ENST-480 in Guam and Palau

The purpose of this experience is to introduce students to laboratory and field skills and ecosystem management tools used to investigate complex environmental problems in Micronesia.  Specific course goals include investigating important environmental issues such as ecologically sustainable development, fisheries management, protected-area planning and assessment, and human health issues.  We will review these topics in terms of their application to local issues within the Los Angeles region and to some of the most remote (and biologically diverse) areas of the world such as island ecosystems located in the Indo-West Pacific (i.e., Guam and Palau).  In each location, students will address a suite of historical, cultural, and scientific topics (e.g., environmental effects of warfare, anthropological history, ecosystem management), as well as perform direct observations of biological, physical, and chemical conditions on land as well as in the water.  Overall, students will be provided with an opportunity to work and learn in an interdisciplinary environment, and to gain a better understanding of the complexities of implementing ecosystem management strategies in a real landscape.

For more information, please contact Professor Jim Haw at jhaw@usc.edu.