The University of Georgia Interdisciplinary Field Programa 60-day experience that takes students from Sapelo Island, Georgia, to the Pacific Ocean, blending geology, ecology and anthropology on an epic road trip across America.
They travel through 20 states and 23 national parks and monuments, covering nearly 12,000 miles on the road and another hundred or so on foot. But it’s much more than just a tourist trip. A rotating group of UGA professors and teaching assistants lead the program, and at each stop, travelers receive a lesson about the landscape, environment and human aspects of the place.
The program begins with a week-long “boot camp” at the UGA Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, where instructors learn the basics. Lab work and excursions to the largely under-exploited barrier island interrupt class sessions. The boot camp concludes with an exam to ensure students have a basic understanding of these disciplines before the journey begins.
Along the way, students visited more than 20 national parks and monuments, including the Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, Mount St. Helens, Glacier and Yellowstone.
The program began in 1988 as a specialized geology field course. Since then, it has continued to grow. With the university’s emphasis on experiential learning, UGA President Jere Morehead has encouraged more place-based learning opportunities, such as the interdisciplinary field program.
Open to undergraduates of any major or year of study, students have the unique opportunity to explore iconic locations, gain new knowledge about the natural history of North America and to apply this information to current energy, water, land use and other resources. based problems.
Read the full story of the experience here.