Selecting Field Practica

All academic courses have associated Faculty Directed Practica (FDP’s). Here are three examples from recent voyages. Please be sure to check on the FDP’s associated with your courses before signing up for general field trips. You will need to sign up for FDP’s first!

Please note: content on this page will change in the near future. Be sure to check back soon.

Faculty Directed Practica (FDPs)

GUIDED VISIT TO WIND FARM & SOLAR ENERGY FARM (Full-day, Spain)

[FDP: Geology, Environmental Science]

This excursion has been designed to explain the importance of renewable energies in the modern era and to outline Spain’s efforts to incorporate RE’s into their society. It is an engaging and enlightening experience being able to learn about, touch and absorb these energy farms firsthand.

Travel through the rural regions of Cádiz to visit two distinct facilities which operate on different forms of renewable energy. First, visit at an area wind farm, where we will be met by a local technician and granted access to the facility. The technician will explain the day-to-day operations of the wind farm, its facilities and the technology used. It may also be possible to visit the windmills close-up and enter the park sub-station to study the control panel.

During our travels by bus, a local expert will discuss wind farms in Cádiz and throughout Spain, explaining why this region is a leader in renewable energy. We may stop for a morning coffee en route to a nearby solar energy farm. Upon arrival, our guide and local experts will point out various features of this particular venue and the potential impact of this energy source in Cádiz. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant (at your own expense) before returning to the ship.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING: IS HIGH-DENSITY THE NEW GREEN? (Full-day, Hong Kong)

[FDP: Environmental Science, Politics, Psychology]

For the first time in history, more people live in urban than in rural areas. Worldwide, there are 500 cities with over a million residents. Some of these cities, especially those in developing countries, are ecological nightmares characterized by overcrowding, polluted air, unsafe drinking water, open sewers, and squalid, disease-ridden slums. In principle, however, urban living can be the most sustainable and earth-friendly option.

At least potentially, urban dwellers can use public transport rather than private automobiles; their residences are more energy-efficient, both to construct and to heat or cool; basic services are easier and cheaper to deliver; and the human footprint is more compact, so that more habitat remains for other creatures. Hong Kong, with seven million inhabitants and 1,100 square kilometers, provides an excellent example of earth-friendly urban living. The city’s population density is the highest in the world, yet its government managed to set aside over 40% of the surrounding territory as open space. How and why was it possible to protect so much land from development? What considerations motivated this choice: were they primarily ecological, economic or political? What consequences has the policy had for the city, its people, and its natural environment? Should Hong Kong serve as a model for other urban communities?

This FDP will allow participants to explore Hong Kong’s undeveloped areas on foot, accompanied by a professional guide. Please note that the trek stretches for approximately seven miles over fairly strenuous terrain. Be sure to wear appropriate clothing and close-toed footwear, and to carry plenty of water. View the hike at http://www.walkhongkong.com. (Box lunches from the ship will be provided.)

NIKE PLANT VISIT (Half-day, Viet Nam)

[FDP: Commerce, Economics]

The FDP for this course will focus on the role of outsourcing in international business. Outsourcing is a major topic in business today and can be explored from different perspectives. To gather information on outsourcing, we will visit a Nike footwear facility located just outside Ho Chi Minh City. The tour is designed to provide an education in the outsourcing, manufacturing processes, the operations of cross-cultural, multinational business organizations and the functioning of the global economy. On the tour we will not only view the production process, but also have a chance to talk to factory workers, managers, health care providers and union representatives. Each participant will be asked to complete a Mini-SHAPE (Safety, Health, Attitude, People, and Environment) evaluation of the factory at the end of the visit.

Please Note: As a factory is a place of business, visitors are expected to dress appropriately. For men, appropriate attire may include slacks, a polo shirt and proper shoes. For women, modest skirts or slacks, blouses or sweaters, and closed-toed shoes are appropriate. (Participants may want to visit Nike’s website prior to the plant visit for a virtual tour of a factory and learn more about Nike’s corporate responsibility initiatives.)