Short-Term 2011 Courses

CE 3100 - Understanding Water and Sanitation

Water and sanitation are two of the seven basic services necessary for human survival. The other basic services are clean (indoor) air, food, shelter, household energy (for cooking, heating, and lighting), and personal security. Yet 874 million people worldwide lack access to a safe water supply, and over 2.5 billion lack adequate access to human waste services. An untold number of people also lack access to solid waste management services. The lack of these basic services (drinking water supply, sewage service, and solid waste management) has serious adverse effects on human health, welfare and the environment. This includes elevated incidence of sickness and death from water and sanitation (wasan) related diseases like diarrhea, lost productivity from wasan related illness and from time spent fetching water, and environmental damage from waste deposited or leaching into surface and groundwater, and from the open burning of solid waste. This course will discuss the general processes involved in water supply, wastewater and sewage treatment and solid waste management. It will examine how access to these services differ among industrialized and developing countries, efforts to address service deficiencies under the UN's Millennium Development Goals, and case studies of wasan service access in the countries of our journey.

COMM 4559 - Global Business: Culture, Strategy, and Behavior

This Global Business course focuses on the challenges and opportunities associated with organizational management and business strategy in the global environment. The course is intended to be a challenging upper-level class for students who wish to explore the exciting domain of globalization with a specific view on the future. Students will gain a general overview of the process and effect of globalization in contemporary business, along with an introduction to theories, concepts and skills relevant to managing effectively in tomorrow's global environment. Students will engage in active research and analytical problem solving related to managing in the global environment of tomorrow and will frequently be called upon to brief their findings to the class. The Global Business course will include a range of learning opportunities, including exercises, case discussions, role-plays, and other experiential exercises to foster application of concepts highlighted in assigned readings. Students will contribute to the group's learning by participating in discussion of specific topics related to course themes, including discussion of the opening cases in the text, discussion of recent articles, discussion of case studies, and team presentation associated with the final project. Students will complete two applied projects, both of which will focus on countries visited as part of the program. The first (Individual: Globalization Impact) will focus on the international environment of tomorrow and context of globalization, and the second (Team: Foreign Entry Strategy) will center on a specific company's future globalization strategy.

ENGR 2595-501 - Engineering Design for the Developing World

This course is intended for lower division engineering and non-engineering students who want a course that has more breadth than the more focused courses that deal with a core humanitarian development area such as clean water and sanitation, health, energy, etc. The goal of the course will be to provide sufficient content for students to select the development area that they view as the most challenging or to identify an area they would most likely wish to address during their careers.

ENGR 2595-502 - Energy Resources: Global Economy and Environmental Perspective

The objectives of this course are: 1) to familiarize students with available energy sources and how they differ with geography, and 2) to impart an appreciation for technical difficulties and attributes of various energy sources, including political and economic issues. This course will provide an overview of energy source technologies- fossil fuels, hydroelectric power, geothermal, ocean thermal energy conversion, thermoelectrics, wind power, nuclear energy, solar power, biomass, and fuel cells. The origin of these resources, their world-wide distribution, advantages, and disadvantages, as well as economic and global environmental concerns will be addressed. Special emphasis will be placed on the energy resources of the countries of our journey.

EVSC 2559 - Geology of Central America - Settings, Resources, Hazards

This course will use an interdisciplinary approach to studying the unique geologic setting of Central America. This natural bridge between North and South America is influenced by the movement of five tectonic plates which results in extensive earthquake and volcanic activity. As the population increases, additional natural hazards such as hurricanes, droughts, floods, and landslides become more critical. As the region develops economically, the importance of mineral and energy resources, as well as water resources, grows. Development must balance economic needs, safety, and preservation of nature. In this course, we will address the topics of plate tectonics, natural disasters, mineral and energy resources, water resources, and land forms. Field experiences to geologic sites will augment the class discussions.

SEMS 2500-501 - Engineering a New Tomorrow

In a benchmark environmental report, Our Common Future, commissioned by the United Nations the concept of sustainable development is defined: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts: (1) the concept of 'needs', in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and (2) the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs." This report was issued in 1987 but still has relevance for us today. In this course, we will take a technological point of view to discuss the conditions in the world 25 years ago and compare them to the state of the world today. We will also look into a crystal ball and try to predict future directions. We will include the topics of: sustainable development, equity, a sustainable world economy, population and human resources, food security, species and ecosystems, water, energy choices, industrial growth and development, our common resources (ocean, space, and Antarctica), and finally peace and security.

SOC 2595-501 - Gender, Subsistence Tech & MDGs

This course links four themes: (1) a cross-historical, cross-societal look at gender and technology, especially how we make a living off the planet (this is called "subsistence technology;" we even take a quick look at gender and technology among our closest relatives, chimps and bonobos); (2) a focus on the importance of economic empowerment - especially women's relative control of income and other economic resources - as the key factor affecting the level of gender equality in a group, (3) case studies in Honduras (gender, microcredit, and food security/production) and Costa Rica (gender and sustainable food production/food security), and (4) how all these tie in to the Millennium Development Goals, especially MDG3: promote gender equality and empower women.

SEMS 2500-503 - Food Security and Production

Food security refers to the availability of and ability to acquire sufficient food for a healthy and productive life (as defined by World Bank, USDA, and USAID). Food availability, food access and food utilization/consumption are central to the attainment of food security. In today's changing and globalized world, food security also requires ensuring that food supplies remain free from threats to human health whether from unintentional contamination (food safety) or intentional contamination (food defense). The link between food security and production is easy to see but challenging to make. Given the multi-dimensional phenomena around both food security and production, this course will focus on the concepts, programs, and policies of food security, in the U.S., Central America, and internationally, and their impact on food production. Strategies to strengthen agriculture and expand food production for improving food security will be reviewed. Through case studies and discussion we will strategize how to meet the challenge of creating sustainable food systems based on social justice and democratic decision-making that will ensure people's right to food.

SEMS 3500-501 - Literacy and Education in Central America and the Caribbean

Though Central American and Caribbean nations have made substantial progress in educating their populations over the past twenty years, many face difficulties in meeting the United Nations Millennium Goal 2, Achieving Universal Primary Education for All. This course will expose students to the current status of literacy and education in the countries that they will visit and within the region in general. This interactive course will include all levels of education, from primary school through university and teacher preparation. Specific comparisons will be made to elucidate the effects of cultural differences, the impacts of global economy, national educational policy and political stability on educational improvements. Issues relating to location (rural, periurban and urban) environments and gender will also be investigated. Country visits will include interactive opportunities in which course participants present a lesson (of their choice) to local students and also receive presentations from the local students on topics they are currently studying. Course participants will be encouraged to make their presentations in the local language. However, language barriers can also be overcome by recruiting local, bilingual university students to translate, thus encouraging direct social interaction with peers.

SEMS 3500-502 - Globalization of Information and Communication Tech

In our new millennium Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have created a burgeoning interest in the processes of globalization. The Internet and other information and communication technologies have made the world flat in many ways. In this course we will explore how this has happened and how you can leverage ICT in the workplace. This course will introduce you to communication technologies in the Information Age (e-mail, instant messaging, internet, blogs, videoconferencing, wikis, social networking sites, twitter, virtual worlds, cloud computing) and their effective use. Through cases, exercises, readings, and class discussion we also will explore situations where the world isn't so flat after all - situations where there are differences and challenges in using ICT across cultures. A major segment of the course will be devoted to ICT design issues for global communication, including censorship (e.g., Google in China), ban of technologies (e.g., Blackberry use in Saudi Arabia), privacy, language use on the Internet, and the transportation of data across international boundaries. Another important topic addresses ICT to support global collaboration. Specifically we will discuss the challenges and advantages of using global virtual teams, and suggestions for their effective management. The course will conclude with a segment on the impact of ICT on global sourcing, especially nearshoring which is found in some of the countries that we will be visiting.

NURS 4501/GNUR 5501 - Building Health in the Caribbean

Many speak of "global health," and yet what does that term mean for an individual, for a community, for a nation, for a planet? One group of physicians and public health professionals developed this definition: "Global health is an area for study, research, and practice that places a priority on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people worldwide. Global health emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants, and solutions; involves many disciplines within and beyond the health sciences and promotes interdisciplinary collaboration; and is a synthesis of population-based prevention with individual-level clinical care. (Koplan JP et al. Lancet. 2009: 373 (1993-5)." With this holistic definition in mind, which befits the spirit of our voyage, this course will introduce learners to concepts of health and healthcare and to strategies for measuring these both quantitatively and qualitatively. Following that introduction and training, we will explore, using a biosocial analysis, the diseases and conditions addressed by the MDGs. We will learn about the pathophysiology (the study of how sickness is produced by a microbe or other force) of tuberculosis and the human immunodeficiency virus as well as that associated with gender inequality and poverty. Finally, we will look for and learn from the "positive deviants" in our region of study. (For more on this concept go to: http://www.positivedeviance.org/) These "deviants," as we will define them in this course, are those health systems, communities, or individuals in the region who have made significant strides towards achieving the MDGs.

SEMS 3500-504 - Politics and Economics of Central America

This course will be an interactive seminar dealing with poverty, authoritarianism, social violence and weak economies in Central America. We'll also cover import-export growth and oligarchic democracy; understanding the socio-economic structures of Central America's small economies and their dependence on the United States; the military, repression and authoritarian corporate states; revolutions, revolts, and other popular mobilizations; conservative party politics in most countries; import substitution and industrialization; neo-liberalism and globalization; NAFTA, CAFTA and the Washington Consensus; development and demographic statistics; the power of the church; women and gender; ancestry and ethnicity; indigenous peoples' identity and movements; land and labor systems; and the political effects of inequality. Class members will have key roles in each unit of study and country. We'll also explore special conditions in each Central American country: forest restoration in Costa Rica; successes and failures of the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua; the pesticide exposure of banana workers in Nicaragua; revolution and counter-insurgency in El Salvador: the hegemonic party system and its decline in Mexico; Mexico's drug economy; cocaine trans-shipment, money laundering and Canal dependence in Panama; the ousting of President Zelaya in Honduras; the campesino labor struggles in Guatemala; and human rights abuses in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

STS 2500-501 - Panama Canal Case Study

The Panama Canal, first opened in 1914 after a long and difficult construction, has been an icon of ingenious engineering and global commerce for nearly 100 years. Today, the Panama Canal Expansion Project is under way, and its goal is to expand the capacity of the canal--in terms of vessel size, and vessel throughput--and decrease the Canal's environmental footprint by providing improved water resource management. The Expansion Project will cost of $5B dollars, is globally funded, and has a global workforce, so as an engineering project it is among the biggest and most complex ever. But the Panama Canal is integral to the identity of Panama and its people, and therefore the Canal and its expansion--as engineering marvels--are inseparable from the wide range of social, environmental, political, and economic consequences surrounding it. This case study explores the incredible history of the Panama Canal, from its origins as an idea in the 1850's to its completion in 1914, as well as the on-going Expansion Project. The course will specifically explore the interface between the Expansion Project and its societal impacts. Field experiences at expansion construction sites and the Panama Canal museum will be required.

STS 2500-502 - Communities: Problems and Solutions

Real problems faced by real people usually contain both technical and non-technical elements. No single discipline can respond effectively to the complexities presented by social problems. By bringing multiple perspectives, an interdisciplinary approach can frame and solve community problems in a rich, sustainable, and satisfactory way. In this course, teams of advanced students from engineering and non- engineering fields will practice interdisciplinary problem solving in their own ship-based community and in multiple communities visited on the voyage. The course is designed to build on each student's early coursework in her or his academic major, whether in engineering or in another discipline. Students will be provided extensive experiences in group learning, reflective practices, cross cultural competencies, and student leadership. The model that will be employed in the communities we visit will be the $100 Solution. Through the use of these model groups students collaborate with community leaders by utilizing small amounts of money to address community-identified needs. While engaged in the field experiences, students will develop skills in interdisciplinary problem solving, community engagement, sustainability, and leadership.

SYS 3023 - Human Machine Interface

Human Factors, also known as Engineering Psychology or Ergonomics is the study of people at work, with the intention of designing systems that maintain human satisfaction, productivity and safety. Generally, the field of human factors encompasses designing systems, products, policies and training that accommodate human cognitive capabilities and limitations and human physical capabilities and limitations, taking into account social interactions, task constraints, contexts of use, and intended tasks and goals. Human factors is interdisciplinary, as it requires skills and knowledge from the fields of psychology, biology, engineering, mechanics, design, law, computer science, statistics, education, etc. Thus, human factors engineers can "look" very different, from someone who focuses on consumer product design, to computer-systems design, to factory floor design, to interior design, but there are common design principles that can be applied in all of these cases. This class focuses on learning and applying these fundamental design principles in the context of the major infrastructure industries: energy, transportation, and healthcare. We will study how alternative designs can affect human behavior and how to evaluate alternative designs in their contexts of use. We will also look at alternative strategies for "globalizing" and "localizing" designs for use in different markets around the world.

SYS 4000 - Financial Aspects of Engineering

Methods for economic evaluation of engineering projects including, time value of money, equivalence, cost estimation, selection of alternatives, effects of depreciation, taxes and inflation, replacement analysis, sensitivity analysis, capital budgeting will be covered. Specific to the voyage, a term project will be assigned dealing with the engineering economic analysis of the Panama Canal expansion and its effect on the economic sustainability of the region.

ENGR 2595-503 - Practice of Human Engineering

This course will introduce students to the knowledge and skill bases inherent in the effective practice of humanitarian engineering, including emergency responses and humanitarian development. Utilizing case studies and field experiences, students will have the opportunity to meet with and learn from leaders of non-governmental organizations engaged in engineering and related humanitarian work designed to alleviate human suffering and improve the wellbeing of underserved populations. Topics will include the rise of humanitarian engineering and social entrepreneurship, comprehensive needs assessment, project leadership and management, sustainability, and cultural and ethical issues.

SEMS 3500-505 - Quality of Housing

Safe, healthy and well-built housing serves a basic human right. Unfortunately, millions of citizens of marginalized communities around the world are denied this right and struggle to meet the basic needs of daily life. Exacerbating this situation is the vulnerability of poor communities to natural disasters of unimaginable scale. This course will focus on the study of nomadic and settled housing of developing communities. The influence of culture and customs, climate and weather, topography, technology, and local material resources on building will be considered carefully with specific attention given to indigenous Central American building practices. Architectural and engineering innovations and sustainable building practices will be considered in the context of disaster recovery and the development of improved housing. This course will ask a series of critical questions to be addressed throughout the semester: While raising the level of understanding, consciousness and ethics of the academic community, how are the lessons learned in a classroom and the lessons learned in the field mutually constructive and beneficial? How do real-world experiences prepare a student to positively contribute to their own discipline and others? How can raising social consciousness and the level of building design, craft, and technology be reciprocally purposeful?

ENGR 2595-504 - Foundations of Stability

An interdisciplinary synthesis of the principal concepts associated with sustainable development: Economic, ecological, and social foundations of sustainability. Emphasis on global-local connections in Central America, and personal integration of sustainable living practices. Includes lecture, class discussion, group activities, and field study in community development, conservation, social work, and/or other areas as appropriate. No prerequisite, but successful completion of an introductory environmental studies, global systems, community development or related course highly recommended.

Special Requirements

This course is required for all enrolled students.

Special Requirements

See Syllabus for additional resources needed:

• Field Notebook
• Digital camera

Bio forthcoming

Garrick Louis (Engineering)

Garrick Louis is Associate Professor of Systems Engineering at the University of Virginia. He received his BS Degree in Chemical Engineering from Howard University, his MS in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and his PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Garrick has published over 100 articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings in US and international journals on water and sanitation planning, infrastructure services evaluation, and service learning. He began his international experience as a Warren Weaver Fellow in the Global Environment Division of the Rockefeller Foundation in 1994 working on plant oil in Brazil, Nepal, and Zimbabwe, and on establishment of the Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) program in Southern Africa. He is the Founding Director of the Small Infrastructure & Development Center at the University of Virginia, which focuses on capacity building for safe water and sanitation access and local economic development in rural areas. He founded and directs the non-profit, Development Inter-Action (DiA), which provides technical assistance to rural water and sanitation projects in developing communities. Garrick was awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers in 2000, was named a University of Virginia Teaching Fellow in 2002, received the Best Paper Award from the American Water Works Association – Small Systems Division in 2005, and was named an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Fellow in 2006-2007. Garrick is a member of the American Society for Civil Engineers, The American Society for Engineering Education, and the Society for Risk Analysis.

John Girard (Business)

John Girard, Ph.D. is a full professor of management at Minot State University, North Dakota. John’s current research interests include knowledge management, social media, virtual business, and international management. John is actively engaged in research, having written more than 30 articles and chapters for peer-reviewed or trade journals and books. He is the lead author/editor of three books: Building Organizational Memories: Will you know what you knew?, A Leader’s Guide to Knowledge Management: Drawing on the Past to Enhance Future Performance and Social Knowledge: Using Social Media to Know What You Know, which is scheduled for publication in early 2011. John is a graduate of TUI University, where he completed a PhD in Business Administration and an MBA, and of the University of Manitoba where he achieved a BSc. In addition, John is a graduate of Canadian Forces College, Toronto and the Royal Military College of Science in the United Kingdom. John is frequent international speaker who has spoken at events in the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and South America including KM World, APQC’s Knowledge Management Conference, the World Congress on Intellectual Capital, KM Australia, InfoVision India, KM Asia, and many other events.

David Muñoz (Engineering)

David R. Muñoz, Associate Professor and director of humanitarian engineering (Engineering Division) Colorado School of Mines. His Ph.D. and M.S. degrees are in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and BSME degree from the University of New Mexico. His work experience includes stints at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He spent a year long sabbatical as a Visiting Professor to Monterrey Tech. (ITESM) Monterrey, Mexico. For a second sabbatical he worked as a technical analyst on the design of an advanced guideway transportation system for the I-70 Colorado mountain corridor. Dr. Muñoz has taught courses in the thermal-fluids area, various laboratory courses and senior design. He recently introduced a new course entitled, “Sustainable Engineering Design” that incorporates Life Cycle Assessment into the engineering design process. He also participated in the development of a course entitled Engineering and Sustainable Community Development. He has advised several hundred undergraduates in senior design projects that include hybrid electric vehicles through potable water and waste water treatment systems for Honduras, Uganda and Kenya. He has also advised 17 graduate theses (5 Ph.D., 12 M.S.) largely in fluid-thermal systems. His current interests include humanitarian engineering design and global sustainability.

Margarita Muñoz (Spanish)

Margarita Muñoz, born and raised in Mexico, graduated with a B.A. in Communications from the ITESM-Queretaro, Mexico. She started her professional career at the same institution, where she joined the Continuing Education & International Programs Department, developing workshops for the community and professionals, summer camps for children and Spanish Language programs for foreign students. Such diverse experience motivated her to study courses in Educational Administration at Ohio University. In order to live deeper her bilingual identity, she moved then to teach Spanish at The University of Michigan. Her teaching career continued at Vassar College, Marist College, and Poughkeepsie Day High School. At the same time, since 2002, she has been a faculty member of the Summer Spanish Language Immersion School at Middlebury College, teaching beginners, high beginners and intermediate grammar, conversation, and composition courses. These years of experiences encouraged Margarita to purse studies and practice in how foreign languages were taught in Europe. She completed a Master's degree in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language at the Universidad de Salamanca in Spain with the project “Propuesta didáctica de enseñaza-aprendizaje de ELE para un programa de inmersión lingüística: Nivel principiante-avanzado” and did a teaching internship at the same University. At her return to the USA she taught at Centre College. By the fall of 2008 she joined The University of Virginia, where she has been teaching advance intermediate Spanish grammar review and composition. Her research is done through practice and students tutoring, trying varieties of homework, different ways and settings for writing, as well as the development of oral skills. Margarita’s interest in Second Language Acquisition continues to renovate her teaching, and plans to continue her graduate studies in that area with emphasis in the student’s use of art, photography or audiovisual material to develop their Spanish language skills above expectations. She has come to the conclusion that the best in her as a teacher is the reflection of her students.

Gearold Johnson (Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science)

Gearold R. Johnson is the Emeritus George T. Abell Endowed Chair in Engineering and Professor Emeritus at Colorado State University where he was professor of mechanical engineering and computer science. He co-founded the Solar Environmental Engineering Co. and was Chairman of the Board of Directors of Village Earth from 2003-2007 where he oversaw sustainable community development projects in the State of Kwara in Nigeria, Nicaragua, Peru, India, Indonesia and the Pine Ridge Lakota Reservation in South Dakota. From 1992 until 2002, he was an advisor to the Director-General of UNESCO in Paris, France on engineering education. As a professor at Colorado State University he was the recipient of many outstanding teaching awards including five departmental awards, three college awards as well as the college’s first award for Innovation in Teaching. Johnson holds degrees from Purdue University: a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering, a M.S. in Engineering and a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering. He has published over 180 refereed journal papers, book chapters, articles and research reports.

Pamela Norris is Frederick Tracy Morse Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at University of Virginia. She is the founder and director of the University of Virginia's Nanoscale Energy Transfer Laboratory. A native Virginian, she received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics from Old Dominion University and her Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1992. She served as a Visiting Scholar and a Visiting Lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley from 1993-1994, where she developed her interests in microscale heat transfer and in aerogel technology. In addition to teaching courses in the thermosciences and energy systems, she teaches a graduate course in microscale heat transfer, and both graduate and undergraduate probability and statistics. She is a fellow of ASME, and an associate editor of both Nanoscale and Microscale Thermophysical Engineering and ASME Journal of Heat Transfer. She has published more then 70 referred journal articles and 4 book chapters. Pam loves traveling with her husband, Eric, and kids, Abbey and Alex. They have mostly explored Asia and Europe (where Pam visited at a University in Paris for a while), but have experienced bareboat sailing in the Caribbean, which was a favorite!

Mandy Bratton (Engineering)

Dr. Mandy Bratton is the Director of Global TIES - Teams in Engineering Service, an innovative humanitarian engineering program at UC San Diego. A psychologist by training, she holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a B.A. and M.Ed., from the State University of New York at Oswego and the University of South Carolina, respectively. At UC San Diego, she is a founding member of the advisory board and an affiliate of the Center for Research on Gender in the Professions. She is also a founding member of the advisory board for the system-wide UC Haiti Initiative, a partnership between the University of California and the Université d'état d'Haïti. She has completed three academic voyages with the Semester at Sea global studies program and serves as a member of the Faculty and Staff Council of the Alumni Association Board of Directors. She has held a variety of clinical, faculty and administrative positions during her twenty-five year career in higher education. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Miguel Karian (Environmental Studies)

Dr. Miguel Karian is Founding Director of Earth Education International (EEI), an experiential learning organization in Costa Rica accredited by Humboldt State University (U.S.A.) and the Universidad de San José (Costa Rica) offering interdisciplinary courses and programs in 'sustainable global stewardship'. Prior to founding and directing EEI, Dr. Karian was an Associate Professor at St. Cloud State University, and has directed various study abroad programs in Costa Rica since 1996. He holds a Doctorate of Education in Technology, Environmental Education, and Sociology from Arizona State University, and has over 25 years of interdisciplinary teaching experience in Departments of Environmental Studies, Cultural Science, Sociology, Technology, and Industrial Education. Dr. Karian has published various articles and contributed to textbooks in topics ranging from the ecological footprint of study abroad to the instruction of technology and environmental studies from a social science perspective. He is a multi-cultural 'global nomad' who grew up in Thailand, Nigeria, Kenya, and Jordan; and has also lived in Mexico, Costa Rica, and the United States. He speaks English, Spanish and varying degrees of other languages. In addition to directing EEI, Dr. Karian teaches courses in environmental studies, appropriate technology, sustainability, deep ecology, community development, and renewable energies.

Catherine Skokan (Geology)

Catherine Skokan is Associate Professor of Engineering, Colorado School of Mines. BSc, MSc, and PhD in Geophysical Engineering with an emphasis on Electromagnetism, Colorado School of Mines. Dr. Skokan has published over 80 articles and extended abstracts in numerous geophysical and educational journals including the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research ,Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, World Innovations in Engineering Education and Research, and ,Journal of Engineering Education. Her research interests include geophysical measurements of volcanoes and geothermal areas, energy resources, and groundwater. Another research thrust involves curriculum development in problem and project based learning. Her research also addresses humanitarian engineering – an application of earth science and engineering skills to aid underserved populations. She has led student humanitarian projects including travel to Tribal Communities in Alaska, South Dakota, and New Mexico as well as international projects to Ghana, Honduras, and Senegal. Dr. Skokan has traveled with students for summer studies in former Czechoslovakia, Romania, Turkey, Southeast Asia, and Morocco. She also traveled on the Fall 2002 and Fall 2009 Voyages of Semester at Sea.

Armin Rosencranz (Political Science)

Armin Rosencranz, a political scientist and lawyer, has taught a variety of environmental policy courses at Stanford since 1995. He has received three teaching awards at Stanford, including “Teacher of the Year” in 2005. Armin has had two Fulbright lectureships to India and one to Australia. He taught one of India’s first courses on environmental law, and his book, Environmental Law and Policy in India (3rd ed.2011) is widely used throughout India. Until 1996, Armin was president of Pacific Environment, an international NGO that he founded in 1987. His most recent book, co-edited with Schneider et al., is Climate Change Science and Policy (2010). In a recent article, he explored the plight of banana workers in Nicaragua. Armin taught on Semester at Sea in Spring ’04 and Fall ’08. He enjoys reading, bluegrass music, bicycling and playing poker.

Emma Mitchell (Global Public Health)

Emma McKim Mitchell, MSN RN will defend her PhD dissertation through the University of Virginia School of Nursing and Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in March 2011. She received her BSN from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, and her MSN in Community/Public Health Leadership from the University of Virginia. Her research interests include: global health; women’s health; international development and sustainability; the ethics surrounding international health care; and community based participatory research. In her dissertation research she used photovoice and ethnographic research methods to explore the health experiences of Creole women in Bluefields, Nicaragua. Her work is supported by a National Institute of Health National Research Service Award. She has been a teaching assistant for four years for the January term class focused on sustainable development taught in Bluefields, Nicaragua by Professor Brad Brown (McIntire School of Commerce). She has also been the teaching assistant for four Jefferson Public Citizens research projects in Bluefields, Nicaragua, focused on: community assessment; women’s health promotion through radio programs; composting; and biogas stoves.

Ed Berger (Engineering)

Dr. Berger currently serves as the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs in the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Virginia. He is also Associate Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He joined the faculty at UVa in January 2005 after serving on the faculty at University of Cincinnati for almost 10 years. He has been the Associate Dean for 18 months. Dr. Berger earned the PhD from the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University in 1996, and also graduated from Penn State University in 1991 and 1992 with the BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering. His technical research has focused on nonlinear dynamics, specifically nonlinear and non-smooth systems including friction and contact. He has been the PI on research awards from the NSF, AFOSR, Sandia National Labs and others for technical research on the behavior of mechanical joints and interfaces. Since 2006, Dr. Berger has also focused on the use of web 2.0 technologies in higher education, and he currently serves at the PI on the NSF-funded project "HigherEd 2.0" (highered20.org). The goal of the project is to deploy and evaluate web 2.0 technologies for instruction in engineering mechanics. This four-university collaboration includes faculty from the UVa School of Education. Dr. Berger has been recognized with UVa's All University Teaching award (2007) as well as the Outstanding Faculty Award for "Teaching with Technology" from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV), Virginia's highest teaching honor for higher education faculty (2008).

Eileen Dalenberg-Strenecky (Lifelong Learners Coordinator)

Bernard J. Strenecky presently serves as the Scholar in Residence at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. His responsibilities at the university center on internationalization, student engagement and service learning. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Scranton and a doctoral degree in Education and Curriculum Design from the University of Rochester. Dr. Strenecky’s recent publications and professional presentations center on the development of interdisciplinary international service learning program design. Dr. Strenecky has taught or consulted in over thirty countries. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to international education development. The highest of these honors is the Gold Crown of Merit which was awarded by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth for outstanding contributions to the development of the country of Barbados. This award is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a non-Barbadian citizen. Dr. Strenecky serves in the Diplomatic Corp of Barbados and holds the title of Honorary Consul from Barbados to Kentucky. He was designated Rotarian of the Year for his contributions to international understanding in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In concert with The Prospect/Goshen Rotary Club, Semester at Sea and Western Kentucky University, he has developed a humanitarian project entitled the $100 Solution. Through this project, students are provided with knowledge, skills and funds which are used to solve social problems at the national and international levels. To date, projects have been established in twelve national and international service learning sites, six colleges and universities have adopted the program and over one thousand students and faculty have been educated in the use of the model.

Julie Ellis (Engineering)

Julie Ellis is Professor of Engineering and Department Head of the Engineering Department at Western Kentucky University. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Duke University, as well as MSEE and BEE degrees from Georgia Tech. She is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. She is keenly interested in the most effective ways to incorporate real-world projects into every level of engineering education. At WKU, the Engineering Department uses course projects, industrially-sponsored projects, competitions, and service projects in all three of their programs. It’s in these experiences that students master the engineering skills they begin to learn by doing homework problems, working exams, and performing laboratory exercises. In truly solving problems--in designing, building, and testing prototypes, often working in teams—engineering students begin to transform themselves into engineering practitioners, well equipped with technical and professional skills that our world needs. For the past five years, Dr. Ellis has been involved in an service-learning project in mountain villages in the Dominican Republic.

Dana Elzey (Academic Dean)

Dana Elzey is currently Associate Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Virginia. Professor Elzey earned his undergraduate and Master's degrees in engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Ph.D. at the University of Stuttgart. His research interests are in the processing, properties and mechanics of composites, modeling and optimization of microstructure evolution during processing, and active cellular materials. He was awarded the Harold S. Morton, Jr. Award for Teaching, (University of Virginia 2000-2001) and the Mac Wade Award for outstanding service (2009). In addition to teaching and research, Elzey is director of international programs for the UVA School of Engineering and director of the Rodman Scholars honors engineering program. Elzey has developed and currently directs two summer study abroad courses for engineers in Germany. In a recent article in The Cavalier Daily, Professor Elzey expressed his philosophy of teaching as follows, "If I aspire to teach any student anything, it's the love of learning. Everything else stems from that."

Carol Saunders (Management)

Carol Saunders is currently Full Professor of Management at the University of Central Florida. She earned a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Management from the University of Houston, M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina, and B.A. in German/B.S. in Mathematics from Florida State University. She served as General Conference Chair of the International Conference on Information Systems’99 and Telecommuting ’96. She is an AIS Fellow and has served on a number of editorial boards, including a three-year term as Editor-in-Chief of MIS Quarterly. She recently returned from Austria as the Distinguished Fulbright Scholar at the Wirtschafts Universitaet – Wien (WU). She also held a Professional Fulbright in Malaysia and research chairs in New Zealand, Singapore, and the Netherlands. Her current research interests include the organizational impacts of information technology, overload, virtual teams, virtual worlds, time, sourcing and interorganizational linkages. Her research is published in MIS Quarterly, Information Systems Research, Journal of MIS, Journal of AIS, Communications of the ACM, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, (IEEE) Computer, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, and Organization Science. She and her husband taught on the Spring 2005 SAS voyage.

Rae Blumberg (Sociology)

Dr. Blumberg is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia. She received all her degrees from Northwestern University: B.S. (Journalism); M.A. (Sociology) and Ph.D. (Sociology). She is the author of over 100 publications. Currently she is finishing The Queen Midas Chronicles (2011). Some of her other books include: Complex Ethnic Households in America (2006, with Laurel K. Schwede and Anna Y. Chan); Engendering Wealth & Well-being (1995), Blumberg et al. and Gender, Family and Economy (1991). Her key articles include “A General Theory of Gender Stratification,” Sociological Theory (1984) 2:23-101 and “Extending Lenski to Hold Up Both Halves of the Sky,” Sociological Theory 22:2 (June 2004):278-291. Academically, she is best known for her general theory of gender stratification and her still-evolving gender and development theory. Since Peace Corps service in Venezuela, she has worked in over 40 countries worldwide and has area and/or research experience in Trinidad, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala; additionally, she is bilingual in Spanish. Her overall work in international development includes: Country Experience-- 4-1/2 years' residence/research in Venezuela; 1-1/2 years in Bolivia. Shorter stays for research and/or development consulting in: Latin America/ Caribbean – Ecuador (>30 times), Peru, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, Curaçao, Trinidad; Asia/Pacific – India, Thailand, Nepal, Laos, Vietnam, China, Sri Lanka, Burma, Australia, Fiji, S. Korea, Japan; Middle East/Europe - Egypt, Israel, Bulgaria, Hungary, former DDR, Kosovo/ Yugoslavia, Ukraine; Sub-Saharan Africa – Nigeria, Swaziland, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Malawi.

Stephanie Guerlain (Systems and Information Engineering)

Stephanie Guerlain received a B.S. in Psychology from Tufts University in 1990 and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from The Ohio State University in 1993 and 1995, with a specialty in Human Factors Engineering. Stephanie was a Research Scientist at Honeywell Technology Center from 1995 to 1999 and is now Associate Professor in the Department of Systems and Information Engineering at the University of Virginia (UVA) where she is head of the Medical Informatics Training Program and the US-Brazil Cognitive Systems Engineering Exchange Program. Her research focuses on information visualization, training system design, and the design of decision support systems. She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Patient Safety Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and the Office of Naval Research and has worked with several companies to improve designs of products and processes. Dr. Guerlain holds five patents related to user interface design and over 100 publications related to human factors engineering. Dr. Guerlain is currently Program Chair for the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Healthcare Systems Technical Group.

J.P. Mohsen (Civil Engineering)

J.P. Mohsen is professor and chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of Louisville. He holds a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and for the past 30 years, he has taught courses in civil engineering including; structural analysis and design, surveying, construction materials, pavement design, and structural dynamics. He also holds a Masters in Engineering Management and has taught courses in engineering design economics as well as project management. His area of research has been non-destructive testing and evaluation of materials with a focus on concrete structures. He also conducts research in the areas of pavement design and construction, and health monitoring of bridges using remote sensing. Dr. Mohsen is the Immediate Past President of the American Society for Engineering Education [ASEE]. He served as ASEE President during 2009-10. He has served on the ASEE Board of Directors previously as Vice President for Member Affairs and Vice President for Professional Interest Council. He is also active in the American Society of Civil Engineers [ASCE], and is currently serving as a Region 4 Governor on the ASCE regional Board of Directors. In the past, he has served on the Educational Activities and Continuing Education committees as well as the Technical Council for Computing and Information Technology. Dr. Mohsen is currently Chair of the ExCOM for ASCE Technical Council in Computing and Information Technology. Dr. Mohsen is also active in the Transportation Research Board [TRB] serving on Properties of Concrete and Design of Pavements committees. He has also published a surveying field book. In 1999, he was named Engineer of the Year in Education by ASCE Kentucky Section. In the same year, he also received the University of Louisville Distinguished Service to the Profession Award. In 2003, he received the University of Louisville Distinguished Teaching Professor Award in recognition of his career teaching excellence.

Candice Shoemaker (Horticulture)

Candice Shoemaker is a Professor of Horticulture and Human Health in the Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources at Kansas State Univesity. As Director of Graduate Studies in Horticultural Therapy she oversees the campus M.S. and Ph.D. programs and the online graduate certificate program in horticultural therapy. Dr. Shoemaker is also involved in the Urban Food Systems specialization in the M.S. in horticulture program. Dr. Shoemaker earned a B.S. and Ph.D. in Horticulture from Michigan State University and a M.S. in Horticultural Therapy from Kansas State University. Dr. Shoemaker’s research focuses on gardening for health with a focus on the older adult and children. Dr. Shoemaker has more than 30 publications in scientific journals, proceedings, and books and has presented her work around the world. She has received numerous awards, including a national publication award for the book Interaction by Design: Bringing People and Plants Together for Health and Well-being. Dr. Shoemaker is also the executive chair of the People Plant Council, an international council that promotes research and communication on the effect that plants have on human well-being and improved life-quality.

SEMS 1500: Elementary Spanish

Elementary Spanish is a one credit introductory level course for true beginners designed to improve abilities in each of the language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The course will integrate travel experiences and site visits into the assignments and vocabulary to be studied.

SEMS 2500: Intermediate Spanish

Intermediate Spanish is a one credit intermediate level course. The goal of this course is to bridge the gap between elementary and advanced levels in the further development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The course will integrate travel experiences and site visits into the assignments and vocabulary to be studied.

Anne Marie Stachura (Spanish)

Anne Marie Stachura is a graduate of the University of Michigan. She was a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras from 2004-2006, where she worked in the field of health on the Child Survival and HIV/AIDS Education project. Anne received her M.A. in Spanish from the University of Virginia in 2008. She has taught elementary and intermediate Spanish classes (SPAN 1060-SPAN 2020), as well as Grammar Review (SPAN 3010) and Composition (SPAN 3020). Anne was the Graduate Teaching Assistant for the U.Va. Summer Study Abroad in Costa Rica program in 2007 and 2010, and for the U.Va. Summer Study Abroad in Peru program in 2008. While at U.Va., Anne has had the opportunity to study in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil in 2008, Montrouis, Haiti in 2009, and Sainte Anne, Guadeloupe in 2010. She is currently a Ph.D candidate (ABD) at the University of Virginia and serves as the In-Residence Director of the Casa Bolívar, the University of Virginia's Spanish House. Her dissertation is tentatively entitled "An Inhospitable World: The Post-National Imaginary in Latin American Novel and Film, 2000-2010".

BEL04 CRUISE SHIP IMPACT ON PORTS & THE ENVIRONMENT

FDP: JOHNSON

The MV Explorer is an integral part of the Semester at Sea experience. The ship is the university campus, student residence, dining halls, and social center for the students, faculty and staff. But what is the impact of this ship and the many others that sail these seas? Cruise ships require energy to operate, create solid and human waste, and require port facilities for docking and taking on goods and services required to continue and complete voyages. In Belize, for example, in 1998 only 14,183 tourists arrived by cruise ship. One decade later, in 2007, the total tourists arriving by ship had reached 624,128 - a 46 percent increase each year. This is a phenomenal growth rate. Is it sustainable? What are the impacts on the ports and the national regions in the vicinity of the port? The environments of many Central American countries are fragile and many have protected areas that require metering of tourists to ensure their safekeeping.

This FDP will consist of presentations by Belize Bureau of Tourism staff describing how a country like Belize copes with the cruise ship industry. The port in Belize City underwent significant enlargement to be able to handle increased traffic. What does this mean and how was this accomplished? Were the citizens of Belize in favor of the expansion? What is the impact on the local economy? Were new jobs provided? These and many other questions will form the basis of discussion. A behind-the-scenes tour of the port is planned to find out how and what ports do in handling cruise ships.

Students will come away with a different and more informed view of the role cruise ships play in this region of the world. Particularly, students will assess and audit energy usage and waste production on the MV Explorer, learning more about the ship that provides facilities for our voyage. This will form the backdrop for discussions concerning the impact of cruise ships in the Caribbean and Central American economies.

BEL05 USING THE $100 SOLUTION TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

FDP: ELLIS & STRENECKY

The purpose of this FDP is to provide students enrolled in the course "Real Problems, Real Communities and Real Solutions" with opportunities to apply knowledge gained in the course. Participants will work at Gale's Point, a remote Creole village in a lagoon 90 minutes by boat from Belize City. Gale's Point Manatee has been a service learning site for Western Kentucky University for the past ten years. Participants will work with the village council members on a hurricane shelter project and a solar and wind energy project. Through this experience, students will develop skills in the management and evaluation of the $100 Solution Project and address community identified needs with small amounts of money.

Please note: Lunch is included. Bring plenty of bottled water. This FDP is limited to students enrolled in the course. The required FDP is a day trip; however, students have the option of purchasing the overnight FDP extension [BEL06 Overnight Extension: Using the $100 Solution to Create a Sustainable Community Development Program] at their own expense. Participation in the extension requires official advance registration during the pre-sale registration period.

LIM01 SUSTAINABLE CULTIVATION, FOOD SECURITY, WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, & MDG 3

FDP: BLUMBERG

This program focuses on a full day exploring EARTH University in Guácimas, Costa Rica. This unique institution focuses on sustainable agriculture. A guided tour through campus facilities and demonstration plots is complemented with meeting faculty and students, interviewing women and men farmers involved in university initiatives, and learning about other activities relevant to students registered in "Gender, Technology and the Millennium Development Goals."

The two primary objectives of this FDP are: (1) to better understand gender and food production, especially sustainable (largely horticultural) crops, and (2) to better understand the three-way relationship between gender – including women's level of economic empowerment – food production and food security.

LIM02 EARTH UNIVERSITY, COSTA RICA: THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND FOOD SECURITY

FDP: SHOEMAKER

Participants will take a guided tour of EARTH University, an international institution that is dedicated to education in the field of agricultural sciences and the rational use of natural resources. Earth University was created in 1986 to teach sustainable development practices with equal emphasis on entrepreneurial skills, commitment to the community and responsibility to the environment. EARTH is located in the humid tropics of Costa Rica on a 3,300 hectare property which includes the university campus, academic farms, a commercial agri-enterprise with extensive production areas, a biological reserve of more than 1,000 hectares and residences for faculty and students. Touring the banana plantation will provide an excellent example of their commitment to sustainable development. When a banana farm came with the land acquired for the University, an advisory group recommended eliminating the plantation because traditional banana production requires heavy use of chemicals and produces massive amounts of organic and solid waste and dangerous working conditions. Rather than accept the advice, the University saw an opportunity to be an example to the world that sustainable agriculture is possible. Producers worldwide have incorporated the sustainable banana production methods pioneered at EARTH. Participants will experience EARTH's innovative educational programs by attending a workshop on recycling in peri-urban agriculture. The tour will conclude with a visit to the Ethnobotanical Garden, a medicinal plant collection of native and non-native plants from the Caribbean region for germ plasm conservation, research, and seed production purposes.

Professor Shoemaker's students will gain an understanding of the role education has in food production and food security while seeing sustainable food production practices. Students will learn about food production challenges, opportunities in the tropics and how they impact food security in the region.

LIM03 "WASTE 2 ENERGY" AT THE CHIQUITA BIODIGESTER

FDP: NORRIS

Students will get a complete overview of the "Waste 2 Energy" project at Mundimar, a subsidiary of Chiquita Brands. A visit to the fruit processing facility, which focuses on bananas and other fruit juices along with dehydrated topical fruits, approaches wastewater management issues with innovative solutions. Here the wastewater management system utilizes anaerobic lagoons in conjunction with a hermetic biogestor. The biogestor yields a biogas byproduct which supplies energy to the plant. All parts of the system, including how the effluents from the biogestor are used as fertilizer, will be discussed. Students will observe many components in this environmentally friendly system that uses no chemicals for wastewater treatment, removes greenhouse gases, uses no electricity for water purification, and produces organic fertilizer.

This FDP views a complete life cycle solution for the "Waste 2 Energy" project. Challenges, such as wastewater management and odor management, are overcome with innovative solutions such as an anaerobic biogestor. Rather than consuming additional energy, the anaerobic biogestor harnesses the energetic potential of organic waste and produces biogas.

LIM05 AGRO-ECOLOGICAL FARM SUSTAINABILITY & CAHUITA NATIONAL PARK

FDP: KARIAN

This FDP provides participants with first-hand knowledge about sustainability efforts of the El Yüe Agroecological Farm. Learn the principal issues associated with management of the Cahuita National Park (optional for students selecting that case study assignment). The trip includes a visit to the El Yüe Agro-ecological Farm in the town of Carbon Uno. Learn about the history, achievements and challenges of the farm, which was started and continues to be operated by a group of local women. Afterward, enjoy a typical lunch (included), assist in reforestation efforts, and visit the projects of the farm: organic/medicinal gardens, an organic banana plantation, and a pig-waste biodigester that provides gas for cooking.

The second field site will be Cahuita National Park where students selecting that case study assignment will have an opportunity to speak with a representative about the unique co-management arrangement of the park by the government and local community. Enjoy free time in the park or at the beach before returning to the ship.

LIM13 EARTH UNIVERSITY: THE PRACTICE OF HUMANITARIAN ENGINEERING

FDP: BRATTON

Accompanied by Professor Bratton, students will spend the day at EARTH University. Professor Bratton will provide full details. Activities include a visit to local families in a nearby farming community, a visit to an integrated organic farm at EARTH University, and a discussion on carbon neutral.

TOM05 BUILDING HEALTH IN THE CARIBBEAN: AK´TENAMIT

FDP: MITCHELL

Students in Emma Mitchell's "Building Health in the Caribbean" course will spend the day visiting indigenous Q'eqchi villages and learning about the NGO Ak'Tenamit. Ak' Tenamit means "New Village" in the Q'eqchi Mayan language, and the name represents efforts to transform life in the Q'eqchi villages of Guatemala. Founded in 1992, Ak'Tenamit is owned and operated by Guatemalan indigenous peoples. It is based on the Río Dulce, in the rainforest of eastern Guatemala, where they work with dozens of remote Maya villages, all of which lack electricity and running water. Today the NGO is run by an all-indigenous board that is elected by the communities the organization serves.

Among its major initiatives, Ak'Tenamit achieves the following:

• Provides basic healthcare to approximately 6,000 people in 35 Q'eqchi Maya villages.
• Provides a practical vocational education to more than 500 students at the Fr. Tom Moran Center, a jungle boarding school campus, where the national curriculum has been adapted to the students' indigenous culture and rural reality.
• Catalyzes grass-roots development and helps village handicraft cooperatives to sell their wares at fair-trade prices, which provides vital income to extremely poor families.
• Promotes gender equity, cultural pride, community solutions, environmental sustainability and the empowerment of youth.

We will travel by small boat to the mouth of the Rio Dulce, a jungle river inhabited by the Maya Q'eqchi' ethnic group, one of twenty groups spread throughout the country. On arrival, the Ak'Tenamit Project will be visited first, learning about the Project's structure, vision, mission and the benefit it brings to the Maya community Q'eqchi. Specific public health issues will also be discussed, including medical program operations. These programs rely on village health promoters and international volunteers who provide specialized skills. We will enjoy lunch at Ak'Tenamit before making the return trip to the ship.

HND01 ENERGY RESOURCES: THE EL CAJÓN HYDROELECTRIC FACILITY

FDP: NORRIS

Located in Western Honduras, the El Cajón Dam (Central Hidroeléctrica Francisco Morazán), is a double arch dam and hydroelectric power plant. The dam itself, completed in 1984, is among the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Students will learn how the parabolic geometry of the double arch dam helps distribute the structural load. They will tour the hydroelectric facility and learn how the dam is used not only to produce power, providing in excess of 600 Megawatts and yielding a savings of over 1.5 million barrels of oil a year, but also for irrigation, flood control and recreation. Accompanied by Professor Norris, students will spend the day at the El Cajón facility. Full details will be provided by Professor Norris.

HND02 INTERACTIVE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE & COPAN RUINS

FDP: MUNOZ

Though Central American and the Caribbean nations have made substantial progress in educating their populous over the past twenty years, many face difficulties in meeting the United Nations Millennium Goal 2, Achieving Universal Primary Education for All. This course will expose students to the current status of literacy and education in the countries that they visit and within the region. This interactive course will include all levels of education, from the primary school through the university and teacher preparation. Specific comparisons will be made to elucidate the effects of cultural differences, the impacts of global economy, national educational policy and political stability on educational improvements. Issues relating to location (rural, peri-urban and urban) environments; gender will also be investigated.

On departing the ship, FDP participants will travel two hours, first heading south to San Pedro Sula, the industrial capital of Honduras located on the edge of the Sula valley; then west to follow the Rio Chamelecon toward the Departments (States) of Santa Barbara; and on to Copan. We will arrive in Trinidad, a quaint Honduran town with cobble stone streets, a town square and an old Catholic church. Here students will visit a public elementary school, breaking into two or three groups, each group presenting to one of two or three classes. In return, SAS students will listen as the elementary school students present a topic of interest to them. Each student group will be encouraged to share experiences of culture and society, in addition to any technical topics of discussion. Bilingual translation will be provided where necessary.

Following the school visit, a two hour trip through the beautiful mountainous countryside brings us to the town of Copan Ruinas, where we will have dinner and spend the night in a local hotel. After breakfast at the hotel, and a short bus ride to the Mayan Ruins at Copan, the morning is dedicated to the archaeological park and museum. In 1980 Copan was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. For additional information, please reference this page. Here we will see evidence of the Mayan (or Chorti) people still living in this area. After lunch at the park cafeteria, we return to the ship. Please note: Day one lunch will be at your own expense, purchased en route to your destination. Day one dinner, and day two breakfast and lunch are included. Participants may wish to bring local currency for optional purchases, or snacks for the 4.5-hour return trip.

HND10 HIV/AIDS & THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN HONDURAS

FDP: MITCHELL

This FDP explores the current situation of HIV/AIDS in Honduras and achievements towards the Millennium Development Goals. In the morning, we will welcome Dr. Rolando Enrique Pinel and Dr. Jorge Fernàndez for an onboard discussion. Both gentlemen direct projects funded by USAID, including HIV prevention with the Garifuna population (African descendant population highly affected by HIV/AIDS), and the operation area of Ministry of Health HIV clinics.

Following the discussion, we will break into two smaller groups and travel with Drs. Pinel and Fernàndez to visit various regional projects. Each itinerary is to be determined but could include a combination of the following: HIV/AIDS prevention projects in local Garifuna communities; a center of HIV/AIDS comprehensible care center with ARV provision; HIV support group/microenterprise project; visit to a project addressing issues of commercial sex workers; and/or visit to youth programs meant to raise awareness and promote human rights issues.

Additional details will be provided by Dr. Mitchell. Please note: A portion of this trip cost will be donated to local projects. Lunch on ship.

HND11 GENDER, MICROENTERPRISE, & EMPOWERMENT

FDP: BLUMBERG

We will visit FINCA/Honduras, starting with their San Pedro Sula regional office and continuing on to some of their mostly women "Village Bank" clients. FINCA (Foundation for International Community Assistance) is a non-profit international agency that provides financial services to the world's lowest income entrepreneurs so they can create jobs, build assets and improve their standard of living. FINCA is best known for having pioneered the "Village Banking method" – one of the major forms of microcredit – and for leadership in microfinance overall.

The two main purposes of this assignment are for students: (1) to better understand how FINCA, one of the world's major "best practices" microfinance institutions (MFIs), operates; and (2) the impact of its "Village Banking" microcredit loans on the mostly women clients, their businesses and their families. This supplements readings on microcredit and "best practice MFIs," and provides an empirical case study for what we have learned about women's economic empowerment and gender equality.

HND12 QUALITY OF HOUSING: COMMUNITY BUILDING IN HONDURAS

FDP: ABERNATHY

Accompanied by Professor Abernathy and local resident Carlos Coello, students will spend the day visiting local communities built by and for local residents who have been displaced by natural disasters. Students will also see houses clustered dangerously close to riverbanks, which often flood. Travel first to San Pedro Sula to see the work (housing and community building) of the organization CEPUDOH. For additional information, please reference this page. During the tour, discuss cultural and environmental factors that determine housing placement, and consider how local communities deal with the impact of natural disasters on housing. Following lunch in town (at your own expense), and if time permits, you may travel to another community outside of San Pedro Sula to see a community tilapia farm and study local housing there. Full itinerary details will be provided by Professor Abernathy.

HND13 THE TELECOM INDUSTRY IN HONDURAS: ALTIA BUSINESS PARK

FDP: SAUNDERS

Accompanied by Professor Saunders, students will spend the afternoon touring the Technological Altia Business Park. Located in San Pedro Sula, Altia Business Park provides services including call centers, data centers and telemarketing to companies wishing to work in a global environment. Students will learn about the challenges the company has faced with regards to telecom law, telecom infrastructure (phone, fiber optics, internet), hiring qualified workers, and the general challenges of doing business in Honduras. Full details will be provided by Professor Saunders. For additional information, please reference AltiaBusinessPark.com.

PAN09 PANAMA CITY: URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN

FDP: ABERNATHY

Accompanied by Professor Abernathy and U.S. Foreign Service Officer Tim Lattimer, students will spend the day exploring Panama City in terms of urban development and design. Although Mr. Lattimer now serves in Costa Rica, he previously served as the Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Panama. While in Panama, Mr. Lattimer advised on macroeconomic, development, trade, science, technology, and health issues. He will provide a unique, hands-on perspective to relevant issues discussed in Professor Abernathy's Quality of Housing course. Specific itinerary details will be provided by Professor Abernathy.

PAN10 TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA: TOUR & LECTURE ON ICT USAGE

FDP: SAUNDERS

The FDP will tour the Technological University of Panama in Panama City, after which students will engage in discussions with a UTP professor and academic researcher regarding the use of information and communication technologies in Panama. The presentation will include a description of ICT usage on a global collaborative research project. On the return trip, visit Miraflores Locks and check out the Canal. Additional details will be available from Professor Saunders. Students will eat lunch nearby prior to returning to the ship.

PAN11 TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF PANAMA: ENGINEERING ECONOMICS

FDP: MOHSEN

Accompanied by Professor Mohsen, students will spend the day at the Technological University. Full details will be provided by Professor Mohsen.

PAN12 RURAL AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY & SAN LORENZO RESERVE

FDP: KARIAN

This practicum provides participants an opportunity to learn first-hand about sustainability efforts in the San Lorenzo Protected Area and surrounding rural agricultural communities. This will include a visit to the El Toucan Community and Visitors Center in the town of Anchiote. Here a Panamanian Center for Study and Social Action representative will speak about the history, achievements, and challenges of sustainable development in the region. Afterwards enjoy a typical Panamanian lunch (included) and learn about local ecotourism efforts of the Los Rapaces Ecotourism Group. Next, visit an organic/shade-tree coffee farm and coffee-processing facility nearby. This trip ends with a visit to the Spanish colonial fort of San Lorenzo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in 1597 at the mouth of the Chagres River on the north end of the protected area. Enroute the bus crosses the Panama Canal providing a birds-eye view of the Gatún Locks.

PAN13 POLITICS, ECONOMICS & ENVIRONMENT OF PANAMA

FDP: ROSENCRANZ

This FDP features an on-ship discussion, including a Q&A session, with a Panamanian NGO leader who has been active in, and who is highly knowledgeable about, Panama's political, economic, social and environmental problems and history. Osvaldo Jordan, the local NGO leader, will discuss the challenge of globalization in twenty-first century Panama. Discussion topics include the increasing use of natural resources, energy alternatives, the current pressures on indigenous territories, and the social and environmental consequences of Canal expansion.

PAN14 GATUN LOCKS & CANAL ZONE

FDP: GUERLAIN

The Panama Canal has three sets of locks, two situated near the Pacific coast (Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks), and the third along the Atlantic (Gatun Locks). Of all three sets of locks those at Gatun may be the most impressive. Because all three lock chambers are connecting at Gatun, visitors will see the entire process completed at once, rather than in two different stages as with the other locks. It takes approximately two hours for a vessel to complete the transit at Gatun Locks, regardless of whether it is heading northbound or southbound.

Accompanied by Professor Stephanie Guerlain, students will visit the Gatun Locks. Along with witnessing the locks in action, students will enjoy a presentation regarding the canal expansion project.

PAN15 SOCIETY & THE ENGINEERED WORLD: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN PANAMA

FDP: BERGER

Students will travel from the port of Cristobal to the Panama Canal Visitors center at the Miraflores Locks (about 15 minutes from downtown Panama City). We will visit the canal museum at the Visitors Center and view ships in transit on the canal.

The objective of this FDP is to explore the history of the Panama Canal through first-hand observation of transits across the lock system of the Canal. Students will collect images, videos, and hand-written notes on their experiences with people, language, culture, and of course the dominant technical features of the landscape, the Canal.

TRI01 A GEOLOGICAL WALK AROUND INDEPENDENCE SQUARE

FDP: SKOKAN

Independence Square, in downtown Port of Spain, is the site of many historic and prestigious buildings. These buildings are of interest to earth scientists since many are clad with exotic rock types. The walk will start outside the newest, most prestigious building, the Eric Williams Financial Complex. Earthquake hazards reduction is an important topic when viewing this structure. The tour will then proceed along the north part of the square to Wrightson Road and on to the Holiday Inn. The tour will end with a discussion of the history and potential of the petroleum industry in Trinidad.

The objective of this FDP is to investigate three aspects of the intersection of geology and man. First, we will observe the building materials used in Independence Square and relate these to the local geology. We will also observe the imported building materials. Next we will learn about the earthquake mitigation plan for the Eric Williams Complex. Finally, we will learn of the petroleum potential of Trinidad from a representative of the National Petroleum Company. Please note: Participants are welcome to purchase lunch at a local venue upon completion of the walk (at your own expense) or return to the ship for lunch.

TRI03 ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ON TRINIDAD & TOBAGO

FDP: JOHNSON

Future energy requirements need to be planned long before current capacity is exceeded. This FDP will highlight how one country has been historically successful in energy self-sufficiency while at the same time developing the engineering solutions that will provide new sustainable future solutions long before a crisis is reached. Travel to the University of Trinidad & Tobago, Pt. Lisas Campus. Your visit begins with a series of morning presentations by local experts working on sustainable energy production for Trinidad and Tobago. Presentations will be followed by visits to energy consumption sites in the afternoon. These will enhance your understanding of the opportunities and challenges provided by alternative energy production to meet the demands. Visit methanol, urea and power and service companies in operation; learn about the development of alternate energy plans for the country as its petroleum and natural gas based resources decline.

Through this experience, valuable insight is gained into the design and operation of alternative energy facilities through visits to functioning facilities in the host country of Trinidad and Tobago. As a result, you will better understand the history and development of petroleum and natural gas on Trinidad and Tobago. Learn about the historical energy development, operations and future plans for incorporating renewable energy sources in this developing country. Also learn about potential new energy sources being developed and integrated, along with traditional energy sources.

At the end of the field experience a debriefing of the day's activities with Professor Johnson and local experts will provide the opportunity to compare and contrast new energy operations with the more traditional fossil fuel facilities that often dominate energy production in more developed countries. Working in small groups, timelines and proposals will be developed for incorporating renewable energy strategies into the long range energy planning for Trinidad and Tobago.

TRI04 WATER & SANITATION INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING

FDP: LOUIS

In preparation for this FDP, Professor Garrick Louis' students will conduct preliminary research on the history, organizational structure, physical components, and service area of the Water and Sewage Authority of Trinidad & Tobago. On arrival in Trinidad, we will visit the Arena Reservoir, Caroni Water Treatment Plant and the Beetham Wastewater Treatment Plant - the major water and sewage infrastructure for the island's capital and major population center. A guide will provide an overview of the administrative and operational systems, and discuss planning for future development. Students may ask questions to clarify, confirm or change their concept about the system based on the preliminary readings. We will then return to the ship and compare the WASA system to the description of water and sanitation infrastructure described in the classroom. The connections between the observed infrastructure and the country's economic development status will be discussed.

TRI06 INTERACTIVE EDUCATION EXPERIENCE

FDP: MUNOZ

Though Central American and the Caribbean nations have made substantial progress in educating their populous over the past twenty years, many face difficulties in meeting the United Nations Millennium Goal 2, Achieving Universal Primary Education for All. This interactive course will expose students to the current status of literacy and education in the countries they visit within this region. The course will include all levels of education, from primary school through university and teacher preparation. Specific comparisons will be made to elucidate the effects of cultural differences, the impacts of global economy, national educational policy and political stability on educational improvements. Issues relating to location (rural, peri-urban and urban) environments and gender will also be investigated.

This FDP begins with a short bus tour around Port of Spain providing a brief introduction to the local geography. After lunch in Port of Spain, we will visit Bishop Anstey High School, breaking into two groups and presenting lessons to one of two classes (either Geography and Environment or a History class). Then SAS students will listen as the high school students present a topic of interest to them. Each student group will be encouraged to share experiences of culture and society, in addition to any technical topics of discussion. A bus tour around the Queen's Park Savannah follows the school visit.

TRI07 WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH PITCH LAKE?

FDP: ELLIS & STRENECKY

Located in the southwest peninsula of Trinidad, Pitch Lake is considered "one of the wonders of the world." It is the largest natural deposit of asphalt in the world and has fascinated people since its discovery by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. After touring Pitch Lake, students will meet with the tour guide, a resident of the Pitch Lake La Brea community, and/or an employee from the asphalt plant. In small groups, students will interview these representatives to understand their perceptions of the strengths and concerns of the local community. In doing so, students will learn the skills necessary for identifying community problems. Special emphasis will be placed on identifying personal problem solving perspectives, working on interdisciplinary teams, building community partnerships and on individual and group reflective practices. Please note: This FDP was specially designed for students enrolled in the Real Communities, Real Problems, Real Solutions course. Other interested members of the shipboard community interested in attending this trip should see Dr. Strenecky or Dr. Ellis onboard.

TRI08 TRINIDAD & TOBAGO WATER SERVICE AUTHORITY

FDP: GUERLAIN

During this FDP, students will tour various locations including: a desalinization plant (Trinidad Salt Company) in Chaguaramas in the northwest corner of Trinidad; the former WWII US Navy base in Tucker Valley; the Trinidad/Tobago Water and Service Authority Public Education Center, and the newly opened SCADA control center. Evening activities occur on the east coast with dinner in Salybia (at your own expense), followed by a beach walk to see leatherback turtles come ashore to lay their egg s. Our host will include commentary on the local culture, politics, weather, and how these affect the planning and operations of engineering projects.

Students will learn about the unique challenges related to conducting engineering projects in Trinidad/Tobago, including how the culture, environment, and politics affect how projects are planned and conducted.

TRI09 POINTE-A-PIERRE WILDFOWL TRUST

FDP: GIRARD

Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust describes itself as "an independent, national, non-profit, environmental, non-government, volunteer, membership organization. It is a wildlife reserve which encompasses two lakes and approximately 25 hectares of land within a major petrochemical and oil refining complex (PETROTRIN). Unique to the Caribbean region, it is successfully linked to the environment and development, offering a model of wise-use."

Our visit to Pointe-a-Pierre Wildfowl Trust will commence with a tour of the site, led by educational officers. During the tour, students will see first-hand how the trust is making a difference by providing a safe haven for the animals and birds who call this home. After enjoying lunch at the Trust's Nature Retreat Guesthouse, students will meet with officials from PETROTRIN (a major petrochemical and oil refining complex that supports the trust). The discussion will focus on the business of environmental sustainably.

The field portion of student learning reflects the United Nation Millennium Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability. Throughout the voyage students will examine this goal with a view to recommending how best we, collectively, should balance the needs of business and the environment in the future. This site is a stellar example of what is possible in the business of environmental sustainably.

TRI11 WEST INDIAN MIGRATION 1850-1950 & PANAMA CANAL CONSTRUCTION

FDP: BERGER

This FDP objective is to explore the history of Trinidad and its people through art, artifacts, and other cultural explorations at the National Museum and Art Gallery. Trinidad (and the West Indies in general) played an important role in the Panama Canal construction because it was a large labor source. Regional migration patterns have been strongly tied to economic and employment opportunities. Students will travel from the port to the Queen's Park Savannah area by organized transport. The FDP will begin at the National Museum and Art Gallery by exploring the museum holdings and exhibits of Trinidad's history. During the two-hour museum visit, students should take copious notes of their observations (no photography is allowed), and be sure to consider the guiding questions listed on the FDP assignment. Students will then have an opportunity to explore the Queen's Savannah area and view the architecture, food, and culture of the area, taking notes, photos, and video as appropriate. Through these experiences, students are expected to develop a sense of how modern Trinidad constitutes a merger of many cultural influences through its art, architecture, food and culture.

What are FDPs?

Faculty-Directed Practica (FDPs) are specialized trips designed and led by faculty members which constitute the experiential component of a course. Every 3-credit course includes one or two required FDPs, for which you are automatically enrolled upon registering for a particular course. Required FDPs are complimentary. Associated costs may include such incidentals as lunch or other purchases. Approximately 20% of your course grade is related to activities and assignments conducted in port; therefore, fulfilling the field requirements for your courses is a top priority. When choosing courses and planning your itinerary, familiarize yourself with the course Field Assignments and FDPs prior to purchasing any trips. This information is included in each syllabus and on the Courses page of the voyage website.

Please note: A few courses include optional FDPs. These optional FDPs are listed in the Field Program. You are welcome (but not required) to register for optional FDPs at your own expense during the voyage presale.