Dr. Munkaila Musah
Growing up in a small farming community in Ghana, our forest is what kept us alive and glued us together. The forest served as a place of knowledge seeking, a space for spiritual growth, and a place that provided us with food and medicine. Making us stewards of hope by creating a complex web that connected our umbilical cord to the patterns of Mother Nature, the rivers, the birds, and animals. These imprints of the forest became an integral part of our history - my history, my culture, and my identity, shaping me into who I am today.
I want to pay forward the opportunity of finding my path with nature to enable others, especially the younger ones in the greater Holyoke, and New England area to also find their own rhythm with Mother Nature by connecting with the Forest. My first encounter with Eagle Eye as an Instructor in the Learn about Forest Program was in 2024 and knowing their mission and vision, I wanted to be part of pushing forward what Eagle Eye stands for.
I am currently an assistant professor at the Department of Environmental Conservation, UMass Amherst, My work is interdisciplinary, at the intersection of forestry, material engineering, and building technology with projects advancing contemporary utilization and management of sustainable biobased materials and emerging technologies. I love teaching and mentoring and hope to impact the lives of many young people in Massachusetts and the world.
