Location:

Hilo, United States

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

Islands play a special role in a variety of scientific disciplines, both as privileged sites of experimentation and as unique objects of study. Islands are places where we can see into Earth's interior, into the depths of the ocean, and into the distant past. They have also been key locations for understanding human societies and building empires in the formerly unreachable. Hawai'i has a number of unusual natural and cultural features that make it a particularly fruitful location for this kind of pursuit. Its marine animals, such as dolphins, can help us understand not only the aquatic environment but also the nature of consciousness and communication. Its indigenous culture still retains a robust presence, providing a way to study how cultures develop in isolation and how they change with outside exposure.

This interdisciplinary science course will explore the Hawaiian islands through the perspective of various scientific disciplines such as geology, oceanography, marine biology, geography, ecology, and astronomy, as well as anthropology, evolution, exploration, and climate change. Classes will meet in the classroom and in the field, with potential site visits to Hawai'i's tropical rainforests; the Waikiki Aquarium; currently active volcanoes such as Mauna Loa, where students may meet with volcanologists; and Mauna Kea's peak, host to one of the world's foremost observatories for cosmology, where students may see cosmologists in action and discuss the role of metaphors in science.

Setting Description:

July 18 - August 8, 2015 Course is based in Hilo, HI, on the main island Hawai'i, but students will take excursions around and outside of this city.

Cost:

Tuition for 4 credits: $3,225 Housing Fee: $1,250 Program Fee: $750 NYU Registration Fee: between $300-500

Additional Program Information

Scholarships:

No

Scholarships Description:

Students can transfer their federal financial aid from their home institution to help pay for their tuition at NYU Shanghai. Visit the financial aid office at your home school to learn more about consortium agreements.