Home // About Us // News // School Offers Education Abroad Experiences
Many students in the School of Environment and Natural Resources (SENR) and across the university will participate in education abroad this summer.
“The school is providing education abroad opportunity across four programs this summer with a total of 73 students participating from across the university,” said Amanda McCann, the school’s study abroad advisor.
Education abroad programs will be offered in Australia, Iceland, New Zealand, and for the first time, Tanzania.
“Thirty-three of those participating in the programs are majoring in one of the school’s five undergraduate majors,” McCann said.
On each of these experiences, faculty and staff serve as Resident Directors. Resident Directors provide academic oversight and programmatic guidance, facilitate cross-cultural learning opportunities, and manage group dynamics and wellness
Summer 2017 Education Abroad
Australia: Sustaining Human Societies and the Environment
Resident Directors: Sue Rasche and Amanda McCann
May 8 – June 2
A group of 29 Ohio State students will travel to North Queensland, Australia to explore the intersections of human and environmental sustainability in a variety of diverse ecosystems. Students design land management plans to mitigate the impact of tourism on a wet tropic rainforest, study the biota of reef ecosystems, learn the history of Australia’s extractive mining and logging industries, and participate in short homestays on working farms. Participants also collect data for an ongoing project on the Great Barrier Reef to assess changes in coral and fish populations. Significant attention is paid to the legacy of European colonization on Aboriginal Australians and the natural environment.
Iceland: Environment and Natural Resources
Resident Directors: Dr. Brian Slater and Susie Burks
June 9 – June 22
For two weeks in June, 12 students will travel Iceland’s diverse landscape learning about the natural and cultural history of the country. Students learn about soil degradation and restoration efforts, geothermic and hydroelectric energy production, agriculture, volcanism, and glaciation through field excursions. During the site visits, students witness a number of geologic phenomena including glaciers and ice caves, canyons, and geysers. Students will negotiate the balance between conserving marine mammal species and the once vital whaling industry. Additionally, students learn about the effects of climate change and the ways in which residents and policymakers are responding to a significant boom in tourism.
New Zealand: Sustaining Human Societies and the Environment
Resident Directors: Dr. Robert Gates and Lumarie Pérez-Guzmán
May 8 – June 2
Located on the boundary of the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, the south island of New Zealand provides a geologically rich environment for study by 16 students this summer. Students explore the glaciers, fjords, mountains, braided rivers, and immense lakes through field excursions in five national parks. Tourism is a critically important contributor to New Zealand’s economy and much attention is paid to the balance between creating revenue and preserving the natural environment. Students also learn about the effects natural disasters can have on community identity from residents of Christchurch. Throughout the program, Māori histories, cultures, and ecological perspectives are explored in contrast to those of Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent).
Resident Directors: Dr. Joe Campbell and Mary McLaughlin
May 10 – May 31
In partnership with an existing Civil, Environmental, and Geodetic Engineering (CEGE) capstone program, Dr. Joe Campbell, Mary McLaughlin, and program consultant Tony Duke will lead the Sustainable and Resilient Tanzanian Community (SRTC) program. SRTC is an international service-learning experience addressing issues of water, food, energy, health, and enterprise in Marwa, Tanzania. Based on needs identified by Marwa community members, SRTC students designed projects throughout spring semester in a pre-departure course. In coordination with the village of Marwa and the Kilimanjaro Hope Organization, 19 CEGE capstone students, 16 SRTC students, and students from Tanzania’s University of Dodoma will begin implementation of the projects. The implementation of these projects represents the foundation upon which the SRTC program will build on for years to come. Learn more about one of the projects the students participating in this experience will work on this summer, Bringing Water to Marwa Village, Tanzania. And follow along on the SRTC blog.
