Carla Landrum

Indu Meshri scholarship supports geosciences student trip to Sierra Leone

Carla Landrum said she will never forget the 128 eyes looking up at her and the voices shouting, “Auntie Carla, Auntie Carla!”

The geosciences PhD student spent the summer teaching physical education at an elementary school in Sierra Leone, a West-African nation torn apart by civil war and now one of the world’s poorest nations.

The Dr. Indu Meshri Scholarship, established in memory of the TU alumna and distinguished geoscientist, made it possible for Landrum to teach in Africa as well as purchase the supplies she needed before she left.

“Their smiles were huge but I knew how hard their lives were,” Landrum said. “Most kids had few clothes besides their school uniforms. Even electricity is a luxury of the past but the people still walk with a grace that shows their love of life and hope for the future.”

Landrum said the trip was influential and educational on many levels. She had never left the United States before and wasn’t certain how she would handle a war-ravaged community.

“I saw children suffering from malnutrition and adults mutilated by enemy attacks,” said Landrum.  “But one of the saddest things was seeing the less fortunate children pressed up against the school windows, longing for education.”

Landrum said she returned to the United States with a clear understanding of how she could make the world a better place. She plans to return to Sierra Leone as soon as she can.

“I learned that to truly help these people we need to provide them one thing – an education.”

The Indu Meshri Scholarship is a source of financial assistance for students in the department of geosciences. It was created by Dayal Meshri in memory of his highly accomplished and much loved wife, Dr. Indu Dayal Meshri.

For more information about the scholarship, contact the department of geosciences at (918) 631-2517.

The faculty of the Department of Geosciences consists of tenured, tenure-track, visiting and instructional faculty who are focused on providing a world-class educational and research experience to our students.  The Department of Geosciences is committed to premier undergraduate education and focused, high-quality graduate and undergraduate research. Exceptional students will find a stimulating environment for research and interaction with faculty. Our undergraduate program provides students with broad experience in the sciences and the ability to think critically and communicate effectively. Our graduate program offers research and training opportunities that prepare students for a wide range of professional careers.

Faculty members are all highly regarded in their individual fields, and are actively conducting research with students around the globe.  The major areas of research emphasis of the faculty are tectonics and igneous petrology, reservoir characterization, clastic and carbonate sedimentology, 3D geotomography and exploration geophysics, and environmental biogeosciences.