COURSE INFORMATION:

The course will meet in Charleston on 6/1/18 and 6/2/18 for orientation, preparations, readings, outline sketches, and discussion of fieldwork. Flights to India will then be on 6/4/18. Return flights are on 6/22/18, arriving on 6/23/18.

GEOL 240/395: Water Resources and Pollution in the Developing World (4 credits)

PROGRAM INFORMATION:

This course focuses on water resource and pollution issues along the 2500-km-long Ganges River from the mountains in the Himalaya to the ocean near the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges River is seen in India as a critical economic, environmental, and cultural resource and is stressed due to large demand and cyclical, yet unpredictable, supply. This region of India has a populations of over 700 million who speak different languages, have diverse cultures, and varied states of development, economic access, planning, and diverse geologic and ecological settings. Poor river management, inconsistent precipitation during monsoons likely affected by climate change and pollution from insufficient waste management practices and a burgeoning population has resulted in additional stress on the river and its ecosystems.

This three-week travel-intensive study abroad course covers three important reaches of the river in the headwaters (Himalayan glaciers, steep mountain landscapes, and large hydroelectirc dams in Uttarakhand state), the plains (industrial heartland and large population centers in Uttar Pradesh state), and the mounth (coastal development, Sunderbans mangrove forest, and coastal hazards near Bay of Bengal in West Bengal state).

The course is timed to coincide with the pre-monsoon summer season to show students the importance of the monsoon season to this region. The course has two focus areas:
1. water resource and hydrology principles that delve into specific issues, including impacts of river management for economic development and associated land use change effects on water resource availability
2. water quality principles that focus on natural and anthropogenic changes to the chemical character of the river water, and linkages between human and environmental health

Students should be prepared for the following: extreme heat and humidity (100+ degrees Fahrenheit - typical summer conditions for northern India); cold and windy weather (30 degrees Fahrenheit - typical conditions near higher elevations); high altitudes near glacier (up to 13,0000 ft); Trail hiking; limited-access to western-style facilities.

*Students must have the following immunizations: Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B. They will also need to obtain malaria medication prior to departure.

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

-Students must have an overall GPA of 2.5
-Students must already possess a valid passport, or be able to obtain a valid passport

PROGRAM DIRECTORS:

Drs. Vulava and Callahan have successfully led this course four times in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016. Between them, they have over 30 years of teaching and research experience in the fields of water resources, hydrology, pollution, and environmental geochemistry.

Dr. Vijay Vulava
Department: Geology
vulavav@cofc.edu
843-953-1922

Dr. Vulava regularly teaches pollution, geochemistry, and water resource-themed courses aimed at freshmen to graduate students. His research focus is contaminant fate and transport in water and soil environments.

Dr. Timothy Callahan
Department: Geology
callahant@cofc.edu
843-953-8278

Dr. Callahan regularly teaches several water resource-themed classes. His research foci include policies, law, and social constructs (the human side of water resources), specifically how scientific information is used to shape decisions regarding water resource protection and distribution.

Note: For questions regarding on-site program details and course content, please contact the program directors. Any inquiries regarding application processing, billing, or financial aid opportunities can be directed to the Center for International Education (contact information listed above).

*A minimum number of participants is required for all study abroad programs to run