About Our Lab
Harada Lab is a laboratory in the Division of African Studies, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, led by Dr. Hidenori Harada. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) is one of basic human needs. In Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), universal access to basic WASH is targeted in SDG6. However, it is estimated that about 50% of diarrheal diseases in the world are caused by inadequate WASH. Further, inadequate sanitation results in environmental degradation through the discharge of human wastes or sewage. People in the world live diverse lives, and WASH is affected by these lives and affects their lives at the same time. We need to realize the diversity of WASH, instead of uniformity of WASH. WASH_Env Lab studies WASH and related water environment and waste management issues in Asia and Africa from the perspectives of health risks, material cycles, and WASH-society relations.
In my group, we have been studying WASH and related water environment and waste management in Asia and Africa through a combination of field interviews and observations, chemical, biochemical and physical measurements of the quantity and quality of the environment, and laboratory experiments. The topics cover health risks, material cycles, and the relationship between WASH and society. My original background is environmental engineering, but I have supervised a variety of students with various backgrounds including chemical engineering, civil engineering, agricultural science, health science, geography, international relation studies, etc. We welcome students and young researchers to study with us!
