By Adrienne Gavula
Three students from Ohio University Southern Campus and three students from Graafschap College in Holland are collaborating to research what many people forget when traveling to the store to buy pork - the environmental concerns associated with raising pigs.
Unlike in the United States, an individual in Holland is banned from raising his or her own pigs because of environmental concerns.
"Pig raising is serious business in Holland," said Ohio University Visiting Lecturer Robert Culp. "Beef is so expensive that many [more] people eat pork."
The collaboration between University students and students in Holland is part of a Fund for Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) grant from the United States Department of Education and the European Education counterpart. The research projects are called "Cross Cultural Solutions." Students from an American school and a European school form a team to research and recommend a solution to a project that has impact in both countries. The purpose is to take the points of both cultures and arrive at a common solution.
"We determine a project that is applicable to both places," Culp said. "Also, students get the experience of living in another country. FIPSE is a large project. A lot of schools around the world are involved."
U.S. students visited Holland during winter quarter to begin researching, and in May, Dutch students arrived at the Southern campus and are staying until the end of June to finish the research project. The students looked at the pork industry in Holland, and are currently looking into the pork industry in the United States.
"It's quite nice to be involved. You learn a lot and see a lot of the differences between Holland and the U.S.," said Fernand Buunk, a Dutch student.
Joe Keeton, a student at the Southern campus agreed. "This gave me a chance to use something that I learned in class."
In the model, students are using rats, and based on their success, the next step is to upgrade to pigs, which they hope to receive another grant to help fund the research.
Culp added, "They are showing it's possible to raise pigs without environmental concerns. They came up with a model that won't have any impact on the environment, which means there is no water, air or waste pollution."
Southern Campus received the grant three years ago after receiving a mailing and writing a grant application. The first year was dedicated to planning, and last year, the University had an exchange with Bishop Burton College in England.
The University is in the process of writing another grant application to FIPSE for an exchange between Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Adrienne Gavula is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.
