building their research, writing, and communication skills.

Build a research partnership

Students meet weekly with their Humphrey Fellow Mentor for 1-hour during the first seven weeks of the Spring 2024 semester and conduct independent research 4-5 hours outside that time. 

Learn from an experienced practicioner

Students work alongside, and learn from, an experienced development practitioner. They present a final deliverable at a department reception in March. 

Research partnerships

  • Mining Industries & Tropical Ecosystem Conservation and Sustainability in Panama, Javier Hurtado Yow paired with Mira DeGregory
  • Comparative Analysis of Environmental Damage Relief Systems between South Korea and the United States, Hyomi Eom paired with Phillip Goo
  • Rethinking Household Solid Waste in Ethiopia, Semira Beyan paired with Sadie Groberg
  • Lessons of US Agricultural Cooperatives for China, Aijun Yang paired with Lauren Chuhta
  • Evaluating Livelihoods Resilience in Nigeria, Uchenna Amaechina paired with Grace Dorward
  • Researching Sustainable Dairy Farming Policies in the US & EU, Rushan Ozdemir Cifci paired with Sepehra Azami
  • Sister National Parks: Badlands (USA) and Vashlovani Protected Areas (Georgia), Maia Tsignadze paired with Lucy Cao
  • Climate Smart Agriculture in West Africa, Bossombra Kouame paired with Blakely Duskin
  • Building Sustainable Rural Futures in Africa, Ojok Okello paired with Sunny Dandapantula
  • Building a Business Plan for Royal International College of Agriculture in South Sudan, Duku Emmanuel Henry paired with Albert Knoeppfler
  • Raising Awareness for Ginger (Zingiber officinale) Plant Propagation Methods in Suriname, Vanessa Hok paired with Monifa Morgan-Bell
  • Plastic waste recycling as a way to mitigate climate change and reduce plastic pollution (Jean Marie Nizigiyimana, Burundi)
  • Tomatrix Nigeria- Social Enterprise Startup, Agribusiness, Poverty (John Babadara, Nigeria)
  • Comparative analysis of the effects of drought in the Horn of Africa and Southwestern North America (Lydia Ngonzi, Uganda)
  • Exploring Agricultural Development Finance and Climate Finance in the United States: Lessons for South Africa (Meselane Molepo, South Africa)
  • Renewable energy in the Korean shipping & maritime industries (Dong-pyo Hong, South Korea)
  • Fostering women's engagement in conservation and sustainable agriculture (Fanuel Joseph Massawe, Tanzania)
  • Opportunity mapping of international cooperation between The United States and Latin American countries in Agroecology, Food Sovereignty, and Sustainable Agriculture (Carlos Morais, Brazil)
  • Landscape Mapping of Food Waste Actors in the United States (Nodira Kurbanbaeva, Uzbekistan)
  • Water Management in Latin American Islands: Engaging Young People and Women (Diana Ulloa)
  • Determinants of Success for Small & Medium Size Family Dairy Farms in the US (Rosa Aiylchieva, Kyrgyzstan)
  • Developing a Science Communication Strategy for GMO Adoption in Africa (Edith Mugehu, Zimbabwe)

Featured partnerships

Get to know more about their work in these articles written by the research pairs.

Aerial view of farm and tractor

Field Note

Lessons from US agricultural cooperatives for China
The Humphrey PACT (Practitioner - Assistant - Collaborative - Training) Program pairs undergraduate students in Global Development with Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows to work on a research endeavor in the fields of agriculture, rural development...
  • Department of Global Development
  • Global Development
Man herds cows

Field Note

Ojok Okello: Experimenting a model for African rural villages of the future
In the face of entrenched conflict, climate change, and poverty in rural Uganda, Ojok Okello embarked on a bold mission to create the first sustainable rural city in the country. As the founder and CEO of Okere City , Ojok engages with residents...
  • Department of Global Development
  • Global Development
Pile of waste

Field Note

Rethinking the issue of solid household waste in Ethiopia
The Humphrey PACT (Practitioner - Assistant - Collaborative - Training) Program pairs undergraduate students in Global Development with Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows to work on a research endeavor in the fields of agriculture, rural development...
  • Global Development
Aerial view of national park

Field Note

A tale of two parks: Revitalizing the bond between protected areas
The Humphrey PACT (Practitioner - Assistant - Collaborative - Training) Program pairs undergraduate students in Global Development with Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows to work on a research endeavor in the fields of agriculture, rural development...
Desert

Field Note

Shifting focus to long-term drought resilience is paramount in East Africa
The Humphrey PACT (Practitioner - Assistant - Collaborative - Training) Program pairs undergraduate students in Global Development with Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows to work on a research endeavor in the fields of agriculture, rural development...
  • Department of Global Development
  • Environment
  • Global Development

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