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But when that scholar travels with his wife, an Ohio State researcher studying in Botswana as well?

Now that's big news.

From January 15 until March 21, Ohio State scholars Bill and Ruthmarie Mitsch studied together in Africa.

The Mitsches met in Chicago, then went to the University of Florida for Ph.D.'s in their respective fields: French (Ruthmarie) and wetlands research (Bill).

"Since 1986 we have both been Buckeyes, he in the sciences and I in the humanities," says Ruthmarie Mitsch. "It's a real marriage of the arts and sciences."

Bill Mitsch worked with the Harry Oppenheimer Okavango Research Centre at University of Botswana, one of Ohio State's partners in the Global Wetland Consortium. Mitsch wants to send grad students to the university to study the Okavango Delta.

“Since 1986 we have both been Buckeyes, he in the sciences and I in the humanities. It's a real marriage of the arts and sciences.”
— Ruthmarie Mitsch

Ohio State and the University of Botswana share a distinction, he says: They're the only two universities with wetlands research buildings.

"Okavango is a wondrous wetland, probably the most natural one left in the world," Mitsch says.

Meanwhile, Ruthmarie was on leave studying southern African literature and culture and promoting Research in African Literatures, the Ohio State journal for which she serves as managing editor.

"I have been able to interact with members of the French, English, and African languages and literatures departments at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, and in Maun I am able to research customs and traditions of some of the local peoples," she says.

In addition to their research, the couple squeezed in some time to see the sights of Africa. They spent three weeks in Senegal with two of their two daughters, Jane, a Peace Corps volunteer, and Mary, a Notre Dame student.

(Text: University Marketing Communications. Images: Bill and Ruthmarie Mitsch)

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