23 Oct Two New Master’s Degrees, Both Rooted in Micronesia
Luke Carlos and Tromainne Joab have both graduated from Sophia University in Tokyo with Master’s degrees in Global Environmental Studies. They are the Sophia-APIC-BRMC Scholars supported by MCT.
Luke Carlos
Luke’s research looked at why energy access is a struggle in Pohnpei. Instead of treating it as a purely technical problem, he looked at how the environment and the institutions around energy shape each other. He worked across Pohnpei’s state and customary leadership and used participatory mapping to bring those perspectives together. His work was guided by the Pohnpeian philosophy of kanengamah, both in how he did his fieldwork and in how he interpreted what he found.
Luke did his graduate internship with the FSM Department of Resources and Development, and the department hired him when he finished his studies.
Tromainne Joab
Tromainne’s research focused on piggery waste management and sustainable piggery practices. She stayed in Japan to attend the graduation ceremony in September. Now she hopes to come home to FSM and use what she learned in work that serves her community.
About the Scholarhip
The Sophia-APIC-BRMC Scholarship provides graduate-level funding for citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau to pursue advanced degrees in conservation, climate change, and sustainable development. Scholars commit to return home and contribute to local environmental stewardship. The Sophia-APIC-BRMC scholarship is a partnership with Sophia University in Japan. It fully funds a two-year Master’s in Global Environmental Studies, covering tuition, travel, living expenses, and field research. Since 2017, twelve scholars from across the region have been supported through this partnership.
Photo: Sophia University Yotsuya Campus in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Credit: Keiichi Yasu - CC BY-SA 2.0.Sophia University Yotsuya Campus in Chiyoda, Tokyo