Hawaii, USA - Field Course: Systems Approaches to Regional Sustainability

Contemporary scientists agree that solutions to complex global challenges such as environmental sustainability call for “systems thinking”: the process of understanding how things influence one another within a whole. Systems thinking as an approach to problem‐solving argues that the component parts of a system can best be understood in the context of relationships with each other and with other systems, rather than in isolation. A scientific approach to examining the world that embraces systems thinking therefore demands that we consider landscapes, regions or whole continents as systems. In these systems, elements such as land, air, water, human societies, plants, and animals, interact in ways that influence the likelihood that the system will survive or perish.

This 9‐day 3‐credit intensive course offers students an opportunity to visit and experience Hawaiian land, ecosystems and communities firsthand, and to hear perspective from locals and local experts on contemporary and historic factors influencing (in this example) the Hawaiian system. Hawaii is an excellent venue because the impact of active volcanoes, invasive species, plastic pollution in the ocean, and climate change (via the climate observatory on Mauna Loa) can be observed at first hand.

Students may participate in both this course and the Iceland Global Seminar. Students will receive credit for a separate course code.

Check out the program re-cap from Reading Week 2023

General Global Seminar requirements

To participate in a Global Seminar, students must:

• Be in good-standing in their faculty (as defined by home faculty)
• In the year leading up to the Global Seminar, have full-time student status (as defined by home faculty)
• Have completed 2nd year requirements before the start of the program (i.e. 3rd or 4th year standing)
• Have at least a 70% academic average in your last full-time academic session before applying
• Maintain a 70% academic average leading up to the program
• Meet any program specific requirements listed below including pre-requisites before participating

Program-specific requirements

• ​​​​This is an interdisciplinary program: All are welcome!*

*While the course is suitable for third to fourth-year students from a variety of majors and science disciplines, preference will be given to students registered in Integrated Sciences. If competitive, Integrated Sciences students will get priority.

Final selection will be made by the lead faculty program directors. Space in the program may be limited. 

Students who wish to participate in the summer after graduating may be eligible on a case-by-case basis.

Shared accommodation within a large house (3-4 students per room) and group meals prepared in a shared kitchen.

Approximate program fees: $3000-$3200*

*The final fee depends on the number of students in the program. All Global Seminars only run if there is a minimum number of students enrolled.