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Panama (PNE) Program Links - 1 4265

Contact Us

Panama: Development and Conservation

Faculty and Staff

Alyson B.K. Dagang, Ph.D., Academic Director

Dr. Alyson Dagang first came to Panama with the Peace Corps after receiving her bachelor’s degree in international development from American University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Dagang served as academic director of the SIT Study Abroad Panama program from 2002 to 2005 while also pursuing research and working with local small-scale farmers on the potential for agroforestry systems to augment forest cover and diversify production in cattle pastures. After completing her research, Dr. Dagang received her Ph.D. in 2007 from the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida. She then resumed her role as the program’s academic director.

Dr. Dagang’s research portfolio includes various development and environmental projects related to community forest management, gender and development, soil conservation, and the environmental effects of road construction. In addition to her research work and role as academic director for the SIT Panama program, Dr. Dagang serves as vice president of the Alliance for Conservation and Development, a Panamanian NGO. She is also an active proponent of organic agriculture and accessible organic certification.

As academic director, Dr. Dagang oversees the entire SIT Study Abroad Panama program. In addition to giving lectures, advising students, and coordinating seminars, Dr. Dagang also plans the program’s educational excursions and works to ensure that students’ academic needs are met. In this role, Dr. Dagang draws on the wide range of contacts she maintains throughout the country as well as her own extensive background in experiential education.