DASNR
International
Student of the Week
Home Country:
Colombia : Officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: República de Colombia), is a country located in the northwestern region of South America. Colombia is bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the North by the Atlantic Ocean, through the Caribbean Sea; to the north-west by Panama; and to the west by the Pacific Ocean. Besides the countries in South America, the Republic of Colombia is recognized to share maritime borders with the Caribbean countries of Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the Central American countries of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
Colombia is the 26th largest nation in the world and the fourth-largest country in South America (after Brazil, Argentina, and Peru), with an area more than twice that of France. In Latin America, it is also the country with the third largest population after Brazil and Mexico.
Colombia 's economy is fueled by abundant natural resources, a highly literate population and relatively high-valued currency. Colombia's main exports include manufactured goods (41.32% of exports), petroleum (28.28%), coal (13.17%), and coffee (6.25%). Colombia is the largest exporter of plantains to the United States. Sugar, also important, is grown chiefly in the Cauca Valley. Many varieties of bananas are grown; bananas for export are produced in the Uraba and Santa Maria regions. Colombia is the world's third-largest banana exporter (after Ecuador and Costa Rica) and supplies about one-sixth of the world export market. Corn, yucca, plantains, and, in high altitudes, potatoes have been traditional food staples since before the Spanish conquest. Beans, rice, and wheat, introduced in the 19th century, are also important in the diet. Other export crops include fresh-cut flowers, cotton, and tobacco. Cocoa is produced in limited amounts for domestic consumption. Colombia produces much of its domestic food requirements, but it has to import wheat, barley, fats, oils, and cocoa.
(Source: Wikipedia and Encyclopedia of the Nations)
Jorge Guzman
December 2007
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From the Department of Biosystems and Ag Engineering...
This week’s international student of the week is Jorge Alberto Guzman Jaimes. He is a first year PhD student in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering. Jorge was born in Bucaramanga, a city in southeast Colombia. He speaks Spanish and English.
Jorge is doing research in hydrology and pollution. He has a master’s degree from UNESCO-IHE in Delf, Netherlands. He was a faculty member at the Universidad Industrial de Santander, in Colombia.
Jorge spends his free time surfing the net, watching tv and talking to his wife whom he met at Delf. Jorge came to the USA to pursue his PhD. He chose OSU because his wife was here already. He thinks that OSU is one of the best universities in the area of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, Jorge thinks that the department has the best laboratories around the country. He is eager to finish PhD in two more years.
Jorge is the second child iin a family of three children. His two brothers live in Merida, Venezuela with his parents. Jorge is married to Maria Agor who is a second year PhD student from the Philippines. They both lived in Colombia for some time before coming to the States.
Advisor: Dr. Garey Fox Interview by Sandra Rodriguez
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