Q & A with Dr. Fallys Masambuka - ALEC Postdoctoral Scholar

Meet Dr. Fallys Masambuka, postdoctoral scholar, who joined the ALEC team at the during September 2019 under the guidance of Dr. Alexa Lamm. With a diverse background in agricultural communication, Fally boasts research experience and a passion for empowering communities through her work. Read below to get to know her better.

1. Where are you from?
   I am originally from Malawi, South East Africa.
   
   
2. What is your educational background?
   I have a Ph.D. in agricultural communication with focus on international development and a minor in rural sociology from The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio; A Masters of Science in Agricultural Communication from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana; and a Bachelor's degree in agricultural extension from the University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture, Lilongwe, Malawi.
   
   
3. What is the focus of your research and why are you interested in this field?
   My research focuses on the role of communication in ensuring sustainable agricultural development. I specifically focus on how communication can be used to empower rural communities to express their views so that they can take charge of the development of their communities. I am interested in this field because I feel for a long time, agricultural communication has been used as a tool for disseminating scientific information with little focus on capturing community needs. However, with the advancements in communication technologies and globalization, access to information among the communities is no longer a challenge but rather access to information that addresses their needs.
   
   
4. Who is your faculty mentor and what is your favorite thing about working with them?
   Dr. Alexa Lamm is my favorite faculty mentor because she is smart, full of energy and very supportive. She is always on top of stuff and provides quality and timely feedback.
   
   
5. What is something you enjoy doing in your free time?
   I enjoy taking long walks in natural parks.