Application deadline updated to 1/7/22.
***This field experience is conditionally approved and will only run if health and safety conditions, including Costa Rica visa and entry restrictions, US Dept. of State Travel Warning and CDC Travel Health Notice, permit.***

The location: Costa Rica is a country located in Central America, known for its beautiful beaches, mountains, and biodiversity. It is home to about 5% of the world’s biodiversity while occupying only 0.03% of the earth's surface. The country has adopted a plan to achieve a Net Zero Emissions economy by 2050in accord with the Paris Climate Change Agreement. This field experience will take place in San Jose, the capital city. and surrounding natural and sustainable sites. The university design spaces, and state of the art biology and fabrication labs will be used for indoor classes.

Course Work and Highlights: In the first week students will be introduced to Biomimicry strategies and techniques while traveling to private and government sustainable sites throughout Costa Rica, ending at the Monteverde Reserve. Biomimicry, or looking to nature or natural systems to solve complex problems, will form a central theme of the course. The next 2 weeks will be spent exploring and examining Costa Rica’s diversity, using Biomimetic design principles, and prototyping solutions. Throughout the course students will be working with architects, designers, and social and business entrepreneurs to get a broader understanding of Costa Rica’s sustainability initiatives and how to apply biomimicry principles to decarbonization and other sustainability issues. Weekends provide the opportunity for students to travel on their own to various beach destinations or on guided expeditions to mountain, rainforest, or volcano locations.

Housing: Students will stay within a mile of campus, with families who are part of the University’s Homestay Program. A university shuttle is available for transportation if desired. Each family has been vetted and interviewed to assure quality standards. Students will have private rooms that include laundry service, cleaning, breakfast, and most dinners.

Eligibility:
Chatham undergraduate students must have good academic standing and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher at the time of application and at the commencement of spring 2022 term. Students must have completed at least 30 undergraduate credits at the time of travel, including at least 15 credits completed at Chatham at the time of travel.
Students must have good judicial standing (to be verified by Office of Student Affairs) and good financial standing at Chatham (to be verified by Student Accounts).
Students must be current Chatham students at the time of the field experience to participate.

The minimum enrollment for this course is 12 students. Each field experience is self-supporting and must meet its minimum enrollment number or it will be cancelled.