Colby College
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Over the January term, at least one sustainability-focused immersive experience is offered to students. Two programs were offered in the 2015-16 school year: “Geology of Bermuda” (GE279) and “Plants of the Tropics” (BI259). The course description for “Geology of Bermuda” is as follows: "Students will learn how the island of Bermuda, subjected to a variety of geologic processes, has evolved over the past two million years. They will be exposed to the scientific method and how geologists study the Earth, its materials, and its processes. During field and laboratory observations, students will investigate how organisms, including humans, and sedimentary processes have shaped Bermuda; how sediment is formed, moved, consolidated, and lithified; and the interrelationships between geology and biology. They will gain an appreciation of the complexities of living on an island and the anthropogenic impacts on a fragile ecosystem." The course descripption for “Plants of the Tropics” is as follows: "An intensive study of tropical plant biology taught in Costa Rica during the January term. Emphasis is on the physiology, ecology, and conservation of plants in both wild and agricultural settings, and the importance of plants for human cultures in tropical Latin America. We visit two distinct environments in Costa Rica: a lowland tropical rain forest (La Selva Biological Reserve), and a tropical dry forest (Santa Rosa National Park). Students complete a field research project during the final week." During the 2016-17 school year, a course entitled “Global Change Impacts on Marginal Marine Ecosystems” (ES297D) was available to student during the January term. The course description is as follows "Students investigate impacts of global change on "marginal" marine ecosystems, using the subtropical reefs of Bermuda as a case study. The month will combine experiential learning at the Bermuda Institute for Ocean Sciences with subsequent lab analyses at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. Hands-on field work, including snorkeling and underwater photography, use of contemporary water quality sensors, readings in primary scientific literature, and use of biological and chemical analytical capabilities, will teach students technical skills and develop their capacity to think critically about environmental science."