Sustainability, the environment and society

You will critically examine sustainable development, through a community - grassroots lens. In groups, you will be assigned mentors comprising of key stakeholders from local communities and organizations who are advocates in environmental sustainability. You will work together to develop a problem statement surrounding a specific global issue or challenge that is currently being addressed by your assigned mentors. At the end of the unit, you will be tasked to present this problem statement, along with an abstract and a body of findings about the issue to your mentors.

This unit is designed to be intensive. Your curriculum will include in-class seminars and workshops to develop better skills in critical thinking, data collection and cultural competencies. In-field components will include stays / fieldwork days with mentors at their field sites to collect data on the environmental issue or challenge, as well as to interact with communities directly impacted by it. Field site visits can include local and regional locations within Southeast Asia.