Winter Term 2013 Off-Campus Study Projects

WT400 Critical Dreamers: California
David Alvarez, Christina Holmes

The author Wallace Stegner remarked, "California is America, only more so." Exploring The Golden State as it appears in writing, films, history, architecture, and nature, this project focuses on how California is imagined historically, politically, and culturally. Utopian Eden or dystopian nightmare, the state is often envisioned as our future. This course covers an array of topics structured around California as a contested future and space. These real and imagined spaces include Hollywood and popular culture, borders and immigration, and new visions of sustainable agriculture and environmental activism. To understand these spaces and their significance for the United States and the world (if it was a country, California would rank as the 5th largest economic power), we will examine representations of California and how the spaces we investigate collide, intersect, and support these visions. We will be critical dreamers of California's Golden Dream. This course offers students the opportunity to understand and interrogate the American Dream as envisioned in California. It considers the history of California's creation of itself, its economic, cultural, and political relationship to Mexico, and its historical and contemporary avant-garde environmentalism. Students will be actively engaged in thinking about such issues as globalization, sustainable agriculture, immigration, urban infrastructure, the culture industry, multiculturalism, and the environment. Preference will be given to students who have completed "English 155: The Literature of California" in the Fall 2012 term, but all students are welcome to apply.

WT404 Ghost Ranch
Joe Heithaus

Located in the beautiful and isolated mountains of Northern New Mexico -- the inspiration for painter Georgia O'Keefe--Ghost Ranch affords students the unique opportunity for complete immersion in a rich, multi-faceted cultural experience, and intensive study with talented faculty in one of the following areas: Black and White Photography, Painting, Ceramics, Creative Writing, Silversmithing, Literature of the Southwest, Documentary Filmmaking: Oral Histories of Ghost Ranch, Inner Journeys: Connecting to Your Deeper Self, Outdoor Adventures, Weaving, and Political Cartooning. Students will have opportunities to meet with area residents and artisans, medicine men, monks, ranchers and local personalities (Teo Manzanares -- Gerogia O'Keefe's driver -- usually speaks to students during WT). In addition to the courses listed above, students will participate in a variety of cultural excursions: visits to Native American pueblos, Dar al Islam (a Muslim Mosque), Bandelier National Monument and Chaco Canyon (ancient homes of cliff-dwelling Native Americans), Los Alamos National Laboratory (home of the Manhattan Project), and other sites exploring the natural and human history of the area. Optional excursions include skiing in Los Alamos, shopping/site seeing in Santa Fe, and hiking in the 20,000+ acres surrounding the ranch. This year Ghost Ranch will not offer courses in Santa Fe; rather, those courses (Restorative Justice, Political Cartooning, and Museum Studies) will be taught at the ranch near Abiquiu. Students will have the opportunity to visit Santa Fe over winter term, either as part of their course of study or as an optional weekend trip, and take full advantage of the many museums, galleries, and restaurants in the city.

WT406 Green Leader Adventure
Stephanie Hogue

This course will focus on the evolution and implementation of ideas about sustainability on the island of Hawaii. We will delve into the issues surrounding sustainability, addressing traditional agricultural practices and settlement patterns before European contact, contemporary native Hawaiian issues, the organic agriculture and small farm movement, and renewable energy.

WT408 Sundance/Slamdance
Peter Graham, Lili Wright

Every year in January, thousands of filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, agents and producers make a winter pilgrimage to Park City, Utah, for two of America's most important and prestigious film festivals: The Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals. If Hollywood is the Mecca of slick, multi-million dollar studio movies, then Park City is the homeland for independent film. This Winter Term class will give students a working vocabulary to talk and write about film. Students will learn important techniques of film, including photography, camera angles, camera movement, lighting, editing, and sound. Class will begin in Greencastle with a crash course in the history of independent film. In addition to reading excerpts from film textbooks, magazines, and newspapers, we will watch some of the great work that has emerged from the festival over the years. In order to study independent films, students will also need to know some background of the Hollywood Studio System, which we cover during the first days of class. Once settled in Park City, students will see at least 13 movies and write film reviews and/or papers on at least two of them. There will be a wide variety of films shown at the festival"from feature films, dramas and documentaries, to foreign films, animation, and shorts. The group will also attend and report on 4 film workshops, technology seminars, and lectures by film professionals such as programmers, film critics, directors, and film composers. Students will interview at least one professional filmmaker or actor and write a short profile. Finally, throughout the trip, students will keep a journal of their impressions of the festival, notes from symposiums, panels, and interviews with people they meet.

WT500 China Triple Bottom Line
Sherry Mou, Mandy Brookins-Blinn

In the last 30 years, China's economy has grown at an astonishing pace, with GDP increasing at an average annual rate of 10 percent. Per capita income has also been rising. China is the world's largest exporter and second largest importer of goods and service; only the United States imports more. Such rapid economic growth and industrialization has strained the country's natural resources and environment. Air and water pollution issues, in particular, have come to the forefront of the global community's attention. For this winter term project we will learn about changes to China's economy over the past three decades and explore the impact that rapid economic growth has had on China's people, culture, and natural environment. In addition to visiting the large urban and business centers of Beijing and Shanghai, we will also visit historic Xi"an (now a leader in economic development in China's interior), scenic Guilin (a hub for agricultural and pharmaceutical products), and traditional Suzhou (a center of the silk industry) to compare some of the strategies China has adopted in dealing with the changes and challenges. Students will: develop a better understanding of problems and benefits associated with globalization and its effects on the economy and the environment, from both a historical and contemporary perspective; and gain an interdisciplinary overview of China's economic and environmental strengths and challenges. By visiting old and newly established landmarks (the Great Wall, Tian"anmen Square, the Terra Cotta soldiers, the Bird's Nest, the Water Cube, the Pearl of the Orient, etc.), institutions (stock markets, banks, businesses, and museums), and natural areas (classical gardens, the Grand Canal, Li River, and other waterways), students will gain a better understanding of the significant economic and cultural changes China is undergoing as a result of globalization.

WT504 Dance & Music Morocco
Mary Kertzman, Terry Noble

Music and dance are an integral part of daily life in Morocco, from the call to prayer echoing above the Fes medina to drumming around a camp fire in the Sahara. There are three primary regions that we will visit on this trip: the city of Fes, the Tafilalt oasis, and the city of Marrakech. At each destination we will have opportunities to experience Moroccan dance and music, as well as explore many other facets of Moroccan culture. Fes will provide our overview of the rich history of Morocco. Founded in 789 A.D., Fes has a long and diverse history. We will spend most of our time in Fes el-Bali, the historic old medina. We will tour historic sites within the medina and visit artisans for demonstrations of their craft (e.g. weavers, metalworkers, tile making). One evening in Fes we will attend a variety show which showcases performances of several different dance and music styles, include Andalusian music, Arabic music and dance, and dances and music of the Amazigh tribes of the Middle Atlas Mountains. On the way to Fes we will visit the beautifully preserved Roman ruins at Volubilis. The next stop on our journey is the Tafilalt Oasis. This region will provide us with immersion in Amazigh culture. We will stay in Amazigh tents in the Sahara desert at the edge of the Tafilalt Oasis. Each night in the desert we will have a performance by different groups of local musicians. We may have performances by: a Saharan-style Gnawa group (Des Bambaras), by a group who play 'saharan Blues" in the Tinariwen tradition, two local brothers who play a Moroccan style of classical Arab music, and dance performances of the "guedra" and "ahiddous". The ahiddous is a very traditional Amazigh dance of this region. We might be able to arrange for instruction in the guedra tradition. In addition to the music and dance opportunities, there are several activities planned that will give students the opportunity to interact with individuals living in this area. We will spend one day with a family in the village of Mezguida. Here we will work in groups to cook a meal and learn the traditional method for preparing mint tea. Other possible activities in the area include an insider visit to the local market (quite unlike a tourist would find in the major cities), a visit to the ruins of Sijilmassa, an ancient city in this region, a tour of the villages in the Tafilalt oasis, and a visit to a site of Neolithic rock art. Our final destination is the city of Marrakech. Founded in 1062 AD, the Amazigh city of Marrakech was a crossroads for caravan travel across the Sahara, the Atlas Mountains, and the Anti-Atlas. Today Marrakech is a melting pot of people from many cultures: Amazigh from the High Atlas and the Anti-Atlas, Arab, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe. We will stay in a restored Riad in the old medina: a place of narrow winding streets whose traffic is foot, bicycle or donkey. We will visit historic sites in Marrakech, include the famous Jemaa el-Fna (a UNESCO World Heritage site), a large open square filled with musicians, dancers, story tellers, snake charmers, acrobats and performers of all types. It has been described as a "gigantic multifaceted open-air show". We plan to have a private evening performance in our riad by a group of Amazigh Sheikat (musicians and dancers). We may be able to arrange an afternoon dance class with one or two of the performers. The first week of WT will be used for on campus orientation, lectures, classes to introduce dance and music, student research and presentations. We will depart the US on Jan 8 and return on Jan 24 (the exact travel dates may change slightly).

WT506 Education in Thailand
Khadija Stewart, Loutfi Jirari

The focus of this trip is to study the educational system in Thailand. Thailand is a very unique and intriguing country because it has never been colonized (unlike all the countries where we"ve led trips before). Therefore the Thai educational system is unique to the country and is not modeled after any other country's educational system. In fact, Thailand has some of the best universities in the world. In 2004, The Times Higher Education has ranked Chulalongkorn University 46th in the world for social sciences and 60th for biomedicine. During this course, the students will be immersed in the Thai culture and life with hands-on experiences with every day happenings that include travel and transactions/interactions with local people. They will also experience what it is to be a student in Thailand by attending classes in various universities and interacting with Thai students, faculty members, and university administrators. In order for the students to have a comprehensive Thai experience and immersion, we will also study the history of Thailand by conducting research before our trip and go to museums and galleries during the trip, etc. Thailand has a very rich history and is a very religious country. It will be very interesting to study the influence of religion on the educational system in Thailand. Another interesting fact about the Thai educational system is the controversy around the admission process, which has changed in 2009 to include an aptitude test. In addition, some bachelor's degrees in Thailand require four years while others require five years. Finally, Thailand has two types of universities (public and private universities) and two non-traditional programs, an international program and a distance-learning program supported by the TV broadcasting system.

WT508 Geology of New Zealand
Tim Cope, James Mills

This course will be a geologic field trip through both islands of New Zealand. Students will get hands"on experience interpreting the wide variety of geologic features that occur on the islands, including geysers, active volcanoes, caves, glaciers, active faults, and rising mountains. Although the theme of this course is the geologic development of the islands (with an emphasis on geologic history and tectonics), we will also have the opportunity to touch on the island's unique biologic diversity, climate zones, and native culture.

WT510 Greek Sites: Archaeology
Rebecca Schindler, James Wells

Our goal for this course is to introduce students to the archaeology of Greece while considering the relationship between landscape, culture, and poetry. This course will thus provide students with intensive exposure to the full gamut of subfields of Classical Studies: archaeology, art history, landscape, history, and literature. The dialogue between antiquity and modernity is inevitably ubiquitous in Greece. Just as many ancient archaeological sites and museums are located in the midst of a modern European urban context, where walkers contend with Vespas while negotiating the intersection of Homer Street and Solon Street with the Akropolis looming on the southwest skyline of Athens, students will have the opportunity to "read" ancient Greece through the lens of the modern Greece they visit. This course's emphasis on landscape means that we will not only rely upon foot-travel through Greek cities such as Athens to visit ancient sites, but we will also incorporate hikes, for example along the Cretan shoreline near Minoan sites and to the top of Mount Parnassus above the site of Delphi. Course readings will feature ancient Greek literature and mythology set in the locations we will visit. This WT course will give students on-the-ground, immersive learning experience that informs, and is informed by, virtually every course regularly offered by the Classical Studies Department. The goal of this course will be to integrate foot-travel in the Greek landscape, on-site instruction and discussion at archaeological sites and museums, and ancient Greek writing about the places on our itinerary. This goal is meant to connect students" classroom encounters with Classical Studies to place. And vice versa: while students who are familiar with Classical Studies may be interested in this course for how it augments their exposure to the field in an immersive and tangible way, the content of the course will be accessible to students who have no prior exposure to Classical Studies. Knowledge of ancient Greek and Latin will make it possible for students to read ancient inscriptions they will regularly see and knowledge of modern Greek would certainly be an asset, but no prior language knowledge is required. Site presentations and course readings will be in English. This course will be open to all students. The experience of being in Greece will present teachable moments about multiculturalism in a global context. In Greece students will acquire a sense of how modern Greeks regard their ancient heritage. In some ways modern Greeks see their past in a light similar to mainstream Western views of ancient Greece, but in many ways the cultural artifacts of ancient Greece constitute a zone of contention through which Greeks define themselves in contrast to the West.

WT512 Hip Hop in Brazil
Matthew Oware, Clarissa Peterson

This course will focus on investigating hip hop as an art and political strategy in Salvador, Brazil. We will investigate the various forms of hip hop including graffiti, music, and dance. We will then look at the connection between these art forms and politics in Brazil.

WT516 Legend and Landscape in Brittany, France
Anne Harris, Harry Brown

"Legend and Landscape in Brittany, France" combines environmental studies with literature, creative writing, art, and art history to trace the effects of landscape upon narrative, and narrative upon landscape. The region of Brittany, in northwestern France, presents vivid landscapes that have fueled the human imagination for millennia, from the Neolithic Age (2000 B.C.E.) to WWII and beyond. The sixth Celtic nation, Brittany hosts a bilingual culture of French and Breton, and a rich tradition of Celtic culture. We propose to explore a series of sites containing legends built up from landscapes: Neolithic megaliths, medieval forests, walled castles, and seaside cliffs frame multiple legend traditions from the Arthurian imaginary of the Middle Ages to the 19th century post-Impressionist quest for authenticity and the primitive. These sites will alternate with visits to key cities in Brittany that have preserved their medieval and Celtic heritage. Through interaction with the landscape in the form of hikes and on-site study, we will invite students to consider the effects of landscape upon narrative: how do forests elicit mystery? What causes human agency to cede to that of nature? How does the force of nature become that of narrative? Why do Neolithic megaliths and medieval stone Calvaries punctuate the Breton landscape so pervasively? What elements of the land and landscape made ChrÃ©tien de Troyes locate Lancelot's Lady of the Lake in Brittany? Which elements inspired Gauguin to create an artists" colony in Brittany in the 19th century? Students will have the options to engage in artistic production (especially photography and plein air drawing), creative writing, literary interpretation, ecocriticism, and art historical analysis all within an emphasis on environmentalism. The field of ecocriticism (the cultural analysis of environmentalism) will provide readings in common and frame group discussions and individual endeavors. The final leg of the trip will see us leaving Brittany for neighboring Normandy and two of the most powerful landscapes in France and history: Mont-Saint-Michel and the D-Day beaches. Our hope is that with the close study of the imaginary of landscape and legend in Brittany, students will have a keen understanding of these two crucial heroic landscapes. The trip will culminate with a short Paris-stay and visits to key museums of medieval and modern culture.

WT518 Madrid to Malaga
Linda Elman, Amy Barber

Learn or reinforce beginning Spanish language on location in the southern province of Andalusia. After several days in Madrid, visiting major attractions, students will take 50 hours of intensive Spanish in Malaga at the center for Curso de Espanol para Extranjeros (Spanish Course for Foreign Students) affiliated with the University of Malaga. Native instructors with degrees in Spanish linguistics and foreign language pedagogy will teach small sections (10 students per class), five hours daily. In addition to the traditional basic language instruction, students will learn about the Muslim invasion and occupation of the peninsula, the cultural contributions of the Islamic people and the impact of Arabic on the Castilian language and landscape in the period leading up to the Christian Reconquest. After the midday break there will be opportunities to visit cultural sites in Malaga and practice speaking Spanish with native speakers. One weekend excursion will take the group to nearby Cordoba, the seat of the Ummayyad Caliphate in the 10th-11th centuries, whose stellar monument is the great mosque. While in Malaga, students will live with host families. Malaga, an important port city on the Mediterranean coast, enjoys a mild climate year round, with January temperatures in the 60s. At the end of the two-week language course, students will take an exit exam prepared by the CEE-UMA staff. With the participation of Amy Barber from the SOM, students will have a unique opportunity to experience a musical dimension of their WT as follows from Prof. Barber: As part of the WT 2013 course Madrid to Malaga:Spanish Immersion, I am looking forward to developing a music component focusing on an overview of Spanish music, and elements of Arabic and Jewish music and their influence on Spanish music. During our pre-departure orientation session, I plan to make a general presentation on this theme. I plan to include a hands-on session teaching the students some basic Arabic hand-drumming patterns - patterns which infuse traditional music all around the Mediterranean. During our time in Madrid and Malaga we plan to take in at least one musical performance. I plan to give a pre-concert talk(s) on the music to be performed.

WT520 Miami & Cuba
Marcelle McVorran, Gigi Jennewein

Cuba 2013!! may be described as unique in that seeks to capitalize on a window of opportunity to observe and experience a post-revolutionary Cuba, and to make some sense out of the paradox of cultural institutions created by the same "country" in two competing and oftentimes antagonistic political spaces. We may assume that the Cuban revolution was significantly a revolt of the poor and black working classes, both urban and rural. The Marxist revolution is popularly seen as being motivated by economic imbalances, a violent response of the masses against the "owners of production". However the revolution has also been interpreted as an attack on a neo-colonial system, which had like many places in the Americas, continued to deeply invest in classist and racist narratives and performances. What impact does Cuba's conflicted and complicated history have on its cultural institutions, in 2013, sixty years after the revolution? With Fidel Castro in power, the flight of the landed aristocracy and the professional middle classes in a series of well publicized boat escapes to the U.S. has therefore had social and political consequences, both on the island and in South Florida. The WT will also include 2-3 days in Little Havana, Florida, there to observe the development of cultural institutions and communities based on what is referred to as "the Cuban imagination", the testimonies and memories of Ã©migrÃ©s of a pre-revolutionary, pre-Castro society. How does a historical moment continue to be reconstructed in a different political space? What will comparisons reveal? About political realities affecting/reflecting culture? About culture affecting/reflecting political realities? What can and cannot be observed in a two week experience? Students will leave this experience with a deeper understanding of the complicated motivations and consequences of the Marxist revolution of Cuba. They will also note the relationships between political economy and cultural institutions designed to make the former operative. Eligibility: All students are eligible. However, applicants will be vetted (for a sense of personal responsibility and for authentic interest in the objectives) before they are allowed to travel to Cuba. This project should be of particular interest to students fluent in Spanish and who have an interest in Education Studies, Sociology, Latin-American and Caribbean Studies, Black Studies, Political Science and Conflict Studies. Cuba 2013!! is designed to be an exciting, learning experience. What are we trying to learn about Cuba? A. The socio- cultural impact of 50 years of economic blockade in Cuba B. The cultural legacy of the Soviet "embrace" C. The meaning of schooling outside of western motivations of credentialing and individual mobility D. Is there a relationship between politics OR race and art and music in Cuba? E. Is there overt evidence of religious/ spiritual belief in an atheist political system? F. How is status constructed in a socialist political system that emphasizes the community rather than the individual? G. Is there race and class difference observable between the two communities? If so or not, what could this mean? H. How does memory construct reality? Cuban Miami I. How does memory contradict reality? Cuba and Cuban Miami?

WT522 Chopsticks-Robots: Japan
Hiroko Chiba, David Berque

This course is designed for students to experience Japanese culture and society through daily life and visits to key places in Tokyo and Kyoto with a special focus on the concept of Monozukuri. Monozukuri is one of the key concepts that inspire product manufacturing in contemporary Japanese industry. Mono literally means "tangible things" while zukuri means "making." The compound word implies the spirit or determination to produce excellent products and the ability to constantly improve the products. The spirit of craftsmanship has been the driving force behind traditional art and craft-making throughout the history of Japan. In contemporary society, it is one of the foundations for the production of modern products from cars to video games. As such, the spirit of monozukuri can also be seen in small items commonly found in a regular household. Students will be encouraged to think critically about the driving force behind the process of making things in Japan. Participation in this program will allow students to make connections.

WT524 Postcolonia Tanzania-Zanzibar
Cheira Belguellaoui, Rich Cameron

Attention nature lovers! This course introduces students to the stunning landscape, colonial and post-colonial history, and wildlife conservation efforts of Tanzania. The course will primarily be concerned with issues of sustainability: is conservation working – for animals? For locals? What are tourism’s impacts, and what is the future of global safari tourism in a climate changed world? Students will read, discuss, and reflect on issues such as:

the social construction (during and after colonialism) of “wilderness” in Tanzania;
the social construction of tribal identity during and after colonialism;
the impacts of wildlife conservation efforts: who benefits, who is burdened, and what links are there between current policies and the legacy of colonialism?

Each visit to national reserves (e.g., Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, Tarangire National Park), villages, and towns (e.g., Arusha, Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar) will involve interactions with various members of the local tribes and/or NGOs and national reserve park workers present on site. The course will start in Arusha and end in Zanzibar (an island with a rich colonial past). Please note that this is a safari-based course. We will travel extensively throughout Tanzania by truck, train, and boat. We will camp for the better part of the trip. You will be expected to participate in all camping-related activities.

WT526 Food in Spain & Portugal
Michael Roberts, Terri Bonebright

In the past couple of decades, whole channels have become dedicated to cooking shows, and an increasing array of chefs have become celebrities and household names. At the same time, there has been growing interest in ethical issues of how and where we produce food, as well as what we choose to eat. Books by authors such as Michael Pollan have become famous for prescribing what we should eat for reasons of both personal nutrition and global sustainability. This off-campus course will take students out of their cultural comfort zones, exposing them to novel food cultures and norms as we explore issues regarding the personal and societal decisions in producing and eating food and the psychological factors that guide individuals in regards to taste perception and unconscious cues that influence eating. Moreover, students will get hands-on experience in cooking new cuisines. Knowledge of Spanish and/or Portuguese is preferred but not required to participate.

WT528 Science of Two Cities
Matthew Hertenstein, Alexander Komives

This Winter Term experience will focus on the historical roots of some of the most important and revolutionary ideas in science that continue to influence our lives today. We will be visiting two countries where some of the most influential scientists grew up, lived and worked. Specifically, we will travel to London and Cambridge, and possibly Oxford, in England and Paris and Versailles in France. In each place, we will meet as a group to discuss the people and ideas linked with the city and country, visit scientific and cultural sites, visit academic centers and hear from experts about important historical influences. Throughout the course, interactions between culture and science will be emphasized. There will be time allotted for exploring aspects of the cultures and cities on your own. After spending a few days in scenic Greencastle reading and discussing background material, we"ll travel to England where we"ll examine the influence of Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Francis Crick and James Watson. Darwin's influence through his theory of evolution by natural selection helped shape the development of biology and psychology. Isaac Newton quantified the laws of motion that applied not only to objects on the earth but those in the heavens as well. Francis Crick and James Watson did their seminal work at Cambridge University on the structure of DNA which revolutionized genetics. We will visit the Greenwich Observatory which was built to address the problem of determining longitude and where the first marine chronometers successful at doing just that are kept. We will explore the influences of these people by visiting museums and historical sites. We will also examine the history linked to each in museums, universities, and by exploring the cities of London and Cambridge. Our next stop will be Paris, the focal point of the Enlightenment " when reason took control of human pursuits. As such its history and culture played a major role in continuing the development of scientific thought during the 17th and 18th centuries. We"ll examine how French scientists such as Lagrange and Laplace took the torch lit by Newton and carried it further into the darkness to extend human understanding of the cosmos. We"ll visit the Pantheon which houses the remains of Voltaire, Dumas, Marie Curie and Lagrange (among others) and where Foucault demonstrated the earth's rotation with his pendulum. We"ll visit the Madame Curie museum which tells the story of her work, along with that of her husband Pierre and colleague Henri Becquerel, of radiation - a discovery which directly led to the harnessing of nuclear energy for both violent and peaceful ends and an understanding of the essence of matter and existence. We will visit the Paris Observatory, France's version of the Greenwich Observatory, which is connected with several scientific innovations and discoveries such as the measurement of the size of the solar system, the speed of light, proof of the earth's rotation, more accurate clocks, the wave nature of light, and the metric system. We will also visit art museums such as the Louvre and the Musee d"Orsay. This will provide a nice opportunity to discuss the connection between art and science. Additional Out-of-pocket costs:$1,200

WT532 Australian Bio-diversity -- May Project
Steven Timm, Barbara Timm

Each project must have a coherent, well-defined educational focus. Ideally, the projects will integrate traditional and non-traditional learning and/or service opportunities into a well-conceived whole, while capitalizing on opportunities unique to the off-campus location(s). The origin of life on Earth is arguably the greatest mystery in the natural sciences. How did life on Earth evolve? When? Under what conditions? Interestingly, many of the clues to these questions are found in Western Australia. Zircon rocks uncovered at Jack Hills suggest that water, a necessary ingredient to life, was present on Earth's surface 4,400 million years ago, only 100 million years after its formation when meteorites were still bombarding it! This has led some scientists to hypothesize that early transient oceans permitted life to evolve and vanish several times. The stromatolites of Shark Bay, pillowy accretions of photosynthetic, single-celled cyanobacteria, are pictured in nearly every introductory biology textbook because they represent living fossils of some of the most ancient forms of life on the planet. Prolific 3.1 billion years ago, these organisms likely played a major role in converting the Earth's atmosphere from an anaerobic to an aerobic environment. Nearby banded iron formations in the Hamersley Range of the Pilbara in the Karijini National Park provide evidence that this transition occurred 2.8 to 2.0 billion years ago. The first signs of multi-cellular life appear approximately 500 million years later, marked by the earliest definitive fossils unearthed in Australia. In addition to Western Australia's clues to prehistoric life, there is also an astounding diversity of modern day life. Australia is the most isolated continent, and that isolation is reflected in its unique flora and fauna. The lack of endemic placental mammalian fauna, the presence of marsupial mammals and egg laying mammals, the general lack of song birds, and the presence of two large flightless birds are the most obvious examples from the animal kingdom; but, a similar list could be made for plants. Australia is the driest continent, but the waters along the western coast contain the largest fringing reef (The Ningaloo) in the world. This reef is home to the largest and most predictable concentration of whale sharks, the largest fish in the world! Nearby in Shark Bay is the largest population of Dugongs (sea cows) in the world. Better known terrestrial animals of Australia include: kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, emus, and cockatoos. One would think with all this abundant, intriguing natural history that people would flock to this region. However, Western Australia is the most isolated state in this most isolated continent. Perth, the capital of Western Australia, is the most isolated city in the world. (The closest major city to Perth is Singapore!) Find an American who has visited Australia, and the odds are she will not have visited its West Coast. This is unfortunate because, in addition to its unique biology, it hosts some of the most spectacular geology. The Pinnacles limestone formations in Nambug National Park, the limestone arches and coastal cliffs in Kalbarri National Park, the spectacular gorges, banded iron formations and waterfalls of Karijini National Park are definite sites to be seen. Therefore, the theme of this May Term is total immersion (pun intended) into the natural history of Western Australia to trace the origins and diversity of life down under.

WT534 Treasure of Sea & Land
Gary Lemon, Thomas Musser

This Winter Term project will begin with six days of on campus orientation. This orientation will feature academic and pool training via the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) open water SCUBA diving course. Pre-departure will also begin our study of (1) the Mayans and their archaeological remains in three important sites; (2) cultural, social and ecological impact of tourism on developing nations and fragile eco-systems. Students will be asked to do short research projects on the Mayans and the impact of tourism on developing economies to share with the group. Upon completion of our work in Greencastle, we will travel to Cozumel, Mexico, an island that nicely represents the competing interests of indigenous peoples and the tourist economy/sociology. We will spend at least seven days diving, as a means of understanding the attraction and fascination that the underwater environment holds for western tourists. Indeed, part of our cultural study will focus on the extensive efforts of the SCUBA diving industry to frame itself as "eco-friendly" with an emphasis on eco-tourism. In addition to diving, we will take students to three Mayan archaeological sites: Tulum and Chichen Itza around which a thriving tourist industry has developed, and Coba, a site still being excavated, deep in the Yucatan jungle. Students will also be required to interview merchants in Cozumel regarding the impact tourism has had on the local economy.

WT 536 Chamber Orchestra Tour of England
Orcenith Smith, Nicole Brockmann

By audition only.

WT540 WTIS El Salvador with CoCoDA
Robert Hershberger, Alejandro Puga

This course is designed to immerse students in the history, culture and current economic, social, and political conditions in El Salvador, which would provide them with a different perspective on our own country and its effects on Latin American countries. This will be accomplished through a service-learning course where students will work with Salvadorans in a small community on three projects: a continuation of the construction of a school in Las Delicias, establishing a computer lab in a community center in La Mora and, assuming IRB approval, a video-based oral history project.

The first project would be a continuation of the construction of a school in Las Delicias. The second project will be to establish a computer center in La Mora. This location is geographically ideal as it is near a number of schools. Once the physical location is prepared, DePauw students will also provide training for a group of 2-3 youth that will be responsible for running the lab throughout the year. This lab will also lay the ground work for the local government to establish internet access. This will be an ongoing project for future WTIS groups to continue to build upon.

In addition to the aforementioned projects, and contingent on IRB’s approval, we will conduct ongoing interviews with local residents to chronicle their experiences and insights on the civil war and its aftermath. The data that is collected will be recorded, transcribed, and documented according to pre-established methods and parameters of interview and survey. This project will be organized and delivered through a combined effort of students, faculty and community members, and will be of value to Professors Puga and Hershberger’s advanced coursework, and to Prindle interns and other students who are interested in forms of testimonial.

WT542 WTIS Timmy Foundation
Sharon Crary, Alicia Suarez

Through this course, students will become immersed in learning about global health issues, problems, and best practices. Ten days of this course will be spent in the Napo Province of Ecuador, where students will work side by side with medical professionals, staff of the U.S.-based nonprofit Timmy Global Health, staff of the Ecuadorian-based nonprofit Quito Eterno, and representatives from local Ecuadorian government branches. Students will both set up and work in medical clinics located in various rural communities in the Amazon basin. Students will learn the practical skills involved in international medical nonprofit work as well as grapple with the academic and philosophical questions that accompany any such work. Upon returning from our time in Ecuador, we will spend time together in class exploring the fact of immense global health disparities, the work of various nonprofits and the ramifications of international medical service. Many DePauw students have a strong sense of obligation towards service and philanthropy. Through this course, students will have the opportunity to develop this sense of obligation in an effective manner such that they can support their actions with practical intellectual arguments. We will be focused on helping students apply their knowledge to their lives outside of the classroom and pursue intellectual, academic questions about the lives they lead and witness outside of the classroom. Students will also be responsible for costs not paid to DePauw which include the following: Vaccinations and malaria prophylaxis (routine ones plus typhoid ($80) and yellow fever ($125) and doxycycline) for a total ~ $300 Passport ~170 Spending money ~$100-200

WT544 WTIS Uganda -- May Project
Russell Arnold, Kate Smanik