Ecological Issues

Status: Closed for 2017

This program brings students to the beautiful Lake Atitlan in the highlands of Guatemala and exposes them to a variety of complex ecological, social, and political issues related to the lake and surrounding communities. Lectures and readings for ecology, nature, and society will be complemented by several field trips to local communities, various NGO projects, and the University del Valle campus. The hands-on Aquatic and Wetland Ecology class will allow students to gain an understanding of lake-ecosystem processes through several small experiments and observational studies.

Instructor: Eliska Rejmankova

Taught in: English

Max Enrollment: 12

Program Coordinator: Greg Gundersen

Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) 101 or Anthropology (ANT) 101. Ecology, Nature and Society (4 units)

Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) 155L. Wetland Ecology Laboratory (3 units)

Environmental Science and Policy (ESP) 198. Directed Group Study (1 unit, P/NP)

Program Highlights

• Get behind the scene of Atitlan tourist paradise, explore the local culture and history of Mayan population.
• Enjoy the scenic beauty of the lake, the hospitality of Chapinos and learn to navigate through intricacies of Atitlan multicultural society.
• Explore the complexity of Atitlan lake and watershed ecological processes and their connections to social and political realities.