This unit provides students with practical field experience in one of a range of a range of settings. Examples of previous intensives have been held in eastern Indonesia for rural development, Central Java for tropical biology, Brazil for Amazonian freshwater ecology and conservation, the Galapagos Islands for island biogeography and ecology, and K'gari, Queensland for environmental studies. Students take the role of research associates, and collaborate in data collection using a range of methods, related to the focus of a particular intensive program.
Field intensives also include: logistic preparation (for travel, visa, personal health, safety planning, minor equipment, etc.); research preparation (understanding context, development of research questions, ethics clearances and practices); learning and applying practical skills; working with others to achieve tasks; practicing duty of care for one's own and others' physical safety and well-being. International intensives in particular include additional opportunities for: developing inter-cultural skills; practicing in an unfamiliar or foreign context; dealing with discomfort effectively etc.
There may be additional costs related to travel but students will be informed well in advance at the beginning of the unit. The location and timing of intensives varies among years, depending on research activities and resources in place for unit/intensive coordinators, who will lead the field team.
Locations, dates and topics for available field intensives are posted annually on the Environment Intensives webpage. Some intensives are supported by scholarships for eligible candidates - visit the Global Mobility website for more information or contact the unit/intensive coordinator.
