Bangladesh

2011 EPP fellow at Sandec, Supervisors: Rick Johnston, Michael Berg and Manouchehr Amini

MSc student Jannatul Ferdous
September-December, 2011

Under my EPP fellowship at Eawag, I was able to work on my MS thesis titled “Regional aquifer mapping for assessing risk of Arsenic transport of Dhaka City shallow groundwater”. During my study, I used the statistical logistic regression model for assessing the probabilities of transporting arsenic in Dhaka City groundwater. Applying the modeling system is the first time for Bangladesh where I tried to introduce a new problem of Dhaka City. Thanks to this model I obtained excellent results. For this study, I would like to thank Dr. Manouchehr Amini for his consistent guidance on modeling and for giving me the knowledge to understand the system. And I would also like to thank Dr. Micheal Berg and Dr. Rick Johnston for their help in the interpretation of the model results.

Beside my research work, I would also like to share my life experience in Switzerland: it was the first time I went far away from my family and my country. Before coming here, I didn’t cook and was depending on my family. But now I’m a self-dependent person and I can do almost everything on my own. For such an experience I am grateful to Eawag! I also feel proud to be a part of Sandec. I found all of my colleagues of the department so friendly, kind and helpful. I’ll always miss the coffee break here with all of my colleagues. They could make me feel a new family here. Finally, I would like to express my immense gratitude to EPP and Eawag for giving me such an opportunity to work with senior scientists and to complete my thesis work successfully.

2010 EPP fellow at SIAM, Prof Hans Joachim Mosler

Mohammad Mojahidul Hossain
June – August, 2010 Bangladesh project, Siam, Eawag

During my fellowship at Eawag I was working on and learning about different methods and techniques for analyzing data and interpreting the results in a comprehensive and structured manner. I learned how to write scientific articles as well as the preparation for the next phase of the ongoing arsenic related project in Bangladesh. Now I am motivated and confident myself to serve my duties with more competence in the future. I would also like to share some things of my personal life too: before I came to Switzerland I didn’t know how to cook, wash and clean, but now I am doing everything myself. Moreover, I am glad to have been able to design frameworks for the following research articles for publication in peer-reviewed journals:

• People’s preferences and use of seven arsenic-safe drinking water options in Bangladesh (Inauen, Hossain, & Mosler)
• Differences between stakeholders and peoples’ preferences regarding arsenic-safe water options in Bangladesh (Hossain & Inauen)
• Perceived tastes of tubewell water and its relationship to water quality parameters (Hug, Hossain & Inauen)

Finally, I am grateful to EPP and Eawag for giving the bright opportunity and also all of my colleagues. My special thanks go to my best supervisor so far, Prof. Hans-Joachim Mosler and Jennifer Inauen for their constant guidance, assistance, stimulating discussions, advice and kind supports throughout my stay in Switzerland as well as Stephan Hug too. They helped me to have motivation in work during my stay here and of course in the future too.