Ten students from Georgetown University campuses in Qatar and the United States joined forces for a unique learning journey in India. They traveled together as part of the Indian Ocean Research Colloquium, an interdisciplinary course that links campuses and cultures through hands-on exploration.
The two-semester course dives into the Indian Ocean’s rich history. It weaves together themes from literature, anthropology, and history. This spring, the students brought their lessons to life by visiting Goa and Kerala.
Throughout the week-long trip, students explored sacred temples, centuries-old synagogues, and grand colonial-era mansions.
In Goa, students met local artists, scholars, and librarians. At the Goa Central Library, DC campus student Jyotsna Venkatesh spoke with a scientist from the National Institute of Oceanography. “This helped me understand how India invests in science,” she said. Her project focuses on the geopolitics of science in the Indian Ocean.
Connecting campuses through culture and travel was a central aim of the course. Manha Siddiqui, a Culture and Politics major, took the class in both Washington and Doha. “Learning from three professors was a big reason I joined,” she shared.
Russell Niglo Adzedu (GU-Q’25) focused on how Indian communities of African descent, like the Siddi, appear in film. He noticed how tourist sites often ignore Black history. “This erasure stood out in places like the Jewish Quarter and old mansions in Goa,” he noted.
Cindrella, who minors in Indian Ocean Studies, studied tourism in Goa. “I saw frustration toward tourists who come for beaches but ignore local stories,” she said. “My research asks how Goa remembers its darker past.”
In every conversation and field visit, students continued connecting campuses through culture and travel—a phrase that perfectly captured the course’s spirit.
By merging classroom theory with real-world experience, these students built deeper understanding and meaningful friendships. They proved that connecting campuses through culture and travel creates lasting impact.
