CONNECT WITH SFS
CONSERVATION, ETHICS, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE,
CAMBODIA
PROGRAM DETAILS
- Terms: Fall, Spring
- Credits: 18 semester-hour credits
- Prerequisites: One semester of college-level ecology, biology, or environmental studies/science; 18 years of age
- Application Deadline: Rolling admissions. Early applications encouraged
- Financial Aid: All accepted students can apply for need-based scholarships, grants, and loans
OVERVIEW
Students in this program examine the interface between livelihoods and the environment in Cambodia, assessing biodiversity and ecology, and exploring ethical issues around natural resource use and environmental governance. Through extensive travel across Cambodia and Vietnam, students explore a regional development and conservation challenges and community-based solutions. Students visit key conservation sites along the Mekong River, explore the biodiverse forests of Mondulkiri, gain appreciation for Cambodia’s recent history in Phnom Penh, and discover coastal ecosystems in Kampot prior to heading to Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.
WHAT YOU'LL STUDY
- Aquatic ecology & conservation
- Terrestrial ecology & conservation
- Traditional livelihoods
- Sustainable tourism development
- Community-based conservation strategies
- Environmental ethics & justice
- Good governance of natural resources
FIELD EXPERIENCES
- Hear from experts the challenges of conservation of endangered Asian Elephants in Keav Seima Wildlife Sanctuary
- Qualitative research on community-based ecotourism initiatives in Phnom Kulen National Park
- Field lectures on conservation efforts for the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and Cantor’s giant softshell turtle along the Mekong River in Kratie Province
- Meet Indigenous communities to explore challenges for access to natural resources and environmental governance in Mondulkiri
- Interviews with coastal fishers and fishing families on Tonlé Sap Lake on challenges and adaptation strategies to declining natural resources
- Explore climate change vulnerability and displacement in the Mekong Delta
DIRECTED RESEARCH
Through Directed Research (DR)—as opposed to basic, applied, or independent research—students conduct research on a specific topic that is part of the SFS Center’s long-term strategic research plan, which has been developed in partnership with local community stakeholders and clients.
The course, taught by resident SFS faculty, provides students with the opportunity to apply the scientific process in a mentored field research project that addresses a local environmental issue. Through the DR project, students contribute to a growing body of scientific research that informs local conservation and resource management decisions.
