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Florida A&M faculty, staff, and students are headed to South Africa for an international summit

 FAMU campus building and rattler statue
Alejandro Santiago
/
WFSU

Participants will discuss various topics and brainstorm solutions that could help marine life and local communities.

A handful of Florida A&M University students and faculty members are heading to Durban, South Africa, to work with scientists on finding solutions for environmental challenges.

The delegation will be participating in the 2024 EnergyWaterFoodClimate Nexus International Summit from July 1-4.

“The 2024 EnergyWaterFoodClimate Nexus Summit represents part of FAMU’s role in addressing some of the most urgent environmental questions of our time," Florida A&M University President Larry Robinson said.

Florida A&M has hosted the event every two years but for the first time, President Robinson and a delegation including 13 FAMU students, will travel to South Africa for the four-day event.

The focus of the International Summit is to expand marine research and find solutions to environmental challenges.

The summit’s nine thematic tracks are: water quality, microbial systems and bioinformatics, harnessing big data, zero GHG emission, achieving soil carbon goals, climate resilient agriculture, food security, AI-driven circular economy, and "let a new science enterprise lead the way."

"It’s also an opportunity for both students and faculty to adopt a global focus even as they hone their research to confront complex issues on the home front in Florida and around the US,” said Robinson.

The first International Summit was held in 2015.

Adrian Andrews is a multimedia journalist with WFSU Public Media. He is a Gadsden County native and a first-generation college graduate from Florida A&M University. Adrian is also a military veteran, ending his career as a Florida Army National Guard Non-Comissioned Officer.

Adrian has experience in print writing, digital content creation, documentary, and film production. He has spent the last four years on the staff of several award-winning publications such as The Famuan, Gadsden County News Corp, and Cumulus Media before joining the WFSU news team.