THE HONORS COLLEGE AMAZON PROGRAM |
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EXPERIENCE THE AMAZON! The Amazon is one of the last frontiers on earth – a land still largely unknown in many respects, yet one that is increasingly exploited and vulnerable to destruction. Over the past 500 years, the Amazon has been a refuge for persecuted tribes, a Holy Grail and gravesite for fortune seekers, a religious, political and ecological battleground, a potential source of miracle cures, and home to an incredible array of plants and animals. The Amazon rainforests and rivers have inspired writers, artists, visionaries, filmmakers and politicians, and have given rise to some of the most persistent and fallacious of “urban legends.” Today, it is increasingly evident that the Amazon plays an important role in regulating climate on a global scale, but can global calls to “save the Amazon” be reconciled with the needs of Amazon countries to feed and employ their populations? It is also becoming clear that the Amazon is not just one vast rainforest – it is very heterogeneous in flora, fauna, soils, people and cultures, and there are no generalized solutions that can be applied to address the Amazon’s challenges. This is an innovative and interdisciplinary Honors College program that culminates with a four-week study abroad component in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Twenty-two days of the field component will be spent at biological research stations in Peru. The area is exceptionally ecologically diverse, including areas of flooded forest and terra firme upland forest, which provide habitats to a wide variety of rare animal species. The area also supports one of the highest levels of tree biodiversity in the world. An additional five days will be spent during orientation and course wrap-up in Iquitos, Peru. The colorful city is considered one of the main entry ways into the Amazon and is a monument to the history of European influence in the region. Students will have the opportunity to mingle with local people and practice Spanish as they experience the diversity of cultures that meet in this vibrant part of the world. By the end of the course, students will have had a broad introduction to the geological, natural, and human history of the Amazon region. They will have an understanding of the biological and climatological processes that have created and which maintain the Amazon’s rich flora and fauna, and will also understand the current day issues surrounding climate change, “preservation” and “sustainable use and development” of the Amazon and its resources. Finally, students will have practical experience in designing, implementing, and presenting research projects in the area of their choice. Extensive mentoring by course faculty will occur during all phases of project design and implementation. Projects do not need to be directly related to biology and the environment, but may also delve into sociology, anthropology, international relations, art, business, medicine, geography, education and many other fields. News: Amazon Program Video
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