Chelsea Maupin ’18, a 2018 travel grant recipient and recent graduate from the College of Agriculture at Purdue, attended the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS) Conference in Hong Kong.
While in Hong Kong, Maupin presented research that looks at the interaction between the ISQOLS and the Community Development Society (CDS) and studies the benefits of increased collaboration between the two. She included pieces of her senior research project, which focuses on the overlaps of community development and the individual well-being within community gardens, in her presentation.
“Traveling to the conference felt like a dream,” said Maupin. “I’d traveled to Hong Kong once before on a study abroad trip, and I’m grateful that I had the chance to visit again thanks to the Purdue Office of Undergraduate Research.”
Before visiting Hong Kong, Maupin went to a pre-conference trip in Manila, Philippines. While there, she was given a tour of Social Weather Stations (SWS), a social research institution that conducts public-opinion polling and surveys about quality of life.
“The SWS group made us feel at home, and I even met a Fulbright scholar recipient who will be studying in the U.S. next year,” said Maupin. “I’m on a Fulbright grant now teaching English in Vietnam, so it was great to meet another member of the international Fulbright community. Sometimes the world isn’t so big.”
Throughout her time spent abroad, Maupin was provided with the opportunity to explore new locations and cities. She was also exposed to many of the different types of research projects that are taking place around the world. Her travels served as a reminder that there is more than just one way to live and gave her a new perspective on her work and studies.
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