Pantanal Partnership
About us
Pantanal Partnership is a University of Michigan student organization, created in 2009, with a focus on education, healthcare, music, and sustainable technology in the Brazilian Pantanal. Initially, students focused their energies on the construction of the Pantanal Center for Education and Research (PCER) and outfitting the facility with a solar power system, a biosand water filtration system, wind turbines, and biodigesters.
Since its initial formation, Pantanal Partnership has shifted to focus primarily on community-oriented design, working with community members in the Pantanal to determine needs, and designing sustainable technology that fits within the diverse culture of the area.
Each year members research potential projects within the organization's scope, choose a focus, then design and prototype their project. Following the Winter term at the University of Michigan, students travel to Brazil and implement their project over the span of one month, during which time they connect with Brazil's rich history and the Portuguese language.
Since its initial formation, Pantanal Partnership has shifted to focus primarily on community-oriented design, working with community members in the Pantanal to determine needs, and designing sustainable technology that fits within the diverse culture of the area.
Each year members research potential projects within the organization's scope, choose a focus, then design and prototype their project. Following the Winter term at the University of Michigan, students travel to Brazil and implement their project over the span of one month, during which time they connect with Brazil's rich history and the Portuguese language.
OUR MISSION
Pantanal Partnership seeks to use sustainable technology and community-oriented design as a medium to improve quality of life for residents of the Pantanal, expand research and environmental stewardship in the Pantanal region of Brazil, and equip our members with technical skills and experience engaging with different cultures.