Ep.109: Coast of Extraction: Environmental Science, Human Rights & South Africa w/ Dr. Menka Vansant

What happens when environmental science, human rights, and leadership intersect?

In this episode of Street Tales, Tyler and Mo sit down with Dr. Menka Vansant, an environmental scientist whose work has taken her from the mountains of Patagonia and the fisheries of Alaska to nearly five years living and conducting doctoral research in South Africa.

Dr. Vansant shares her remarkable journey—from growing up with a passion for conservation to earning her Ph.D. at the University of Cape Town, where she immersed herself in the lives of small-scale fishing communities impacted by resource extraction, diamond mining, offshore energy development, and environmental policy.

Together, they explore:

🌍 Living and conducting research in South Africa

🎓 The journey to earning a Ph.D. in Environmental Science

⚖️ Human rights and environmental justice

🌊 Small-scale fisheries and coastal communities

💎 Offshore diamond mining and the realities of diamond divers

🛢️ Oil, gas, and the future of sustainable energy

🌱 Conservation, community, and responsible resource management

🤝 Why relationships and trust matter in scientific research