Unlocking Insights on Water Insecurity: Prof. Sera Young’s Perspective on Global Health Challenges

Prof. Sera Young, who specializes in anthropology and global health, focuses on addressing food and water shortages in communities that need help. Her journey started at the University of Michigan and took her to Zanzibar, Tanzania, as a Rotary Cultural Ambassador Scholar. She lived with a local family to learn the Swahili language and later returned for her Ph.D. research at Cornell University, where she explored maternal anemia, food insecurity, and water access.

Young has made significant contributions to understanding water insecurity. She helped create the Water Insecurity Experiences scales, which measure how communities worldwide deal with water shortages. These tools look at the prevalence, causes, and effects of water access issues.

In a recent chat, she shared her insights on the importance of understanding water issues and how she engages students in this crucial subject. She uses methods from anthropology and global health to study complex challenges like food and water insecurity. “Anthropologists can make the strange feel familiar and the familiar feel strange,” she explained. This dual perspective allows for a deeper understanding of people’s lives and the challenges they face.

During her fieldwork in Kenya and Tanzania, Young listened to women’s experiences, which shifted her focus toward water issues. “A good scientist listens,” she said. She conducted interviews and used photo elicitation, where participants took pictures of their experiences with infant feeding. This revealed significant water access issues intertwined with food security.

Her teaching approach extends to the Northwestern Prison Education program, where she gained new perspectives on the student experience. She noted that students in prison face unique water challenges and that her class helped them discuss these issues more openly. “It’s easy to take water for granted,” she observed. By engaging students through assignments like creating raps and poems about water, they began to see its importance in new ways.

Why is research and education about water crucial? Young highlights that our bodies are mostly water (about 65%!) and that there is no substitute for it. “We can find alternatives to oil, but not for water. It is life,” she emphasized.

Young is not just focused on research; she actively encourages engagement through events like the Student Water Jamboree, where students can explore water-related interests in fun, interactive ways. This combination of research, teaching, and community involvement helps elevate the conversation around water’s significance.

In a world where many still struggle with water access, Young’s work helps illuminate these vital issues. Recent studies show that about 2 billion people globally experience severe water scarcity, often impacting their health and well-being. Addressing water insecurity not only enhances public health but also fosters stronger community ties, which can lead to societal change.

With initiatives like those led by Prof. Young and the involvement of students, there’s hope for more awareness and solutions to these pressing global health challenges.

For more information on water insecurity and global health, you can check out this report by the World Health Organization.

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