November 17, 2005
From the Arctic to Congress: Students travel, learn, report
The five-week course “Choices and Change in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge” may have concluded in August but the learning continues. This fall many of the graduate and undergraduate students from the course traveled to Washington, D.C., to talk with legislators before the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge showdown on questions of drilling for oil there.
On Monday the students will discuss their studies and conclusions in multimedia presentations at 7:30 p.m. in 220 Kane. A reception will follow the event.
The dozen students will highlight lessons learned during a 10-day trip to the refuge, a part of their intensive course offered by the UW’s Program on the Environment for the first time last summer. The aim was to provide students with a holistic picture of the issues surrounding the refuge and to explore issues culturally, historically, politically and environmentally.
Monday’s event is organized by Nate Mantua, a research scientist with the Climate Impacts Group based at the UW, and David Secord, co-director of the Program on the Environment. Both served as instructors of the course along with Louise St. Pierre, professor of art. The students represent eight different disciplines.
The class was held in conjunction with the Burke Museum’s exhibit Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land, on display through the end of December. The exhibit, next week’s presentation and reception, the class and the students’ trip to Washington, were supported by the Lucky Seven Foundation.
