The Duke University Global Education Office for Undergraduates and the Department of Biology will offer a 4-week, one course summer program focusing on the biogeography and culture of Australia. Based at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, the program travels to the Northern Territory, the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rain forest of northern Queensland. The 2012 summer program director and biology course instructor is Professor Rytas Vilgalys of the Duke Department of Biology.The course will be taught on the modern, urban campus of UNSW, located in Kensington, a suburb of Sydney and in a variety of field locations. UNSW boasts first-rate academic facilities, with extensive recreational and sporting facilities just 20 minutes by bus from central Sydney. The capital of the state of New South Wales, Sydney, the largest and oldest city in Australia, is very cosmopolitan and offers a wide variety of cultural activities and entertainment. Situated on the southeast coast, Sydney’s harbor, with its famous bridge and opera house, is one of the largest in the world. During the program dates, the mild climate has winter temperatures normally ranging from the 50's to the 60's F.

This course starts in Darwin, where the group will camp in the wilds of the Northern Territory, followed by a visit to the Barrier Reef and the Queensland rainforest before travelling to Sydney. Students will study the distribution of plants and animals in space and time as determined by the interaction of geophysics, geology, climate and evolutionary history. Special emphasis will be placed on the unique terrestrial and marine flora and fauna of the Australian continent and the impact of humans on the distribution of these plants and animals. No prior course work in these areas is assumed or required.Participants must register for BIOLOGY 131 or above crosslisting. No pass/fail option or auditing is permitted. Due to the intense nature of the program, late arrival and/or early departure will not be permitted.

What is included or Not:

 
The program fee includes all accommodation; meals in Kakadu National Park and breakfasts and lunches in Sydney; all excursion travel and entry fees; orientation program; airport shuttle services; and a UNSW student card (allowing access to all UNSW facilities).

 

Program fee does not include domestic or international airfare, ground travel to and from the program site, independent travel during or after the program, items of a personal nature or incidentals. Costs are based on an exchange rate expected to be in effect and are subject to increase.