Its the middle of the night, my last night in Harbin for a while. I am packing, writing reports, and entering survey data entered into my computer. Tomorrow night I take the train to Beijing where I will spend a couple days before returning to the US on Monday. I am feeling a combination of excitement to get out of here and seeing familiar faces and catching up and also dread of leaving my research behind.
But in the meantime, I am getting energized reading emails coming in through various 'foodie' list-serves about the yet-to-be named Secretary of Agriculture. Each is urging readers to call on Obama to name a reformer. Even The New York Times' Nicholas Kristof called for the position to be re-named the Secretary of Food. I don't agree with Kristof to drop the Agriculture altogether, but I am all for re-naming the position Secretary of Food and Agriculture. To drop the agriculture in favor of all the consumers would be to neglect the important role of farmers who are not necessarily part of the industrial operators who have taken over what we now consider American agriculture. Re-naming the position Food and Agriculture--even if its just a bureaucratic step--would be to recognize the connections between how and where food is produced and consumed.
I situate my research in an interdisciplinary field of research that is growing considerably called agro-food studies. Research from this field tries to bridge the gap between food production and consumption. Especially in light of the growth of so-called alternative food movements, agro-food studies looks at where and how links have been broken from where food is produced to how and where it is consumed. The political and economic system within which food and agriculture exist play important roles in determining how the food we eat winds up on our tables.
In the US, we have the USDA and the FDA. Food safety and agricultural production exist in completely separate bureaucratic entities from one another. In some cases, farmers have to do one thing to meet FDA approval and another thing to satisfy the USDA. I could go on about how and why this is problematic, but I think Kristof gets the major point across.
Over the last five years or so, many Americans are becoming increasingly considered with how their food is produced. Many are not just using their wallets to buy more expensive organic foods, but are actually participating in local food markets in one way or another. Regardless of one's political leanings, food is important. Naming a reformer to the Secretary of Agriculture post is one step Obama can do to bring change to the country to work in everyone's interest (except the few corporate farms).
And it would be a step for the world. Within my small world of Chinese agricultural scientists, I haven't found many scientists who reach beyond agricultural production to consider food consumption. Not many of the scientists I know have much to say about food safety issues in China. I think if they US could do something to make a difference in everyday perceptions of food and agriculture, others around the world might start to see that, too. Maybe. I hope.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
Trip to a Chinese Hospital
Today started out great. Amazing, actually. I woke up and immediately checked the score of the Steeler game. Steelers were playing their arch nemesis--the Dallas Cryboys. I was so hoping for a victory. Unfortunately by the middle of the 4th quarter the Steelers were still down by 10. Not a good situation. But then came a field goal. Followed by a touchdown. Tied! We were tied! Before I had the chance to react, INTERCEPTION with a touchdown. A minute 40 left in the game and we were a touchdown up. How does that happen? It was a great way to start a Monday morning.
The rest of the day I entered my survey data from the weekend to my computer. Feeling productive and happy, I went to my favorite hotel pool in Harbin to go swimming. Swimming is a little expensive here, but I found a nice, quiet pool where hardly anyone goes in the winter. Swimming is a treat which helps me clear my brain.
So today I went into the locker room. Eager to get out to the pool, I tried to close my locker, but it didn't work. The locker is wood with a small glass partition at the top. I tried to close it by pushing harder. Before I knew it, the glass had fallen off the top--and onto me! I looked down at my left arm and saw a big gash. No blood, but I could see the inside of my arm (maybe the fat??) breaking out of the skin. GROSS! I went out to the hall to call the fuwuyuan (person at desk) and by then, blood was rushing out of my arm. They sat me down, cleaned me up and put gauze on the wound. Then they told me to change my clothes. My arm still didn't hurt and I was upset because I couldn't swim (I was so looking forward to it). I changed and met them in the hall with their winter coats on. Apparently they were coming with me somewhere.
Where are we going, I asked? To the hospital so you can get stitches, they said. I protested. Despite all the sports I've played I've never broken a bone (or even had a cavity), let alone stitches! I was not going to let my first emergency room trip to a hospital happen in China. It felt fine and they cleaned it well. I didn't need stitches, I argued. No way, they said, it was serious. So I called my friend Melissa. "If I have an inch gash on my arm and I can see the inside of my arm, do you think I need stitches?" Yes! she answered. She had just cut herself a few months back in the US and had 3 stitches on her knuckle. So I went with the hotel folks to the hospital across the street.
We waited about 5 minutes, with my new hotel friends arguing to get me in there fast. I was a student and needed to get home to study, they said. We were told we were waiting for an English speaking doctor. He came and his English vocabulary consisted of "sit down."
Although I had no experience at all with stitches, he and the other doctor seemed to do things right. I got a local anaesthetic (called ma yao-numb medicine-in Chinese) and I asked about 15 times if they were using new and clean needles. They were, but they would not let me watch them sew into my skin. Probably a good idea. The two doctors asked what I was doing here. Then they told me all about rising grain prices and high quality rice in Heilongjiang until the procedure was done. I was wishing I had brought some surveys with me to have them fill out (joke).
They told me to wait 2 weeks and then I can take the stitches out myself. Well at least I will be back in the US then, just in case. If anyone knows anything about stitches, do these look right? Melissa said I probably should have had more than 2 for the size of the wound.
Oh, and the good news? The hotel paid the hospital fees and I can go swimming for free the next few times. Excellent. As long as the locker doors are fixed....
The rest of the day I entered my survey data from the weekend to my computer. Feeling productive and happy, I went to my favorite hotel pool in Harbin to go swimming. Swimming is a little expensive here, but I found a nice, quiet pool where hardly anyone goes in the winter. Swimming is a treat which helps me clear my brain.
So today I went into the locker room. Eager to get out to the pool, I tried to close my locker, but it didn't work. The locker is wood with a small glass partition at the top. I tried to close it by pushing harder. Before I knew it, the glass had fallen off the top--and onto me! I looked down at my left arm and saw a big gash. No blood, but I could see the inside of my arm (maybe the fat??) breaking out of the skin. GROSS! I went out to the hall to call the fuwuyuan (person at desk) and by then, blood was rushing out of my arm. They sat me down, cleaned me up and put gauze on the wound. Then they told me to change my clothes. My arm still didn't hurt and I was upset because I couldn't swim (I was so looking forward to it). I changed and met them in the hall with their winter coats on. Apparently they were coming with me somewhere.
Where are we going, I asked? To the hospital so you can get stitches, they said. I protested. Despite all the sports I've played I've never broken a bone (or even had a cavity), let alone stitches! I was not going to let my first emergency room trip to a hospital happen in China. It felt fine and they cleaned it well. I didn't need stitches, I argued. No way, they said, it was serious. So I called my friend Melissa. "If I have an inch gash on my arm and I can see the inside of my arm, do you think I need stitches?" Yes! she answered. She had just cut herself a few months back in the US and had 3 stitches on her knuckle. So I went with the hotel folks to the hospital across the street.
We waited about 5 minutes, with my new hotel friends arguing to get me in there fast. I was a student and needed to get home to study, they said. We were told we were waiting for an English speaking doctor. He came and his English vocabulary consisted of "sit down."
Although I had no experience at all with stitches, he and the other doctor seemed to do things right. I got a local anaesthetic (called ma yao-numb medicine-in Chinese) and I asked about 15 times if they were using new and clean needles. They were, but they would not let me watch them sew into my skin. Probably a good idea. The two doctors asked what I was doing here. Then they told me all about rising grain prices and high quality rice in Heilongjiang until the procedure was done. I was wishing I had brought some surveys with me to have them fill out (joke).
They told me to wait 2 weeks and then I can take the stitches out myself. Well at least I will be back in the US then, just in case. If anyone knows anything about stitches, do these look right? Melissa said I probably should have had more than 2 for the size of the wound.
Oh, and the good news? The hotel paid the hospital fees and I can go swimming for free the next few times. Excellent. As long as the locker doors are fixed....
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Human Research
This morning I woke up early to take a bus to a city just outside of Harbin to a supermarket to do surveys. As I was putting on my layers of clothes to go out in the negative degree weather, I quickly checked my email. I had what seemed to be a serious email from the Colorado Office of Research with the Subject = Research Ethics Investigation.
Anyone at any US university doing research with human subjects needs to go through a series of steps with the university's designated Human Research office to prove that we have thought through our research and will not put anyone at risk by doing so. Ethics investigation is not something anyone wants to hear.
So this morning I am getting dressed, drinking coffee, writing down the address of the place I need to go, skimming email, and checking the clock because I need to be out the door in two minutes. In the midst, I find this email:
"Dear Ms. Zader,
"The Office of the Research Subjects Ombudsman at the University of Colorado has been contacted by Mr. Zhong Yang Miao concerning the ethical standards of your research procedures. Mr. Zhong, a farmer from Heilongjiang province, has alleged that following an interview with your or your confederates, during which he revealed the use of melamine in growing "Northeastern Name-Brand Big Rice," this information appeared in the Chinese Newsource Xinhua. The revelation of this information damaged not only Mr. Zhong's reputation, but also the "Northeastern Famous-Brand Big Rice" brand name. Mr. Zhong is further imperilled by possible legal actions by Heilongjiang authorities. Clearly the revelation of this information to Xinhua consitutes a serious breach of research ethics, and Mr. Zhong is contemplating legal action against the University of Colorado.
"Accordingly the The Office of the Research Subjects Ombudsman at the University of Colorado has opened an investigation to examine whether confidentiality was breached in your research procedures. As a first step in this process, we ask that you please email our office copies of your IRB proposal. Of particular interest to us is the confidentiality statement which you have provided to your research subjects in Chinese."
As I skimmed this email, my heart was pounding and I was thinking "what are they talking about?" I had no idea who these people were, but in my state of rushed email skimming, it sounded serious. For a second, I really thought I had been framed, but I had no idea who would know to contact this office. Someone had to know my research well enough to write this.
Then I figured it out. It was a joke played on me by my friend Afton. He actually wanted to read my proposal and thought this was a funny way to ask for it. He changed his email address to say it was from the CU Office of Research. Cute, Afton. Way to scare me at an early hour on a Saturday. And then make me laugh at myself because I know I need to improve my email-skimming abilities (the Ombudsman in the first line should have given it away to me...).
Anyone at any US university doing research with human subjects needs to go through a series of steps with the university's designated Human Research office to prove that we have thought through our research and will not put anyone at risk by doing so. Ethics investigation is not something anyone wants to hear.
So this morning I am getting dressed, drinking coffee, writing down the address of the place I need to go, skimming email, and checking the clock because I need to be out the door in two minutes. In the midst, I find this email:
"Dear Ms. Zader,
"The Office of the Research Subjects Ombudsman at the University of Colorado has been contacted by Mr. Zhong Yang Miao concerning the ethical standards of your research procedures. Mr. Zhong, a farmer from Heilongjiang province, has alleged that following an interview with your or your confederates, during which he revealed the use of melamine in growing "Northeastern Name-Brand Big Rice," this information appeared in the Chinese Newsource Xinhua. The revelation of this information damaged not only Mr. Zhong's reputation, but also the "Northeastern Famous-Brand Big Rice" brand name. Mr. Zhong is further imperilled by possible legal actions by Heilongjiang authorities. Clearly the revelation of this information to Xinhua consitutes a serious breach of research ethics, and Mr. Zhong is contemplating legal action against the University of Colorado.
"Accordingly the The Office of the Research Subjects Ombudsman at the University of Colorado has opened an investigation to examine whether confidentiality was breached in your research procedures. As a first step in this process, we ask that you please email our office copies of your IRB proposal. Of particular interest to us is the confidentiality statement which you have provided to your research subjects in Chinese."
As I skimmed this email, my heart was pounding and I was thinking "what are they talking about?" I had no idea who these people were, but in my state of rushed email skimming, it sounded serious. For a second, I really thought I had been framed, but I had no idea who would know to contact this office. Someone had to know my research well enough to write this.
Then I figured it out. It was a joke played on me by my friend Afton. He actually wanted to read my proposal and thought this was a funny way to ask for it. He changed his email address to say it was from the CU Office of Research. Cute, Afton. Way to scare me at an early hour on a Saturday. And then make me laugh at myself because I know I need to improve my email-skimming abilities (the Ombudsman in the first line should have given it away to me...).
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