SFS CHILE: WILD PATAGONIA: FIRE AND ICE
(SEMESTER)
PROGRAM DETAILS
Terms | Fall, Spring
Credits | 18 semester-hour credits
Prerequisites | One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science | 2.7 GPA |18 years of age
Application Deadline | Fall: May 1st. Spring: November 1st. Early applications encouraged!
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OVERVIEW
Patagonia is a land of fire and ice. Here, massive glaciers and active volcanoes form a wild landscape unlike any other. Spend a semester amid soaring peaks, narrow fjords, and ice fields as you study conservation and the impacts of climate change. The trails of Torres del Paine National Park will become your classroom for research and fieldwork. The semester ends with an extensive research project in the field.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
→Hike through the dramatic landscapes of Torres del Paine National Park.
→Travel to the island of Tierra del Fuego, encountering king penguins, windswept landscapes, and evidence of massive past volcanic eruptions, and meet with the Selk’nam community still living on the island.
→ Visit the site of Fuerte Bulnes to learn about the Chilean state's arrival in Southern Patagonia and how historical and environmental conservation coincide.
→ Examine Chile's economic and environmental policies and how they have been influenced by the visible and dramatic impacts of climate change in the Patagonian region.
→ Embark on a multi-day expedition to the volcanic Lakes Region of northern Patagonia, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, to ascend volcanoes, meet local artisans, and partake in local customs.
→ Travel to El Calafate, Argentina, to visit the Perito Moreno glacier and areas with prehistoric cave paintings made when glaciers were far more extensive than they are today.
→ Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.
LOCATION
SFS students live and study at the Center for Climate Studies, located near the bustling port city of Puerto Natales – the gateway to the famous Torres del Paine National Park. This scenic city, surrounded by the jagged peaks of Cerro Benítez and the deep blue waters of the Señoret Channel, serves as your home base for expeditions throughout the region.
RESEARCH THEMES
- Climate Change Impacts and Resilience
- Glacial and Freshwater Dynamics
- Geology and Volcanic Activity
- Penguin Behaviour
- Endangered Species Protection
- Coastal and Alpine Ecology
- Conservation Strategy and Practice
- National Park Visitation and Protected Areas Management
CORE SKILLS
- GIS
- Water Quality Assessments
- Terrestrial and Freshwater Biodiversity Survey Techniques
- Species Identification and Population Monitoring
- Landscape and Soils Analysis
- Natural Resource Valuation
- Basic Spanish Language
- Research Design and Implementation
- Data Collection and Analysis
- Research Presentation
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