Travel, Explore, Discover
Alaska
- Denali National Park
- Valdez
- Gerstle River
- Gulkana Glacier
- Prince William Sound
- Katmai National Park
- Kasitsna Bay
- Northern Alaska
Denali National Park
Field Painting in Denali
ART F 233 / ART F 333 / ART F 433 / ART F 633
June 26–29
David Mollett, Instructor
Larger than the state of Massachusetts, Denali exemplifies interior Alaska’s
character as one of the world’s last great frontiers for wilderness adventure. Spend four days exploring,
capturing, and interpreting the natural beauty of Denali National Park on canvas.
Valdez
Field Painting in Valdez
ART F 233 / ART F 333 / ART F433
July 3–August 3
David Rosenthal, Instructor
Glaciers, majestic peaks and Prince William Sound—does this sound like a landscape to inspire the painter? You will explore sites in Valdez, Thompson Pass and surrounding areas.
Gerstle River Site, near Delta Junction
Archaeological Field School: Tanana Basin Archaeology
May 19–June 21
Ben Potter, Instructor
Interested in artifacts from cultures dating back 12,000 years? Or does uncovering bison, wapiti, or mammoth bones as you dig through the loess excite you? Join the summer field school at the Gerstle River Site in the Tanana Basin approximately 30 miles south of Delta Junction off the Alaska Highway and you can indulge your pleasures. In the shadow of the Alaska Range you can spend the summer camping and excavating for ancient treasures with professionals—AND in the process you will learn the excavation skills and techniques of the archaeologist.
Gulkana Glacier in the Alaska Range
Introduction to Field Methods in Glaciology
July 29–August 6
Matt Druckenmiller and Laura LeBlanc, Instructors
You find yourself down in the mountains exploring and monitoring the changes in a glacier. Does this sound like a dream come true? It can be. Join a team of scientists for an extended weekend on the Gulkana Glacier learning the field techniques for monitoring glacial change.
Prince William Sound, Valdez
Beginning Sea Kayaking
July 8–15
Elisha Crispell, Instructor
See the marine wildlife of south-central Alaska while learning sea-kayaking fundamentals. Topics include trip planning, boat rigging, wet and dry exits, navigation, paddling strokes and maneuvers, tides and currents, rescue techniques, and environmental hazards.
Katmai National Park
International Volcanological Field School
June 14–29
Pavel Izbekov and John Eichelberger, Instructors
Katmai National Monument was created in 1918 to preserve the famed Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a spectacular forty square mile, 100 to 700 feet deep ash flow deposited by Novarupta Volcano. A national park and preserve since 1980, today Katmai is still famous for volcanoes, but also for brown bears, pristine waterways with abundant fish, remote wilderness, and a rugged coastline.
Image credit: John Eichelberger
Kasitsna Bay
Kelp Forest Ecology
MSL F456
May 12–31
Brenda Konar, Instructor
Marine Invertebrates
MSL F 495P
/
MSL F 695P
June 2–6
Katrin Iken, Instructor
Marine Vertebrates of Kachemak Bay
MSL F495
June 20–22
Deborah Boege-Tobin, Instructor
Climate Change in Alaskan Estuaries
MSL F 495
/
MSL F 695
June 22–27
Susan Sugai, Instructor
Scientific Cold Water Diving
MSL F495P
August 18–22
Brenda Konar, Instructor
Spend time at the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Kasitsna Bay Laboratory and discover the hidden secrets of life under the surface of the ocean in one of the most majestic locations on earth. Situated on 15 wooded acres on the Kenai Peninsula in Kachemak Bay, the area contains one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems and is home to a first class research station.
Image credit: Deborah Boege-Tobin
Northern Alaska
Alaska Soil Geography Field Study: Soils affected by Permafrost
July 6–15
Chien-Lu Ping, Instructor
Start in Fairbanks to explore the permafrost tunnel, the gold dredge, and different boreal forest communities and their associated soil types. Head north on the Elliot Highway to the Dalton Highway into the Brooks Range and beyond. This road trip will take you through a wide variety of natural communities and provide you with an opportunity to wet your toes in the Arctic Ocean.