Michael Ayala Ayala

PhD in Latin American Studies

2015—2016

Bio:

Michael is an Engineer in Agricultural Sciences from the Universidad Central del Ecuador with concentrations in Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development. He received his MA in Environmental Education for Sustainability from Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, and his Higher Education Diploma in Design, Monitoring, and Evaluation of Social Development Projects from La Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales FLACSO in Quito, Ecuador.

He started his career as an Organic Agriculture mentor and instructor, working with farmers from different geographical and social contexts in the Amazon Basin, the Andes highlands, and the Galapagos Islands. Using Environmental Education as a tool, he has supported communities in finding their own path to sustainable development. He started teaching sustainable agriculture at the university level in 1996 and now teaches Environmental Education for Sustainable Development at Universidad Central in Quito, Ecuador. Michael has been part of the Evaluation Lab since August 2015 and now he is a Senior Fellow, and works as the help desk, connecting the needs of community organizations that are members of the Evaluation Lab.

Michael is pursuing his PhD with concentrations in Geography and Environmental Studies and Community and Regional Planning. His focus is on participatory watershed management. "I strongly believe that public engagement and community participation is the right approach to watershed management."