Looking for a word to describe Aiyesha Ghani? How about multifaceted? A graduate student pursuing an MS in Geospatial Technologies in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, Ghani brings a wide lens to her work, with a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from New York University, and a recently completed MFA in Interdisciplinary Art.
Her current research lies at the intersection of hydroclimatology, remote sensing, climate change, and land use.
She’s TAed physical geography and taught Intro to Spatial Thinking, and currently, she is teaching Human Geography. “I’m excited to bring my world experience to [the class],” Ghani said. “Geographically, when you’re in Oklahoma, which is kind of removed from everything else, it’s really valuable to have people who are knowledgeable and experienced in other parts of the world to share those things with you.”
Ghani sees the future of environmental sustainability, geography, and even meteorology as being far more integrated with one another. Additionally, she believes the future requires more women of color in these fields. “I think the future of all those things is those voices, voices of non-cis-white-male voices,” said Ghani. Growing up, she says, pushing for more diverse voices was not something that was talked about. “But now that’s where I see things going is having these diverse voices in these professions.”
“Geography is interesting because it’s so place-based and each place has its own story, has its own history,” said Ghani. “And each place does not exist in a vacuum, so each place is related to other places. They’re all interconnected. Understanding how those things are connected is really instrumental in writing the future of those places.”
One of her ongoing favorite experiences with the department is working in the Jennifer Wise Butterfly Garden in Sarkey’s Plaza with other DGES students, planting to support pollinators.
Ghani credits many members of DGES and the college as being crucial parts of her ongoing education: her advisor, Bruce Hoagland, Renee McPherson, Emalee Lemke, Jeffrey Basara—whose hydroclimatology class Ghani describes as an “Ah-ha moment” for her and her research—and Tom Neeson, to name a few.
Outside of working on her master’s degree, Ghani teaches yoga, which she has done since 2004, and enjoys climbing. Additionally, she is working on finalizing an interdisciplinary residency fellowship in the Miami, Florida, area focusing on building relations with water and soil. “In indigenous cultures, we have this very intimate relationship with our environment. This residency is meant for artists and researchers to come together and build those relationships within themselves and with each other,” said Ghani.
For more information on Ghani’s budding fellowship program, contact her at aiyesha.ghani@ou.edu.
By Kathryn Gebauer
Article Published: Tuesday, October 18, 2022
