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
• Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans

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 fields of ice 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 field work. 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 arrival of the Chilean state to Southern Patagonia and the way historical and environmental conservation coincide. 
• Examine the economic and environmental policies of Chile, 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 in Argentina to visit the Perito Moreno glacier and visit areas with prehistoric cave paintings that were made when glaciers were far larger than today. 
• Conduct a comprehensive field research project: Develop a research question, collect and analyze data, write a paper, and present your findings.

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 behavior
• 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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