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Awa Bousso Dramé

Research Title

Impacts of climate change and human developments on sediments circulation in a geopolitically sensitive cross-border estuary (Senegal)

More about Awa 

Academic Background

  • Sept 2020 – Present:  PhD in Physical Geography (Geomorphology & GIS) University College London (UCL), United Kingdom
  • Jan 2019 – Jun 2019: MRes Earth & Environmental sciences, Spring term exchange (A+, 1st Class Honors) Columbia University, New York, USA
  • Sept 2017 – Jun 2019: MRes Environmental Sciences, (2year-degree) (1st Class Honors) Sorbonne University (Paris IV), France
  • Jan 2017 – Jun 2017: BSc Geography & Planning, Spring term exchange, (1st Class Honors) Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • Sept 2014 – Jun 2017: BSc Geography and Planning, (3-year degree), (1st Class Honours) Sorbonne University (Paris IV), France

Research and Professional Experience

  • March 2022 – Present: Secretary & Diaspora Lead, Women in GMES & Africa, African Union Commission (AUC)
  • July 2020  - Now: Founder/Manager of Coastal & GISciences Research Institute (CoastGIS), Dakar, Senegal ,University College London (UCL), United Kingdom
  • Jan 2020 – April 2020: Consultant in Data Sciences/Management & Business Development, Makesense Africa, Dakar, Senegal
  • Jan 2019 – May 2019: Research Affiliate, The Earth Institute Columbia University, New- York, USA
  • Mar 2018 – Jun 2018: Geomorphologist and GIS Specialist Junior (internship) ,Institut de Recherche pour le Développement) (IRD), Dakar, Senegal
  • Jan 2016 – Dec 2017: Research Assistant, ENVEXX Research Project, Sorbonne University, Paris, France & Abisko, Sweden
  • Jun 2017 – Aug 2017: Research Assistant Geomorphologist and GIS Analyst Jr (internship), Institute of Geomorphology and soils, Malaga, Spain
  • May 2017: Field intern, Cyprus field trip, Geography department, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  • Jul 2016 – Aug 2016: Assistant in GIS & Environmental Survey (West African Coastal Area Program, internship), Centre de Suivi Ecologique, Senegalese Ministry of Environment & Sustainable Development, Dakar, Senegal

Affiliations

  • L'Oréal/UNESCO Women in Science Network
  • Centre de Suivi Ecologique, West African Coastal Areas (WACA) program WACOM/ORLOA)
  • Women in GMES & Africa, African Union Commission (AUC)
  • Association sénégalaise des Professionnels de la Géomatique (ASPG)
  • British Society for Geomorphology (BSG)
  • American Geophysical Union (AGU)
  • Women in coastal geoscience and engineering
Teaching

I teach on the following modules: 

Undergraduate

I have previously taught on the following modules: 

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

Publications

Papers / Books chapters

  • Sakho I., Ndao M., Diop E. H. S. M., Ba K., Ndour A., Dramé A. B., Deloffre J. (2022), « Quel est l’état actuel des risques côtiers aux débouchés des systèmes fluviaux », in Atlas des grandes questions scientifiques sur l’eau en Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre, World Water Forum Senegal, https://pole-eau-dakar.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/ATLAS-DES-GRANDES-QUESTIONS-SCIENTIFIQUES-SUR-LEAU-EN-AFRIQUE-DE-LOUEST-ET-DU-CENTRE_POLE-EAU-DAKAR.pdf

  • Dramé, A.B. (2022) in press in Tilbury, et al. (2022) "SDG 4 Quality Education  a cornerstone to achieve SDGs", in A Compendium of Bitesize Views from Global Advocates and Practitioners of the Sustainable Development Goals
  • Burningham, H., Polizel, S.P. and Dramé, A.B. (2022). Morphodynamics of tropical Atlantic river mouths and their shorelines (West Africa and Brazil), Challenges in Estuarine and Coastal Science on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Estuarine & Coastal Sciences Association https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10152517/
  • Dramé A. B. and Mercier D., (2021), ‘’Dynamics of Senegal & Mono (Benin) cross-border estuaries: between coastal hazards, vulnerability and coastal communities resilience”, “Vulnerability of West African coastal, estuarine environments and societies”, 19-22 November 2019, IRD Senegal & Assane Seck University Ziguinchor, Senegal (Conference proceedings)
  • Dramé A.B. (2020), ‘’Phallocratie et Odyssée des Femmes de la société Sénégalaise contemporaine : vers une révision du contrat social”, (2020) in Ndiaye N. (dir.), ‘’Egalité femme-homme dans la société sénégalaise contemporaine”, Dakar, Senegal  (accepted)

Public policies

  • Otieno V., Niang T., Dramé, A.B., Moussavou C., Aikohi A., Sidi M'hmed H. N., Munthali, M., Trabelsi. F.; Yohannes-Gelassie T. G., Asongfar L. R., Karim, O., Olwoch-Mukarugwiza J. (2022), “Women in Global Monitoring for Environment and Security - Conceptual note, 2023-2025, A Continental roadmap for more women in the geospatial industry in Africa”, African Union Commission, October 2022
  • Dramé A. B. (2022) « Le littoral Ouest-Africain face au changement climatique: enjeux socio-environnementaux et gaps dans la recherche scientifique », Atelier Sea’Ties Afrique de l’Ouest, Adapter les villes et territoires côtiers à l’élévation du niveau de la mer en Afrique de l’Ouest, 5 October 2022, Dakar - Sénégal
  • Dramé A. B. (2022) « Contexte hydro-géomorphologique pour l’aménagement urbain de Saint-Louis », Atelier technique d’élaboration d’une note conceptuelle du projet de logement et d’urbanisation durables dans l’aire métropolitaine de Saint-Louis », Mairie de Saint-Louis, Agence de Développement Communal et UN Habitat West Africa, Saint-Louis, Senegal

Conferences and Talks

  • Dramé A. B. (2022) « 2023 Continental roadmap for African women involvement in the (geo)spatial industry »,  Women in GMES General Assembly, African Union Commission, Kigali, Rwanda 24-28 October 2022

  • Dramé A. B. (2022) « Women participation in EO / (the Geo)spatial industry and related events in 2022 - Monitoring and Evaluation », Women in GMES General Assembly, African Union Commission, Kigali, Rwanda 24-28 October 2022
  • Dramé, A. B., Burningham, H., and Sall, M. (2022): Contribution of fluvial and marine sediment to the Senegal estuary (West Africa): a geochemical evaluation, 10th International Conference on Geomorphology, Coimbra, Portugal, 12–16 Sep 2022, ICG2022-111
  • Dramé A. B., (2022), “Impacts of climate and ocean changes on coastal systems in West Africa”, Monaco Ocean Week - Sea & the City: Pathways for Coastal Resilience, The Prince Albert II Foundation, the Stimson Center and  the Ocean & Climate Platform, Monaco, 23-26 April 2022
  • Dramé A. B., (2022), Kick-off of the 2nd Phase of GMES Africa and the Women in GMES & Africa Workshop, African Union Commission, Cotonou, Benin, 14-18 March 2022
  • Dramé A. B., Burningham H., Sall M., (2022), “Sediment variability all over the Senegal estuary (West Africa): hints on transport processes and supply sources”, CP - Coastal and Estuarine Hydrodynamics and Sediment Processes, Ocean Sciences 2022, Hawaii, USA, 27 February 2022 - 4 March 2022
  • Dramé A. B., Burningham H., Sall M., (2021), “Contributions of a multi-criteria coastal monitoring for communities resilience in Saint-Louis, Senegal”, International Conference on the fishing community of Guet-Ndar in Saint-Louis du Sénégal: between singularity and universality.
  • Dramé A. B. and Mercier D., 2020 , ‘’Dynamics of Senegal & Mono cross-border estuaries: between coastal hazards, vulnerability and coastal, community’s resilience”,  “Vulnerability of West African coastal, estuarine environments and societies”, 19-22 November 2019, IRD Senegal & Assane Seck University Ziguinchor, Senegal
  • Dramé, A.B., 2019, “Impact assessment of an on-shoreline highway extension in Dakar (Senegal): Coastal erosion and  flood risk”, At What Point Managed Retreat? Resilience Building in the Coastal Zone, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, USA
  • Dramé, A.B., 2019, “Coastal erosion and flooding in Saint-Louis (Senegal), 15 years after the breach opening on the Langue de Barbarie sandspit: increasing exposition or cross-border coastline resilience?”,11th International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts and Responses, Focus on Coastal resilience, Washington DC, USA
  • Dramé, A.B., 2019, (Poster): “Coastal erosion and flooding in Saint-Louis (Senegal), 15 years after the breach opening on the Langue de Barbarie sandspit: increasing exposition or cross-border coastline resilience?”, The Earth Institute Research Showcase, Columbia University, New York, USA
  • Dramé, A.B and ALI M., 2017, “Black Women: between ambitions and glass ceilings”, International conference on Feminist Geographies,Sorbonne University Paris, France
  • Dramé A.B., Philippot T., Piau T. , 2017, (Poster), “The Envexx Experiment: learning through research”, Sorbonne Science Fair 2017, Paris, Franc 
Research Interests

Coastal systems in the Anthropocene are facing complex and compounding challenges associated with the interaction between climate change impacts and human intervention. In West Africa, large sedimentary systems are susceptible to change in sediment sources and supply, and changes in climate forcing have influenced the development of these coastal frameworks over centuries and millennia.

But over more recent decades and centuries, the role of climate variability is compounded with the decisions and interventions of humans, through artificial modification of coastal systems, regulation and control of watersheds, and construction of settlements and structures that interfere with coastal processes. The Senegal river and estuary forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania for over 700 km, which brings important geo-political implications to the interactions between climate impacts, human intervention and societal adaptation.

The sedimentary system of the Senegal delta comprises extensive sand spits that frame the river mouth that influences the fluvio-tidal regime of the estuary; but the mouth and spit themselves are controlled by changes in water and sediment fluxes, in addition to direct artificial modification of the system. This project investigates sediment source, supply and circulation throughout the Senegal estuary and delta coast, the drivers of variations in these, and the implications for morphological change over different temporal and spatial scales.

Geospatial analysis of the inlet morphodynamics will focus on understanding the role of specific drivers, including wave climate variations, fluvial processes, human decision-making, and interventions. The research will consider the sensitive geopolitical context, coastal hazards, cross-border sediment dynamics and propose sustainable adaptations to climate change.

Research Funding
  • 2020 Faculty for Future Fellowship, Schlumberger Foundation
  • UCL Overseas Research Scholarship (ORS)

Other funding

  • February 2022: Geochemical Society Capacity-building grant for CoastGIS Research Institute (Founder) project: From the field to the lab: geochemistry applied to climate change and environmental monitoring for girls in STEM”
  • Sept 2020: UCL Overseas Research Scholarship, University College London
  • Sept 2020: Faculty for Future Fellowship, Schlumberger Foundation
  • Apr 2019: Research travel grant, EarthCube and the National Science Foundation (NSF)
  • Feb2019: The Earth Institute Research Support Grant, Columbia University, New York, USA
  • Jan 2019: Research grant, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University, New-York, USA
  • March 2018: Mobility scholarship, The Francophone University Agency (Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie)
  • Jan 2017: IDEX Excellence fellowship, Sorbonne University, « Investissements d’Avenir » program of French Ministry of Higher Education
Research Grants, Prizes and Awards
  • December 2022: 2022 L'Oréal/UNESCO Women in Science Award - Young Talent
  • April 2019: Emerging Scholar Award, 11th International Conference on Climate Change: Impacts & Response, Washington DC, USA
  • July 2014:  2nd Prize Senegalese National Schools Competition of Geography Senegalese Ministry of Education, Dakar – Senegal

 

Role

Research Student

Contact

UCL Department of Geography,
North West Wing,
London,
WC1E 6BT

Supervisors

Websites

Research Students