Batiste Despicht is a 23-year-old French student currently enrolled in a Master’s degree in Geography, Planning, Environment and Development (GAED) at the University of Lille. He began his academic journey with a degree in History before reorienting toward Geography, a field in which he now fully thrives and which better reflects his interests.

He has a strong interest in natural environments, particularly rivers and the dynamics that shape them. Passionate about cartography and environmental geography, he is especially interested in understanding how territories evolve and how they can be analyzed and represented using various tools.

He views this internship as a valuable opportunity both academically and personally. The chance to conduct fieldwork in Central Asia represents a unique experience, allowing him to deepen his knowledge while engaging with new environments. He is also particularly interested in exploring the profession of a researcher, including its methods, approaches, and day-to-day practices. Over the course of these two months, he aims to fully dedicate himself to the assigned tasks and make the most of this field-based experience.

During the internship, he is supervised by Dr. Denis Samyn and Dr. Vitalii Zaginaev, researchers at the Mountain Societies Research Institute, whose guidance provides an excellent opportunity for him to develop his research skills.

He is pleased to be collaborating with the Mountain Societies Research Institute as part of this internship and expresses his sincere appreciation to the University of Central Asia for their warm welcome and for providing this opportunity.