Most universities in Latin America require a research project ("thesis") of undergraduate students. Since most of our faculty travel to and from La Paz to teach their classes, they do not have time to develop and manage research programs at the UAC, and are not very available to help students choose and design their undergraduate thesis projects. So the students choose projects that interest them and help their communities, but lack the intellectual and strategic support that they need.
On top of that, since they have finished their classes, most no longer live at the university, so do not have access to their professors and have to fend for themselves economically, too.
The result of this is that many students have done their field research, but have not analyzed or written up their results. Instead -- understandably -- they are working to support themselves and their families who have made great sacrifices for them to study.
Photo: Student Juan Carlos Paco works on his research project about quinoa harvesting.
When Dr. Diane Rickerl was in Bolivia in July with collaborators from tribal colleges from South Dakota and Nebraska, and she talked about the Thesis Bootcamp that she did with her students from the Prairie PhD program, getting the students together with their advisers, stats people, computers and other resources to help them get their these written. We have shamelessly copied her idea, and with funds from South Dakota State University (through the Larson Foundation) -- and with funds forthcoming from FONADAL -- we have put together our own bootcamp, the Cuartel de Tesis.
The Cuartel has two parts. One is to capture the students who are now living in La Paz and the Alto. We have taken over an Internet café in the Ceja of the Alto on Saturdays and Sundays, providing a place for students to come and consult with me and others from the Instituto de Investigación about their stats, writing, and organization of their theses; and also provide a space for them to meet with their advisers.
Photo: "Our" Internet café in the Alto of La Paz.
The second part is a space in the Instituto's offices with computers, printers and access to Instituto staff to help finish up their research projects. The Cuartel also pays for their printing and binding costs, and the fees that the university requires to organize the project reviews and defense.
And we are making progress. Six students have moved on to the review process at the Universidad Católica Boliviana, the last step before the final project defense. And we expect many more to finish the entire process by the end of the year.
Photo: Student Magdelena Colque works on her research project about forage supplements for goats.
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