COURSE INFORMATION:

Students take one of the following courses:

GEOL 240: Geology and Environmental Field Experience - South Africa - 4 credits (for non-majors)
-OR-
GEOL 395: Geology and Environmental Field Experience - South Africa - 4 credits (for majors)


PROGRAM INFORMATION:

The Geology and Environment Field Experience: South Africa is designed to broaden students' geology and environmental experience by providing an opportunity for them to see firsthand some of the best geology in the world and some current environmental issues facing South Africa. This field camp will allow students to gain international field experience and learn about geology in new settings. The course will focus on the geology of South Africa in the vicinity of Cape Town and northeastern Johannesburg. Students will specifically study sections of South Africa, looking at rock exposures ranging in age from Proterozoic to Paleozoic to Modern, and perhaps a few sites in Namibia. There will also be visits to various sites of natural, cultural, and historical significance, including Sterkfontein World Heritage site and Kruger National Park.

The course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of geologic mapping using modern tools and methods. They will use GPS and GIS as well as apps from iPhones, iPads (or equivalent devices) to map rocks and sediments quickly and efficiently. They will learn about earth history, including the evolution of humankind. The Western Cape in South Africa has excellent exposures of rocks ranging in age from Proterozoic to Paleozoic (Ladismith in the Karoo) to Modern (Langebaan on the Atlantic Coast). This course will also include an environmental component, where students will be involved in collecting and analyzing data around issues impacting the African continent, such as water quality and availability, population growth, deforestation, and climate change. Through these "hot-button" issues, the students will inherently be introduced to other disciplines, looking at history, culture, socioeconomics, etc.

A third component of the trip is to develop an educational K-12 component, a virtual field trip. The virtual field trip will showcase African culture, history, and way of life through a series of videos, which can be shared with a primarily underrepresented Charleston area K-12 school. In addition, while in South Africa, the program will visit an urban school and a rural school, observing the differences in their instruction.

Students should expect cold and windy weather (40 degrees Fahrenheit- typical conditions near higher elevations), trail hiking, and limited access to Western-style facilities.


PROGRAM DIRECTORS:

Dr. K. Adem Ali
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
alika@cofc.edu
843-953-0877

Dr. Ali is an African native with an in-depth understanding of Africa, its people, cultures, and geology. Before coming to CofC, he has led multiple field camps looking at volcanoes and other geological features in Africa. Dr. Ali teaches the Geographic Information Systems course and an Environmental science course. His research involves looking at water quality issues in the Great Lakes and coastal waters. He has active research going in Lake Erie, OH, coastal Carolina waters, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Dr. Ali co-led this program with Ms. Humphreys in 2016.

Ms. Lauren Humphreys
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences
humphreyslm@cofc.edu
843-953-7847

Ms. Humphreys is an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences at CofC. A graduate of the College, she received the Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Teaching Award in 2016. She co-led this program with Dr. Ali in 2016.

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