A UF student is leaving for a research project in Grenada today after raising more than half of his goal via crowdfunding.
David Hanson, a fourth-year UF doctoral student in geography, had an assignment to crowdfund a project for his fundraising for tropical conservation and development class. Hanson, 30, decided to use the assignment to help finance his previously planned trip, during which he will study the social vulnerability of farmers to environmental hazards.
Hanson raised $1,085 of his $2,000 goal using RocketHub, an online crowdfunding platform. Donations were accepted for about a month and closed Wednesday.
“It’s actually pretty radical,” Hanson said. “I’ve never heard of other students using it.”
He said he knew most of the people who donated — friends, friends of friends, professors — but there were a couple strangers.
“It’s actually surprising me how much I’ve gotten so far,” Hanson said.
He said he received grants to cover his remaining expenses.
Eric Keys, an assistant professor of geography and Hanson’s adviser, said most students receive grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA and similar organizations.
“It’s interesting,” he said about Hanson’s use of crowdfunding. “It’s innovative for him to do that because it certainly wasn’t my idea.”
Hanson said his trip is scheduled through April 28. He said he has never been to Grenada but hopes to evaluate the environmental and social status of the developing country. Hanson said his plan is to speak with government leaders and local farmers.
“I want to get an understanding of the problems farmers face on a daily basis,” he said. “I’ve read about it, but I want to experience it myself.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 4/14/2014 under the headline "UF crowdfunder goes to Granada"]
