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Research - Independent Research

Visiting scientists and students from around the world come to Blue Ventures’ field site in Andavadoaka, southwest Madagascar, to work on independent research projects and dissertations.

Visiting scientists and students can research a wide range of conservation and ecological projects based at our field site in the village of Andavadoaka, located along the southwest coast of Madagascar. Volunteers who join Blue Ventures’ six-week conservation expeditions may also be able to use their time in Andavadoaka to earn credit toward their university courses.

Past research projects have covered such diverse issues as ecological monitoring of coral reefs and feasibility studies for tourism development in the region. A list of previous project titles is available here.

Blue Ventures does not offer funding for independent research projects, but staff are able to provide supervision and guidance to undergraduate and postgraduate students.

We suggest that undergraduate students choose a project that can utilise archived databases and is not dependent on new data collection due to the difficult logistics and time constraints of this remote region. Depending on the amount of supervision required there might be a small fee associated with covering supervision time from Blue Ventures’ research teams.

Project ideas must support and contribute to the overall conservation goals of Blue Ventures. Please see below for current project proposals - we welcome other project ideas and suggestions.

Blue Ventures is also working with academic institutions across the UK to recruit medical students to work in Andavadoaka as part of their student elective programmes. The students will work with Blue Ventures’ new Family Planning Clinic in Andavadoaka, providing medical assistance and education to villagers. Students also will set up satellite family planning clinics in villages north and south of Andavadoaka.

For further information on any of these projects, or queries regarding other research opportunities, please contact us.

If you are interested in undertaking a research project with Blue Ventures please:

 

Blue Ventures currently has a number of project proposals:
1 Algae farming - Abiotic factors influencing growth, species used and their economic benefits
2 An assessment of the Andavadoaka region and the potential for the establishment of carbon offset projects
3 An investigation into spatial and temporal patterns of resource use
4 An investigation into the use of CITES species in the Andavadoaka region
5 Assessment of mangrove health and species biodiversity in protected and unprotected areas
6 Assessment of mangroves in the Andavadoaka region and their potential as carbon sequesters
7 Assessment of the environmental impacts of the construction of an ecolodge
8 Bird species abundance and diversity in and outside of the newly established Baobab reserves in the Andavadoaka region
9 Diversity of sea weeds found in the Andavadoaka region
10 Echinoderm biodiversity in the Andavadoaka region
11 Environmental education and its contribution to local conservation efforts
12 Family Planning in Andavadoaka - a Medical Elective
13 Habitat and resource mapping of Nosy Hao and its reef flat
14 Holothurian fisheries and the illegal use of SCUBA for sea cucumber collection
15 Investigation of optimum time for closing mangroves to fishers and establishing no-take zones (NTZs)
16 Investigation of potential alternative sustainable livelihoods for residents of Andavadoaka
17 Mapping land use/cover in Andavadoaka and the surrounding area
18 Mapping of area and species composition of the Lamboara mangroves and the suitability of their inclusion in the proposed NTZ within the MPA
19 Monitoring of products and commodities available for sale within communities
20 Octopus stock assessment of reef flats around Andavadoaka, Madagascar
21 Past Thesis Titles
22 Seagrass mapping and surveying in Turtle Bay and the adjacent 'Mangrove Bay'
23 The socio-economic importance of the Antserananangy mangroves
24 Using quadrat sampling to compare coral growth & recruitment between protected and non-protected areas (MPA)?