WHO WE ARE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD Our faculty are skilled teachers, field researchers, and mentors. Their expertise spans many different fields including ecology, environmental policy, resource management, and socioeconomics. A COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY We build long-term, collaborative relationships in the communities around our centers and have been rooted in some communities for nearly three decades. We develop our research plans based on the environmental issues they face. No matter which program you choose, you’ll become part of the community through interactions with local staff on campus, cultural events, environmental education activities, research presentations, or even pickup soccer matches. ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS Not only are you heading into the field with a group of ardent environmentalists, but you’re joining a network of more than 18,000 alumni with careers in the private sector, government, academia, and environmental NGOs. You’ll also work alongside SFS staff who are passionate about the environment and committed to making our world a better place. WHAT WE DO SFS STUDENTS DO SCIENCE Our programs are hands-on, and students actively engage with the ecosystems they study. If we spend the morning discussing an article about the critical issues facing African elephants, we’ll spend that afternoon in the field observing those elephants from meters away while collecting data on their resilience to climate change. Rather than the usual classroom lecture on the impacts of coffee farming, we visit Costa Rica’s cloud forests to learn directly from farmers about how agriculture can support biodiversity. SFS students do science, while engaging in rigorous research about important environmental issues. RELEVANT LOCAL RESEARCH With 10 centers around the world, our research covers a spectrum of environmental issues. SFS programs provide the foundation for students to critically examine today’s environmental issues in an international setting and articulate questions that reflect their complexity. The academics and research at each center are designed around the issues that are most critical to the local community and surrounding ecosystems – such as marine resource management in the Turks and Caicos Islands or community forestry in Bhutan. WHERE WE WORK LIVING OFF THE BEATEN PATH SFS students, faculty, and staff live and work together at our 10 field stations around the world. Locations range from deep in the heart of the Australian rainforest to the tropical coastline of Panama, and each center offers its own distinct experience in the surrounding ecosystems and communities. These are not extravagant resort hotels, but then again, you’ll be much more than a tourist. Regardless of where you go, you’ll become part of a community and discover a lifestyle unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. SAFETY IN REMOTE CORNERS OF THE WORLD When we send a group of students into the field, their safety is our top priority. SFS is dedicated to providing comprehensive safety and risk management in all aspects of our programs. We work around the clock to mitigate risks without sacrificing the rugged and awe-inspiring nature of the SFS study abroad experience. www.fieldstudies.org 03