Regeneration Field Institute Team
LUCAS OSHUN | Director
Originally from Northern California, Lucas is a lifelong environmental and political activist, entrepreneur, and resident of Bahía de Caráquez. After graduating with a degree in Politics and Community Studies from UC Santa Cruz, he founded the nonprofit environmental youth leadership organization, Global Student Embassy (GSE) with his brother Jasper in 2008. Since then, he has endeavored several innovative ways to leverage resources to create regenerative social and environmental enterprises at the community level as vessels for ecological and social justice.
RAISA OSHUN | Operations Manager
Raisa Oshun was born and raised in Bahía de Caráquez, Ecuador where she has been an active advocate for environmental action and helped develop ecological education programs within public school systems. After studying environmental engineering at the Universidad Agraria de Guayaquil, she helped form the earthquake relief program, Bahia Beach Construction, and became RFI's Operations Manager. Raisa continues to exemplify what it means to be a powerful leader in the local and global community.
Beth huggins | program manager
Beth Huggins is a international program development specialist in rural resiliency and environmentally sustainability, originally from the United States. After studying chemical and materials engineering, she joined the world of international development believing that ingenuity and innovation can be focused for the benefit of under-resourced communities around the world. She believes there are endless opportunities to learn from the diverse cultures, ecosystems and people around the world. Beth splits her time between Nepal, the US and Ecuador, supporting the development of programs for international students and participants that create learning opportunities while also contributing to more resilient, interconnected and abundant communities.
collaborators
Robinson Vega
Robinson Vega is a Professor of Architecture and Head of EcoMaterials research lab at the Universidad de Guayaquil. As a collaborator with RFI, he provides a majority of the technical bamboo architecture curriculum for our workshops and teacher the three-day bamboo lecture series during our courses. His current projects include researching the potential insulation and fire retardant properties of different natural fibers from agricultural waste when combined with bamboo fibers to make floor, wall, ceiling, roof, and sidewalk panels, a "hospedaje" emergency accommodations for the Ecuadorian Navy in Antartica, and Head Architect for the bamboo facilities of Los Arboleros Farm.
Los Arboleros farm
Leo Avatar and Lucas Oshun, two northern California childhood friends have partnered to create this tropical eco-agricultural business and education center in Chone, Ecuador. RFI operates as a client of the farm and rents the space for educational programs. The farm has all bamboo built infrastructure as well as diverse crop and native timber production. Social and environmental enterprise models are demonstrated to international and local visitors at the 70 acre Los Arboleros campus. See more of their work on Facebook and Instagram @losarbolerosfarm!
luis andrade
Luis Andrade is an academic researcher, Professor of Tourism, and networker extraordinaire at the ESPAM University of Calceta, Manabí, Ecuador. Luis has been instrumental in supporting collaboration with Ecuadorian academic institutions and researchers. As a native to Chone, Ecuador, Luis aims to bring international recognition to the delicious cuisine of Manabí, the beautiful landscapes, and the organic agricultural potential of the region.
Dr. Mustafa Morsy
Dr. Mustafa Morsy is a microbiologist innovator and researcher as well as an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of West Alabama. His collaboration with us involves research that aims to discover and classify new endophytes, fungal or bacterial microorganisms in the soil, here in Ecuador. The ultimate goal of the work will be to develop bio fertilizers that channel the symbiotic benefits certain organisms can provide from within the structure of plants. These can include increasing plants’ resistance to extreme climate conditions such as drought or high temperatures as well as increasing yields. Read more about Morsy Lab here on their website: http://www.morsylab.org/
Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de manabí
The ULEAM has partnered with RFI to provide the support of professors, researchers, and faculty towards developing and conducting occupational training programs and courses for university students and local community members focusing on healthy soil development and organic agricultural practices as well as other sustainable green technologies.
Lauren Sharpe | Graphic Design Intern
Lauren Sharpe was one of the first students who interned with us as a Campus Representative at CU Boulder to help organize and run pilot bamboo building courses in Ecuador to an international student base. She studies Architecture and Environmental Design at CU Boulder and is passionate about pursuing her architecture license to accomplish large scale innovative and sustainable building projects in communities around the world, as well as creating more opportunity for women in STEM. As our Graphic Design Intern, Lauren helps us develop all of our promotional materials and website platforms.