When anthropology meets engineering: A fresh solution to wastewater

By Zoë Daffinson, College of Arts and Sciences

Two professors in the USF Department of Anthropology are collaborating with engineering faculty from West Virginia University and California State University, Chico, to train students in anthropological and environmental engineering methods. 

The team, which includes several USF students, recently completed the second year of a National Science Foundation International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program in Costa Rica, where they worked closely with local residents to determine the adequacy of existing wastewater management technologies. 
 
“Together with the faculty from Chico State and West Virginia, both of whom are engineering graduates from USF, we decided to study the ways in which different technologies could be used for the management of wastewater: how adequate those technologies are, how they’re perceived by local residents, what they cost and what kind of investment is needed to implement and maintain them,” said Nancy Romero-Daza, a professor of anthropology, who is leading the grant alongside her colleague David Himmelgreen.  
 
Interdisciplinary research is crucial to solving waste-water management issues around the world. 
 
Romero-Daza and Himmelgreen are medical anthropologists and have collaborated on research related to food insecurity and health for over two decades. Their work in Costa Rica began in 2000 where they offered a summer field school for 15 years.  In 2024 they received the NSF grant to continue their fieldwork. This year’s focus was on the use of bio-gardens for greywater waste management in the cloud forest region of Monteverde. 
 
“The area where we worked is a rural community that depends a lot on tourism,” said Romero-Daza. “Because of that, the environment is being impacted, and one of the ways in which we see that is the quality of water and especially the management of water.”  
 
Last year the field school focused on toilet wastewater management by researching septic tanks and composting toilets. This year, the research was on the use of bio-gardens for the management of “gray water” from kitchens, laundry, and cleaning. Bio-gardens are constructed wetlands that capture and clean water by absorbing pollutants.  
 
They surveyed six bio gardens — some in private residences, others in businesses — and interviewed members of the community to address questions about maintenance and costs.

Romero-Daza and Himmelgreen brought USF anthropology students into the field to experience firsthand the intersection of anthropology and engineering. The USF students collaborated with engineering students from the partner universities to learn more about the skills involved in each other’s disciplines.

“The whole idea behind this too is to prepare them for their future careers,” said Himmelgreen. “The students are going to be co-authors, and maybe even lead authors, on those publications. They're very much involved in the data collection, analysis and write up processes, and we simply supervise their work.” 
 
For the students, the experience was transformative. 
 
“We had so many great professors there,” said Facundo Pereyra-Kluser, a recent anthropology graduate. “It showed me what it looks like when you apply anthropology in a practical setting.”  
 
During their stay, students lived with host families and built relationships with the local community. Previous field school participants have continued their research and even relocated to Costa Rica. 
 
This interdisciplinary project shows how USF students and faculty are tackling global challenges through teamwork and cross-disciplinary learning. As the field school enters its final year, Romero-Daza and Himmelgreen hope to apply for another grant and continue their research in 2027.