Ms. Sadia Salim

Sadia Salim's research interest lies in combining research on climate change with environmental health science and WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) systems, as well as community resilience through policy development and community awareness programs. The Community Development Officer role at the Center for Climate Change and Environmental Health (3CEH) at the Asian University for Women (AUW), Bangladesh allows her to work on three research and implementation projects such as CATA-Earth, K4DM and WASH2 that receive funding from European Commission sources, along with Harvard University, the University of Cambridge, IDRC-Canada, and United Board sponsorship. Through field research and curriculum development, she advocates for ecosystem-based adaptation, disaster resilience, and planetary health solutions in the Rohingya refugee camps of Cox’s Bazar and the areas of Kutubdia, Sylhet, Satkhira (Khulna), and Chattogram.

During her field visits and research work at Rohingya Refugee camps, Sadia supported Rohingya girls through her work in their education in the camps by helping them enroll at AUW, thus enabling them to believe in achieving higher education goals beyond secondary high school completion. The stories she witnesses of her every field visit about the vulnerable people and their harships become her source of inspiration to dedicate further efforts both in community development work and in the execution of beneficial research plans.

Sadia has conducted research on real-world water security, examining environmental sustainability in conjunction with public health, which resulted in publications at international academic conferences. She received the Best Senior Thesis-2023 award by the Environmental Sciences Department at AUW for her bachelor’s senior thesis "Assessing and Evaluating the Water Security: Water Quality, Accessibility, Availability & Sanitation Practices among the People of Raozan, Chattogram," which is in the process of being published as a book chapter in the “Resilient Development and Sustainable Water Management" by Springer Journal. She also showcased her research through a poster exhibition at AUW Open House 2024, engaging stakeholders in discussions on sustainable water solutions. Currently, she is working on multiple research papers based on her field visits and studies in climate-affected areas, aiming for future academic publications. 

Sadia has also played a leading role in academic conferences and symposiums. She led the international Symposium on Education, Environment, and Health in Rohingya Camps (Cox’s Bazar) in collaboration with UNHCR, UN, FAO, WHO, RRRC, and Save the Children, organizing field visits and awareness campaigns for conference guests. As a representative of 3CEH, she presented research findings on climate-vulnerable areas of Bangladesh at the CATA-Earth Project Conference and Consortium Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. Additionally, she served as a Technical Session Chair for WASH research at the International Student Conference on Bridging the Gap: Navigating Towards Environmental and Health Justice at AUW.

Her work extends beyond research into community-led action. She has led initiatives to expand educational opportunities in displacement zones and empower women by implementing sustainable resource practices through awareness programs, policy workshops, and training sessions. Both participatory methodologies and stakeholder engagement, along with policy analysis, overlap with her expertise, while qualitative research and stakeholder engagement form the core of her practice to deliver sustainable and equitable solutions by bringing together scientific knowledge and community-driven action.