New Mexico

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Note: All Study Abroad and Study Away programs are currently pending University approval. All dates for future programs have yet to be determined. Click here for more information.

Adventure into the world of Desert Ecology in the American Southwest

Study Away: Desert Ecology in the American Southwest  

3 Credit Hours; BSCI 40XXX

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This course will study desert ecology during the Spring/Summer intersession. Students will do individual projects in the Chihuahuan desert, using the successful format of the Organization for Tropical Studies projects. Students will conduct the entire research process: they will develop their research question, read appropriate scientific references, design field-based experiments, collect the data, interpret their findings and communicate the results by means of a seminar and a poster presentation. Our group will also conduct surveys with the local people to assess their valuation of species diversity in the local area. Additionally, we will visit ancient church sites of Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument near Mountainair, NM. One of the great novels of the 20th century, “Death Comes for the Archbishop” (Willa Cather, 1927) was set in this area of New Mexico. We will consider the conversion of the native peoples by the Spaniards in the 1600s in the light of their perceptions of nature conservation. One of the instructors, Dr. Oscar Rocha, is a native Spanish speaker, and he will assist in translation for the English-speaking students. The students will develop semi-structured surveys to ascertain the benefits and impacts of nature conservation to local people in New Mexico.

Program Dates: TBD
Professors: Dr. Oscar Rocha & Dr. David Ward

Cost Breakdown

Cost Description	Amount	Pay To
Online Application Fee	WAIVED	OGE
OCDE	$25.00	CAS
Program Fee1	$1,500.00	CAS
Estimated Total Cost	$1,525.003

¹Program Fee Includes: Airfare, Accommodation, In-Country Transportation, Field Entrance Fees, Supplies and Meals
³ This total does not include tuition. Additional tuition charges may apply,.
*Estimated Personal Cost (Not Included): Snacks, Souvenir Shopping, etc.
**Final program fee subject to change; Updated July 21, 2019.

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APPLICATION INFORMATION

Application will open TBD. 

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Contact Information

Dr. Oscar Rocha | orocha@kent.edu
Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences