Dr. Amy Patterson, Carl Biehl Professor of International Affairs, conducts research and publishes on global health politics and Africa on themes such as AIDS, Ebola, and tobacco control. Most recently, she began research that looks at youth as citizens and how religion may affect their views of citizenship. This research was a collaborative project with five other scholars (including three from Africa), funded by the Notre Dame Global Religion Research Initiative and the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities.

As an extension of her global interests, Patterson prepares students for internship positions in Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda, and interacts with their supervisors to make plans for the summer internships (about 12 students in eight positions each summer). She often visits with students in the field. In addition, as part of a political simulations class, she oversees students who attend an annual conference in Chicago for a Model United Nations experience. She also led a study abroad group in Ghana in the spring semester of 2017.

One of Patterson’s findings regarding health issues is that while the World Health Organization is a highly visible player during disease outbreaks, African stakeholders have a significant role in shaping outcomes. In an article Patterson co-authored with Emmanuel Balogun of Webster University, the scholars explain: “Our research shows that religious leaders, traditional healers and community activists take on specific tasks, such as educating people about outbreaks, mobilizing their followers to help the sick and providing medicine and initial treatments.” Patterson and Balogun found that the involvement of local stakeholders is essential because local populations need to “trust the messenger” before embarking on any medical protocols related to disease outbreak.

To learn more about Patterson’s research, you may wish to read her recent articles published in the Washington Post:

Ebola is back — and a threat to people in Congo. Are African public health systems ready? 

Why are Ugandan youth so angry? These 4 takeaways illuminate recent protests.

You may not be aware that there is prehistoric Native American rock art on the Domain dating back to the late Woodland to the early Mississippi period (meaning that it is 700-1,000 years old). Rock art is a term used to describe human-made markings that have been drawn, painted, or carved onto rock. Will McDowell, a senior Environment and Sustainability major from Birmingham, Alabama, has been studying this art, some of which has been found on prominent campus trails. The rock art is drawn with red ochre or hematite, and has been verified by two leading authorities in the field (Jan Simek from the University of Tennessee and Stephen Alvarez of National Geographic). Will says that all rock art is intrinsically valuable and is representative of the largely overlooked complexities of prehistoric cultures.

Will has been working with Dr. Sarah Sherwood and Dr. Russell Fielding on a resource management plan for this art, in order to help the university become a better steward for such a rare resource. The two primary threats to rock art are human activity and natural degradation. Much more can be done to minimize harm from humans than from things like plant growth, weathering, and water exposure. Will would like to stress that if you do come across the rock art on campus, please do not touch it! Once destroyed, these valuable artifacts cannot be restored or replaced.

Will says that he chose to attend Sewanee because of the various outdoor opportunities afforded by the campus. He feels that at Sewanee he can have a “more fulfilled view of the environment,” and a mere walk in the woods can provide him with a better understanding of the culture that once thrived here. Will hopes that after his graduation, he can obtain a job in the field of Cultural Resource Management, surveying archeological sites.