Don’t make snow in the desert: Lessons learned from my trip to Dubai
As a graduate student in the School of Sustainability, Matt Cohen is studying sustainable urban development and what better way to gain a global perspective on the topic than traveling to Dubai, one of the Middle East’s most extravagant and well-known cities. As part of the Global Sustainability Studies Program, Cohen joined fellow students and sustainability faculty in exploring landmark sustainability projects and the re-branding of the city. Here, he shares his experience, which included a meeting with Dubai’s Minister of Economy, His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri.
Why did you choose to study sustainable tourism and culture in Dubai?
Studying sustainability in Phoenix, we can draw many parallels to the experience in Dubai. At the same time, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an autocratic state, differences in governance made for unique comparisons between the two cities.
What was it like meeting His Excellency Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri?
Meeting His Excellency was one of the highlights of the program. He was surprisingly accessible and seemed genuinely interested in every student. I was impressed with ASU’s alumni network in the UAE. Being a Sun Devil seemed to mean a lot not only His Excellency, but to every alum that we encountered, and our affiliation to ASU gave us instant credibility in some surprising settings.
How did studying abroad enhance your graduate education at ASU?
Studying abroad was a wonderful experience, and it is rare to have this opportunity as a graduate student. At the time, I was early in the process of defining my dissertation topic, and I was able view urban development and decision-making in Dubai through particular lenses to test my research interests.
How are you incorporating your trip into your current PhD dissertation?
While my dissertation deals with sustainability governance, I focus specifically on public participation, which is nearly nonexistent in the UAE. However, I was able to witness urban development under an extremely different governance arrangement than I am accustomed to and understanding the contexts under which decisions can be made has certainly strengthened my perspective.
What are your future career goals?
I hope to pursue a career in academics.
What was a favorite memory from your trip?
Eating a traditional Emirati meal in the home of a current ASU student. His family invited our entire group into their home and offered an Emirati culture and hospitality that few visitors would ever be able to experience.
What advice would you offer to future study abroad students?
First, study abroad! It really is a rare opportunity, especially when your institution will support you financially and allow you to count the course credit towards the core requirements of your degree program. I can’t stress enough how rare of an opportunity this is for graduate students.
Second, talk to locals. In faculty-directed programs, it is easy to experience the new culture from within the bubble of your classmates. The Dubai program really allowed us to meet Emiratis, with whom we shared meaningful conversations and meals.
What was the greatest life lesson you learned?
You really shouldn’t make snow in the desert.