ASU PhD graduate leads global development efforts through innovation, community service
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable fall 2024 graduates.
Youth education and community development are critical drivers of sustainable changes within society. For Ariel Aguilera Ramirez, a PhD graduate of Arizona State University's College of Global Futures in the innovation in global development PhD program, the foundation for these efforts begins with bold, actionable ideas.
“Ideas can be powerful; they are there in your head; you can’t see them, you can’t touch them, but everything starts with an idea,” he said. “I was only partially aware of this before coming to ASU, but the community around me was key in reinforcing the force underpinning our ideas.”
Aguilera Ramirez has been named the fall 2024 Outstanding Graduate of the School for the Future of Innovation in Society, an academic unit of the College of Global Futures, for his achievements in driving innovation, empowering communities and promoting sustainable development locally and globally.
From Paraguay, Aguilera Ramirez’s journey into global development began with his involvement in the International Youth Fellowship, which took him to 16 countries. Prior to ASU, he had an academic and professional background in business, industrial design and social entrepreneurship. He has also worked as a consultant for the government and the ministry of education, and has volunteered in rural schools in Paraguay.
“That’s how I became involved in global development and discovered that new approaches were necessary to achieve meaningful changes,” he said.
Aguilera Ramirez’s PhD work contributes to his hometown’s effort in sustainable educational development, focusing on researching rural community development in Paraguay. His dissertation, titled "Rural Visions of Community Development in Paraguay: A Case Study of School Leaders’ Perspectives," examined how rural communities envision sustainable development.
One of his most notable innovations is DeMoS (Drone-enhanced Modeling of Scenarios), a visual data collection tool that allows communities to explore their environments through drone technology virtually. DeMoS includes four stages — mapping, sharing, exploring and envisioning — and has successfully been tested in rural Paraguay.
“The collection of these ideas informs development efforts, making them more inclusive and sustainable because action plans are context-based and inspired by local people's great wisdom about community development,” he said.
He has also developed innovative research methodologies, such as the “Actively Building Community” framework and the “Maximum Vox Populi” strategy, to provide actionable insights for researchers, practitioners and policymakers.
Aguilera Ramirez laid the groundwork for real-world solutions rooted in community input instead of the traditional top-down approach employed by governments and development organizations.
“I am super grateful to the innovation in global development program for allowing me to experiment with ideas freely,” he said.
During his time at ASU, he continued to maintain his passion for volunteering by hosting language and mind education camps in Nogales, Mexico, and working with Native American students in Arizona and New Mexico. He also co-founded the Lingua Lab, a student initiative for language and cultural exchange.
Below, Aguilera Ramirez shares about his research journey at ASU.
Question: Why did you choose to attend ASU?
Answer: I saw a giant golden “A” on Hayden Butte and knew the school was for me. Just kidding. I was searching for a U.S.-based graduate program focused on social innovation and found around 10 of them online. The innovation in global development program's founding chair, Dr. Netra Chhetri, was the only person in such a position to grant me a one-on-one info session so I could learn what the experience would be like. After my conversation with Dr. Netra, I took a leap of faith — actually, those around me pushed me to jump — and decided to apply. I was quite surprised (and nervous) to be offered admission, but looking back, it was a providential match.
Q: How have your consulting work and educational volunteer experiences in Paraguay shaped your approach to social entrepreneurship and community development?
A: Interestingly, these experiences were like two sides of the same coin. I realized that entrepreneurship and development could mean one thing for the government and a completely different one for local community members. There is a constant tension in such dynamics. Usually, governments worldwide tend to leave the design of public-interest projects in the hands of so-called “experts in the field.” However, if your family had lived in a particular town for generations and suddenly a few outsiders came in imposing an “action plan” to solve local issues, how would you feel? Shouldn’t your voice be considered a valuable input as well? Over the years, the exploration of local perspectives became essential in my mind.
Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?
A: I have had multiple amazing professors, but to answer your question, I would say that Dr. Nalini Chhetri has been of transcending inspiration to me. I don’t know if she is aware of this, but she has taught me that an education like the one we were trained in can be a tool and a platform to change millions of lives around us. I hope to remember that.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?
A: Engage in volunteering! It’ll let you nurture skills, overcome limitations, meet awesome humans and go places. I would say volunteering is not what you do when you have free time. It’s part of your healthy growth and could become the cornerstone of your legacy.
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