Student Profile: Abraham Bugre

 

What program are you studying and when did you start it?

PhD Social Studies, started in September 2022.

When did you know that you wanted to go to graduate school?

After my undergraduate degree, I had the opportunity to work with a research institute and worked on a number of research projects. I immediately felt that this was what I wanted to do, to be a researcher, which is why I applied to graduate school.

Tell us about your research.

My research explores the impacts of climate change on smallholder women farmers in the Talensi District of Ghana and how they are adapting. Traditionally, men have been seen as the farmers in the communities I am studying, with women only being recognized for their supporting roles to the men. However, in recent years, cases of women being entirely responsible for their own farms across the District have increased. My research seeks to know how these smallholder women farmers are coping with this new role of being self-sufficient farmers in a patriarchal society and, at the same time, adapting to the impacts of climate change in the harsh savannah ecological zone.

What do you find most interesting about your research topic?

As someone who has been actively involved in climate change research and advocacy in Ghana for a long time, I was pretty convinced that I had an idea of what was happening in the communities based on the data available. However, taking a qualitative approach to this study has given me some fascinating insights into how the interplay of specific cultural factors, which had not been emphasized a lot in literature, has a strong influence on women farmers' adaptation to climate change in the district. 

Tell us about your experience in Regina. What have you learned that is most valuable?

Regina has been great for me, mainly because I prefer small city life to big cities. I have found the people here to be genuinely friendly and kind, which is always good for an international student like myself. However, I wouldn’t say the same for the winter, lol.  

What advice would you give to a student considering studying at the University of Regina?

My experience with profs here at the University of Regina has been tremendous and, in my opinion, that is an essential factor for academic success. The other thing is how vibrant the campus is, which is also crucial for students since there are times we need to de-stress and shift attention from our books a little. I have found that there is a perfect balance of life on campus, so if you are considering studying here, you are making the right choice.

 Where do you find your inspiration?

I hail from a part of my country that is severely impacted by climate change. People's livelihoods are affected, and every year, things seem to get worse. I have also had the opportunity to work with young people from other parts of the world who share similar sentiments and have visited places experiencing climate impacts. These experiences keep me grounded in my passion for pushing for climate action.   

What are your future plans?

I have always wanted to be a professor, but I also love my work in the international climate change space. So, the plan is to be able to do both in the future.   

Anything else you would like to share? 

The establishment of the Sustainability Office is a really good thing, and I look forward to seeing how this can enhance student engagement in climate action and the SDGs in general on campus.