Month: September 2010

Bartram Society Initiation and Fall Camping Photos

smuthukrishnan / / Bartram Society, Camping, Department, Field Trip

Bartram Society organized their annual fall camping trip in September.  The group chose Big Creek Campsite in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park located in western edge of NC.  In spite of rain most of the weekend, they survived and in fact enjoyed the rain by hiking, swimming, cooking, and above all eating bugs!  Yeah! It seems like this is an upscale thing to do in New York!  Click on the cartoon to the left to see an article on this.

Click on the photo (on the right) to see the entire album.

Fall for India in 2011– A Semester Study Away Experience

smuthukrishnan / / Department, Faculty News, Field Trip, Furman, Travel

This program will begin with intensive six-week course work at Furman, followed by a five-week residential experience at Madras Christian College (MCC) in Chennai, India. This will then be capped with a 4 week travel program from south to north India. The Fall 2011 courses offer an array of closely connected and interdisciplinary pursuits including, but not limited to, the natural environment, natural resources, population dynamics, urbanization, natural and anthropogenic hazards, gender, developmental psychology, poverty, health, culture, and sustainability.

clip_image002An ancient landslide dominates the landscape in this beautiful tea plantation along the Western Ghats (mountain) ranges of India. As one travels from Tamil Nadu (east) to Kerala (west), one can experience significant changes in the climate, vegetation, and culture. With abundant rainfall from monsoon, and relative inaccessibility, this region maintains it’s reputation as one of the top biodiversity hotspots in the world. We will learn about the origin of these mountains, agricultural practices (spice plantations!), natural hazards, health and educational issues, and sustainability challenges facing the people of this region.clip_image002[6]

An oblique aerial view of the neighboring city and large river valley from top of the hill where an ancient temple sits. South India is famous for it’s rich culture, and temples with unique architecture and exquisite statues. Geologically, the rocks used to build these temples are some of the oldest rocks one can find in India.

Courses and Credits:  This program offers four interconnected courses: Introduction to Geographic Information System (EES 201), India’s Natural Resources, Hazards, and Sustainability (EES 360), Poverty, Gender and Development in India (AST 282)Urbanization, Health and Environment in India (IDS 280) and will tentatively carry Empirical Study of the Natural World (NW), Humans and the Natural Environment (NE), Human Behavior (HB), and World Cultures (WC). 
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For More Information, Contact:  Dr. Suresh Muthukrishnan (EES) and Dr. Veena Khandke (Asian Studies) or visit the following web sites

http://furman.edu/depts/asianstudies

http://furman.edu/depts/india/

Tribes Wanted! May-X Trip to Vorovoro Island, Fiji

smuthukrishnan / / Department, Field Trip, Sustainability, Travel

On a Remote Fijian Island, a Global and Local Community Lives. Come join the Furman tribe on Vorovoro for in May 2011! Tribe Wanted is a sustainable development experiment that meshes sustainable living with community building and cultural adventure on a made-to-order castaway isle: 200 acres, surrounded by reefs, fronted by golden sand beaches, and shrouded in jungle. It sits a short boat ride from world-class surf breaks and the Great Sea Reef, which covers 77,000 square miles and is reputedly the third largest reef system in the world.

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Be a part of this experience of a lifetime. Join 18 fellow Furman students and two EES faculty (Dr. Amelie Davis and Dr. Weston Dripps) as we venture to this remote South Pacific island for two weeks to experience  "off the grid" eco-living while conducting basic scientific research in ecological, social and economic sustainability on the island.  For more information contact Dr. Davis or Dr. Dripps.

Visit the following site for more information:  http://sites.google.com/site/furmantribewanted/