BE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER Through Directed Research, you will conduct hands-on field research in some of the world’s most intricate and threatened ecosystems. Your work contributes to a crucial scientific effort to realize a more sustainable future. THE WORK HANDS-ON RESEARCH IN THE FIELD At SFS, you’re conducting research in the field – in incredible ecosystems and dynamic communities around the world. Whether you’re surveying the glaciers of Patagonia or laying underwater transects in the Caribbean, you’ll experience all the excitement and challenges of field data collection. LEARNING PRACTICAL SKILLS SFS will prepare you for graduate school, a career in STEM research or environmental policy, and wherever else your life takes you. From species identification and wildlife monitoring to GIS and stakeholder interviews, the skills you’ll learn are practical, transferable, and invaluable. THE PROJECT EXPERIENCED RESEARCH MENTORS Field research is complex and challenging – but with the mentorship of our experienced faculty, you’ll have all the tools and support you need to be successful. Each student works directly with a faculty member throughout the entirety of the research process - from project design to completion. YOUR CONTRIBUTION Each SFS center has a strategic research focus which allows our work to expand beyond the scope of isolated projects. Your project is a critical piece of this larger puzzle – you’ll design your research question within a framework, giving more context and value to your results. THE IMPACT BUILDING A BODY OF KNOWLEDGE Building a comprehensive body of scientific knowledge is a key step toward a more sustainable future. You’re joining scientists around the world working to understand our environment and how it is changing, and in some countries where we operate, you’ll even collect baseline data – the first of its kind. GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY SFS research is driven by our communities. Our neighbors share their stories, observations, and needs, and in return we provide valuable data to community leaders, local environmental groups, and government agencies, allowing them to make informed and sustainable policy decisions. DIRECTED RESEARCH WHAT Directed Research (SFS 4910) is a 4-credit course that gives you an introduction to conducting scientific research – developing a question, collecting and analyzing data, writing a paper, and presenting your findings The course is offered on all semester programs Student-designed project carried out under the direction of an SFS faculty mentor Approximately the last four weeks of the semester Climate change resilience Elephant ecology Agroforestry Traditional ecological knowledge Mountain ecology Rainforest conservation & restoration Food security Coral health Sustainable ecotourism Water quality & use Wildlife conservation Pollution & waste management WHEN FORMAT TIMEFRAME SAMPLE RESEARCH THEMES “Directed Research was the most challenging thing I have ever undertaken, but it is a significant personal accomplishment. I have gained a better understanding of myself, what I want in life, and where I am going. I feel better prepared as a burgeoning biologist seeking to study life and ensure its conservation for generations to come.” Daniel Erickson University of Wisconsin-Madison fieldstudies.org/research 04 The School for Field Studies