Fulbright in Tanzania!

During one of Michael Henry's fieldwork excursions to collect mosquitoes, Henry and his team had to hire a farmer to use his oxcart to help them navigate the muddy roads. Henry, a Penn State graduate, spent the past nine months in Tanzania as part of the U.S. Fulbright Program.

Image: Michael Henry

Fulbright Features: Tanzania research opportunity gives student new experience

By Michael Henry

Penn State students are traveling around the world to conduct research, teach English, attend masters degree programs and more as part of theFulbright Program, a highly sought-after nine-month international educational exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State. This is the fourth story in a series of essays written by Penn State student Fulbright winners who have returned from or have just embarked on their trips.

While the official total won’t be released until November, at least 15 students have been offered the scholarship this year, according to Penn State’s University Fellowships Office. Last year, 11 Penn State students received the prestigious scholarship. For more information about applying for the program, visit the University Fellowships Office’s website. Click here to read more Fulbright Features.

I spent the first six months of my Fulbright in Tanzania mainly in Bagamoyo, a small historic coastal town just north of Dar es Salaam, the largest city.

This was the time when I came to realize the complexity of working in such a different context; upon my arrival, after waiting a month for my work permit to finish being processed, I was informed that the project I had come to work on had met an untimely demise. I then spent time taking a Swahili course, doing rotations in my organization's laboratory and traveling before being recruited onto a new project. The project involved entomology, a field I had never been trained in, and so I worked to establish a solid foundation while also assisting with my new boss's other ongoing projects. 

It was only during the final three months where I got to truly devote my full time and energy into one continuous project. I moved to Ifakara (the main field office of my organization, Ifakara Health Institute) and shared a house with a Tanzanian colleague. We collected mosquitoes and scanned them using an infrared spectrometer to detect their ages — knowing the ages of mosquitos is important since older mosquitoes have much greater potential of spreading malaria. Knowledge of the age structure of mosquito populations can help with planning and assessing interventions. In my free time, I went on all sorts of adventures with my colleagues: camping safaris, bike trips, hikes, beach escapes and road trips all over the country. 

Hopefully my efforts in Tanzania will result in a new tool to fight malaria. Now that I am starting medical school, at the very least I am certain that I have gained a significant amount of independence, cultural awareness and fieldwork experience, which I will use in my future career in global health. Plus, I had a wonderful time and made lifelong friends and professional connections.