University of Dayton
AC-5: Immersive Experience

ETHOS seeks to provide service-learning experience through technical immersions, student activities, research, and hands-on projects. Through these experiences, students have gained perspectives on how engineering and technology are influenced by the world. Participating students have been able to use their engineering skills for humanitarian and sustainability focused purposes, serving others through practical engineering knowledge. Example projects include water filtration, photovoltaics in remote areas, school construction, etc. Our alumni learn about the world, different cultures and themselves. ETHOS immersions are typically 10 weeks long to either national or international, developing locations, i.e. Appalachia or Honduras. The Sustainability, Energy & the Environment ILLC is for students of any major. Students are invited to think critically about the myriad approaches to sustainability, energy, and the environment by integrating material from several different disciplines throughout two semesters. Humanities Commons courses will share readings and attend events together, and students and faculty in all of the courses will interact and integrate activities. The first-year seminar features guest lecturers from across the University and also includes community leaders, giving students the opportunity to explore sustainability, energy, and environmental themes from different points of view and to contribute student's own ideas through projects and student-initiated events. The SEE ILLC is part of UD’s Sustainability, Energy & the Environment Initiative for first year students. The program spans the entire academic year. Malawi Practicum: The Malawi Research Practicum on Rights & Development is a nine-week collaborative research experience offered each summer in Chilumba, Malawi. Working closely with the local community leaders and organizations and other Malawian university students, this project draws on transdisciplinary research and applied participatory international development insights to enable students from across the university to design and conduct a research project on a critical human rights or community-identified needs facilitated by the partner NGO, Determined to Develop. Sustainability, Ecology, and City Planning in Eastern Europe. Germany gives students a fantastic location to study how modern industrial planning and creative solutions are being employed to address myriad environmental issues that have arisen. As “green” thinking plays an increasingly significant role in German society and politics, creative solutions have been implemented to address various environmental issues. Accordingly, sustainability, energy systems, ethical issues and city planning are the primary topics of focus in Berlin and surrounding communities. All students participate in a multidisciplinary and fully integrated program encompassing sustainability, energy, and environment; sociology; and philosophy. The immersion is one month long and is offered every summer.

Additional URLs: https://udayton.edu/llc/integrated_llcs/sustainability_llc.php https://udayton.edu/artssciences/ctr/hrc/malawi-practicum/index.php https://udayton.edu/artssciences/ctr/hsi/academics/immersive-programs.php