SFS Summer Study Abroad Programs in Australia & New Zealand
The School for Field Studies (SFS) is excited to invite you on the Natural Resource Management and Rainforest Research Summer program in Australia and New Zealand. The program revolves around two 4-credit courses that can be taken separately or back-to-back. Students will learn of the biodiversity conservation and socioeconomic factors that influence land and resource management.
The program is broken down into two sessions, starting with Rainforest Management Studies which takes place on the northern island of New Zealand and Queensland, Australia. During the session, students will make comparisons of the various factors that influence resource management in the northern parts of both of these countries.
The second session, titled Techniques for Rainforest Research, takes place just in Australia. Here, students will explore the most effective research skills used in multiple disciplines along with learning about restoration and conservation of the rainforest.
Reviews
90%Overall
Rating
90%Overall
Rating
This was a once in a life time experience. I got to meet amazing people both in the program and the community. the best word to directive it w would an adventure. New zealand has rich culture and transits. a couple of the highlights of nz were staying with the mauri, they tested us like family. Another was going canyoning in auckland, a breathtaking experience. Going to australia was a whole new adventure it was gest to actually live tucked into the wet tropics, lots of animals and stars. this was a fantastic trip and words can't describe all of the memories made.
Alumni Interviews
Meet Jaimi Inskeep, School for Field Studies alum
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with SFS in Australia and New Zealand?
Jaimi: I have always wanted to travel to Australia. It seemed like such an interesting place, and I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to go there. Plus, I am terrible with other languages, so being able to speak English didn't hurt.
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Jaimi: I got to live in the rainforest; no joke. It was like being at camp: living in a cabin with other people, doing weekly chores,and knowing everyone else in the group really well. I saw so many incredible places on the field trips we constantly went on. The professors always took us out to show us what we were discussing in class, so it made learning a lot of fun. The range of habitat types that I was introduced to was incredible.
Besides living in the rainforest, we went to the Outback (Chillagoe), the Daintree, the Great Barrier Reef, the Mamu Canopy Forest Walkway, and towns like Mission Beach. I saw so many animals that are endemic to Australia and tried numerous unique foods. The faculty and staff at SFS are all amazing and supportive and really helped make our stay the best we could.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Jaimi: I have really grown as an individual from the experience. For one, I travelled to the other side of the world and experienced a different culture on my own, without knowing anyone before I left. I learned a lot about the rainforest and how a community can thrive and still protect their natural resources. Since I had to come up with and put into action a directed research project, I learned a lot about myself, what my interests are, and about how to develop a project in a short amount of time.
Further Info
About The School for Field Studies
The School for Field Studies (SFS) offers programs that revolve around field studies and research. The programs involve exploration of the human and ecological aspects of issues having to do with the local environments. Students assist SFS' global partners in their research, so that real solutions to these problems can be formulated. Study abroad with SFS to have an experience of a lifetime while making a difference in the world!
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I absolutely loved the SFS- Australia program and would recommend it to everyone; however, you have to make sure it will be a good fit for you. You like in the rainforest in a cabin with 3-7 other students, so you have to accept that you won't have much privacy. There are also snakes and spiders to deal with and intermittent internet at times since you are in the middle of the rainforest. Even if you don't think you can deal with that, it is an incredible experience. You get to learn about the rainforest in the classroom and then walk away from the centre and directly into the habitat you just learned about. You get to interact with the locals and gain a sense of life in the Wet Tropics. One of my favorite experiences was going on a weekend homestay with another student. We stayed with an Australian family and learned all about the Australian way of life. The group takes trips to the Daintree and the Outback. I have never seen so many different ecosystems and learned so much about the environment.
You get a few free weekends in Cairns where you can have fun off of program time. The 5 day long mid-semester break was also a great chance to explore parts of Australia with some friends in a caravan (a great deal and great way to travel) on our own.
For the first 2 months of the program you take 3 courses. With awesome professors! The last month you work on a directed research project of your choosing under the guidance of one of the professors. The directed research project component allowed me to study a topic that I was very interested in and has helped guide my graduate school pursuits and career aspirations.
There is a cook that makes all of your meals, and the food is great! And she takes requests and really wants to make sure everyone is happy.
For those of you who are athletic and want to continue your sport, that can be tough. I am a 3 season athlete, so I really wanted to stay in-shape while I was there. There is a run down elliptical and some weights there. The other option is to run (when you can find time- early morning is best, when it is cool). It is a rough, uphill path.
Even with some of the annoyances, I would go again because it is a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience.