We are already halfway through the semester and Spring is just around the corner! As we are starting to enjoy warmer weather, we would like to introduce our next student spotlight. Kamrun Nahar Keya is in her second year of graduate school in our Geography research master's program. She came to our program in August 2021 and studies with Dr. Waquar Ahmed. Her research topic is "Climate Injustice and Commodification of Lives and Livelihoods in Southwest Coastal Bangladesh" and it focuses on capitalist expansion and its implications for climate justice. She is wanting to explore how climate injustice and disaster capitalism exacerbate disaster vulnerability by commodifying the lives and livelihoods of those in southwest coastal Bangladesh.
Kamrun's research hits home for her since she is from Bangladesh, a south-east Asian country. This region is known as a riverine country and has the largest contiguous mangrove forest in the world called "Sundarbans". Being from a developing country, Kamrun commented that she has seen the varied extent of social and economic struggle in Bangladesh. Her goal is always to work for the well-being of humanity and the environment. This led her to enroll in Environmental Science at Khulna University, Bangladesh for her undergraduate career.
During her undergraduate studies her research was on the "Domestic Water Consumption Patterns in South-West Coastal Bangladesh". She found that water access is often discussed in terms of proximity, distance, the time needed for acquisition, and physical burdens related to water use. Access is also linked to sociocultural factors such as class barriers, power relations, and gendered spaces. Her research sparked a growing interest in equity, justice, and political economic issues. Kamrun has observed that natural calamities unfold the nature of a society's social and economic structure, which systematically puts some people at higher risk than others. This perspective feeds into her passion to study climate injustice, capitalism, and social justice issues. These interests led Kamrun to human geography because it deals with and explores these issues. All of this led her to continue her education and pursue a master's degree in Geography.
Due to our department having courses dedicated to human geography, Kamrun decided to attend UNT. She was also intrigued by Dr. Ahmed's research on the political economy of climate change and the socio-economic manifestations of capitalism. Our collaborative research environment with diverse perspectives, and an open atmosphere that allows students to explore their interest was something that also drew Kamrun to our program.
One thing that Kamrun loves about UNT is the generosity and helpful nature of the professors, students, and colleagues she has encountered. As a graduate student, she has had the opportunity to interact with people from different countries and different research backgrounds which she has gained valuable knowledge from. As a teaching assistant in our department, she has had the opportunity to interact with students as an educator. This has been an amazing experience for Kamrun. After she graduates from UNT, she plans to pursue her Ph.D. degree in Geography. She is interested in working in academia or in a research and policy-related think-tank upon finishing her Ph.D.
Time management is one skill Kamrun has grown to excel at during her graduate career. She pointed out how important it is to balance personal and academic life while in college. Being able to properly manage one's time, she noted, is key to achieving your goals.
Some fun facts about Kamrun are that she is afraid of any kind of pet that she thinks is weird. She loves lakes, beaches, boat rides and anything related to water even though she cannot swim. She likes traveling and doing leisurely kinds of tours. She also considers herself a foodie who loves any kind of dessert. Kamrun loves to debate and was the champion in an inter-university debate competition during her undergraduate study.
Because of her interest of being near the water due to the vastness and calmness she experiences, Kamrun recommends lake Ray Roberts as a "hidden gem" here in Denton County. It's only 20 minutes away from Denton and is a great place to enjoy the sunset. She visits often to enjoy the sunset and the gentle breeze. Being near water gives her that time to restore her peace of mind. So, I hope we all can take a page from Kamrun to take a break and find a place where you can relax and refuel!