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[post_content] => The SFS model is intentionally designed to give students a well-rounded education, grounded in research and real-world application. Our curriculum is interdisciplinary, reflecting the complex nature of the environmental issues we study. Learn more.
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Place-Based Centers
SFS operates permanent field stations, located in areas especially suited for academic study and community engagement, to provide a context for students seeking to understand complex environmental issues on a global scale. SFS centers are fixtures in communities; home to faculty, staff, and students; and anchor the long-term research upon which our mission is based. Students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful community outreach that strengthens both SFS' ties to the community and the student’s own sense of place and belonging while abroad.
[row]
[column lg="6" md="6" sm="12" xs="12"]
Program Time
In addition to regular coursework, students participate in outreach activities such as tree plantings, stream clean ups, and youth swim classes, and present research findings to interested stakeholders and members of the community at the end of the term. These opportunities create meaningful connections between coursework and the surrounding environment, and enable students to contribute to host communities. Students in Australia live with host families for a weekend, and in Cambodia they stay with a family in a floating village for a night, while other programs offer daystays, all of which deepen students’ understanding of local cultures and ways of life.
[/column]
[column lg="6" md="6" sm="12" xs="12"]
Non-Program Time
On their own time, students are encouraged to attend cultural events, travel to and explore nearby towns, try local cuisines, and develop community ties outside of SFS. Many of our centers are well-known in their host communities and these opportunities can enhance the student’s sense of belonging beyond that of a conventional tourist.
[/column]
[/row]
Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Environmental issues are complex. To effectively address these issues, our faculty must possess multidisciplinary knowledge and skills, and teach courses that expand in scope beyond traditional subjects. The SFS curriculum encourages students to observe, discuss, question, reflect, and experience the implications of the issues around them.
In addition to natural and environmental science courses, all SFS programs include a social science course, tackling topics such as environmental ethics and justice, policy, and economics. Classroom lectures and field excursions incorporate multiple perspectives and emphasize indigenous voices. Woven throughout all SFS courses are themes of anthropogenic environmental change and the sociocultural context behind current issues. This challenges students to consider their own roles in environmental change and encourages more personal discussions about individual action.
[row]
[column lg="7" md="7" sm="12" xs="12"]
Focus on Field Work
The experiential nature of our programs balances coursework with field work, allowing students to actively engage with the ecosystems they study and gain a deeper understanding of regional and global environmental issues. Students take part in hands-on field exercises in each of the disciplinary courses to reinforce the academic material presented. These exercises also help students practice field techniques, data analysis, and gain other practical skills. Research plans at each center enable students to contribute to research that is long-term, impactful, and meaningful to their host communities.
[/column]
[column lg="5" md="5" sm="12" xs="12"]
[/column]
[/row]
Student Cohort Structure
On SFS programs, students spend much of their time together - living, working, and studying as a group. Academic and social learning opportunities are facilitated throughout the program by the Center Director, faculty, and trained Student Affairs Managers (SAMs) and by motivated student leaders. SAMs maintain safe and supportive environments in all student activities through extensive risk management planning. Recently facilitated initiatives include:
- Intercultural Leadership Workshop Series: Developed by the SAM in Costa Rica, this series challenges students to engage in topics of personal identity, host family day/cross-cultural adaptation, power and privilege, microaggressions, and leadership styles. These activities create inclusive spaces for open dialog and reflection.
- Environmental Sustainability Agreement and Social Sustainability Agreement: These agreements, drafted and signed by students, outline the students’ commitment to both reducing their ecological footprint and to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Costa Rica Center Director Dr. Gerardo Avalos notes, “This process has been one of the highlights of my time in SFS, since I have seen the new student generations constantly improving the contract, struggling and learning from it to live more sustainably.”
- Appreciation mailbox and shout-outs: In Panama, students developed a system in which they leave each other notes of affirmation. This is coupled with daily morning shout-outs during which students publicly recognize their peers for doing positive things. These are informal but powerful ways in which SFS students show their support and care for one another while on program.
A Diverse Team
Our interdisciplinary structure is complemented by our diverse faculty members, representing both natural and social science perspectives as well as a wide array of identities and backgrounds. Most of our faculty hold terminal degrees, and about half are women - almost double the nationwide representation of women in STEM jobs. Many SFS faculty and staff are host country nationals. We strive to cultivate an increasingly diverse student body, too:
We recognize that solving today’s greatest environmental challenges requires that all people have a seat at the table, and SFS strives to cultivate inclusive communities; encouraging student cohorts that represent human diversity across the globe. We believe diversity in all forms fosters greater open-mindedness, expands learning opportunities, and contributes to a positive environment in which to live and learn.
To read our statement on diversity and inclusion, click here.
Commitment to the Environment
SFS programs exist to address environmental issues. Our research agenda emphasizes the interests of local stakeholders and directly addresses regional environmental issues. SFS students are passionate about and committed to the environment, and are often drawn to SFS because of our research and environmental focus. Many students bond over similar academic interests, career-related goals, and core values, and can feel supported and appreciated by their peers as they explore their passions. Although students come from very different backgrounds, they are brought together on SFS programs by a strong desire to learn about the environment and contribute to its protection.
Building a Legacy
Students may enter the program feeling like an outsider in a foreign place, but leave as part of the global SFS family, having formed lifelong friendships and lasting connections to their host community. Students take with them a deeper understanding of environmental issues and the ability to critically analyze their own biases and assumptions about the world. Each cohort leaves behind meaningful research for future students to build upon, contributing to the SFS legacy of scientific knowledge and impactful change.
[third_section] => [fourth_section] => [callout_section] => {"rows":[]} [last_section] => [first_section] =>The World Is Our Classroom.
The SFS model offers students a comprehensive and balanced education, firmly grounded in both research and real-world application. Our centers have established a long-term presence in the countries where we operate, fostering meaningful relationships with our communities and enabling us to study diverse ecosystems over extended periods. Our interdisciplinary curriculum reflects the intricate and multifaceted nature of the environmental issues that we investigate. Substantial time spent in the field affords students the opportunity to directly experience the topics they are studying and cultivate practical skills in both natural and social sciences.
Furthermore, our model strives to create a supportive and nurturing environment that enables students to learn, explore, and flourish. With a shared aspiration to learn about the environment and their role in preserving it, students from diverse backgrounds live, work, and study together as a community on SFS programs. As a result, they are able to leave behind meaningful research, while also acquiring valuable practical skills and forging lifelong friendships. Our programs empower, validate, and inspire students to become the next generation of environmental leaders.
Place-Based Centers
SFS operates permanent field stations, located in areas especially suited for academic study and community engagement, to provide a context for students seeking to understand complex environmental issues on a global scale. SFS centers are fixtures in communities; home to faculty, staff, and students; and anchor the long-term research upon which our mission is based. Students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful community outreach that strengthens both SFS' ties to the community and the student’s own sense of place and belonging while abroad.
[row] [column lg="6" md="6" sm="12" xs="12"]Program Time
In addition to regular coursework, students participate in outreach activities such as tree plantings, stream clean ups, and youth swim classes, and present research findings to interested stakeholders and members of the community at the end of the term. These opportunities create meaningful connections between coursework and the surrounding environment, and enable students to contribute to host communities. Students in Australia live with host families for a weekend, and in Cambodia they stay with a family in a floating village for a night, while other programs offer daystays, all of which deepen students’ understanding of local cultures and ways of life.
[/column] [column lg="6" md="6" sm="12" xs="12"]Non-Program Time
On their own time, students are encouraged to attend cultural events, travel to and explore nearby towns, try local cuisines, and develop community ties outside of SFS. Many of our centers are well-known in their host communities and these opportunities can enhance the student’s sense of belonging beyond that of a conventional tourist.
[/column] [/row]Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Environmental issues are complex. To effectively address these issues, our faculty must possess multidisciplinary knowledge and skills, and teach courses that expand in scope beyond traditional subjects. The SFS curriculum encourages students to observe, discuss, question, reflect, and experience the implications of the issues around them.
In addition to natural and environmental science courses, all SFS programs include a social science course, tackling topics such as environmental ethics and justice, policy, and economics. Classroom lectures and field excursions incorporate multiple perspectives and emphasize indigenous voices. Woven throughout all SFS courses are themes of anthropogenic environmental change and the sociocultural context behind current issues. This challenges students to consider their own roles in environmental change and encourages more personal discussions about individual action.
[row] [column lg="7" md="7" sm="12" xs="12"]Focus on Field Work
The experiential nature of our programs balances coursework with field work, allowing students to actively engage with the ecosystems they study and gain a deeper understanding of regional and global environmental issues. Students take part in hands-on field exercises in each of the disciplinary courses to reinforce the academic material presented. These exercises also help students practice field techniques, data analysis, and gain other practical skills. Research plans at each center enable students to contribute to research that is long-term, impactful, and meaningful to their host communities.
[/column] [column lg="5" md="5" sm="12" xs="12"]
[/column]
[/row]
Student Cohort Structure
On SFS programs, students spend much of their time together - living, working, and studying as a group. Academic and social learning opportunities are facilitated throughout the program by the Center Director, faculty, and trained Student Affairs Managers (SAMs) and by motivated student leaders. SAMs maintain safe and supportive environments in all student activities through extensive risk management planning. Recently facilitated initiatives include:
- Intercultural Leadership Workshop Series: Developed by the SAM in Costa Rica, this series challenges students to engage in topics of personal identity, host family day/cross-cultural adaptation, power and privilege, microaggressions, and leadership styles. These activities create inclusive spaces for open dialog and reflection.
- Environmental Sustainability Agreement and Social Sustainability Agreement: These agreements, drafted and signed by students, outline the students’ commitment to both reducing their ecological footprint and to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Costa Rica Center Director Dr. Gerardo Avalos notes, “This process has been one of the highlights of my time in SFS, since I have seen the new student generations constantly improving the contract, struggling and learning from it to live more sustainably.”
- Appreciation mailbox and shout-outs: In Panama, students developed a system in which they leave each other notes of affirmation. This is coupled with daily morning shout-outs during which students publicly recognize their peers for doing positive things. These are informal but powerful ways in which SFS students show their support and care for one another while on program.
A Diverse Team
Our interdisciplinary structure is complemented by our diverse faculty members, representing both natural and social science perspectives as well as a wide array of identities and backgrounds. Most of our faculty hold terminal degrees, and about half are women - almost double the nationwide representation of women in STEM jobs. Many SFS faculty and staff are host country nationals. We strive to cultivate an increasingly diverse student body, too:
We recognize that solving today’s greatest environmental challenges requires that all people have a seat at the table, and SFS strives to cultivate inclusive communities; encouraging student cohorts that represent human diversity across the globe. We believe diversity in all forms fosters greater open-mindedness, expands learning opportunities, and contributes to a positive environment in which to live and learn.
To read our statement on diversity and inclusion, click here.
Commitment to the Environment
SFS programs exist to address environmental issues. Our research agenda emphasizes the interests of local stakeholders and directly addresses regional environmental issues. SFS students are passionate about and committed to the environment, and are often drawn to SFS because of our research and environmental focus. Many students bond over similar academic interests, career-related goals, and core values, and can feel supported and appreciated by their peers as they explore their passions. Although students come from very different backgrounds, they are brought together on SFS programs by a strong desire to learn about the environment and contribute to its protection.
Building a Legacy
Students may enter the program feeling like an outsider in a foreign place, but leave as part of the global SFS family, having formed lifelong friendships and lasting connections to their host community. Students take with them a deeper understanding of environmental issues and the ability to critically analyze their own biases and assumptions about the world. Each cohort leaves behind meaningful research for future students to build upon, contributing to the SFS legacy of scientific knowledge and impactful change.
[third_section] => [fourth_section] => [callout_section] => [last_section] => [first_section] =>The World Is Our Classroom.
The SFS model offers students a comprehensive and balanced education, firmly grounded in both research and real-world application. Our centers have established a long-term presence in the countries where we operate, fostering meaningful relationships with our communities and enabling us to study diverse ecosystems over extended periods. Our interdisciplinary curriculum reflects the intricate and multifaceted nature of the environmental issues that we investigate. Substantial time spent in the field affords students the opportunity to directly experience the topics they are studying and cultivate practical skills in both natural and social sciences.
Furthermore, our model strives to create a supportive and nurturing environment that enables students to learn, explore, and flourish. With a shared aspiration to learn about the environment and their role in preserving it, students from diverse backgrounds live, work, and study together as a community on SFS programs. As a result, they are able to leave behind meaningful research, while also acquiring valuable practical skills and forging lifelong friendships. Our programs empower, validate, and inspire students to become the next generation of environmental leaders.
The World Is Our Classroom.
The SFS model offers students a comprehensive and balanced education, firmly grounded in both research and real-world application. Our centers have established a long-term presence in the countries where we operate, fostering meaningful relationships with our communities and enabling us to study diverse ecosystems over extended periods. Our interdisciplinary curriculum reflects the intricate and multifaceted nature of the environmental issues that we investigate. Substantial time spent in the field affords students the opportunity to directly experience the topics they are studying and cultivate practical skills in both natural and social sciences.
Furthermore, our model strives to create a supportive and nurturing environment that enables students to learn, explore, and flourish. With a shared aspiration to learn about the environment and their role in preserving it, students from diverse backgrounds live, work, and study together as a community on SFS programs. As a result, they are able to leave behind meaningful research, while also acquiring valuable practical skills and forging lifelong friendships. Our programs empower, validate, and inspire students to become the next generation of environmental leaders.
Place-Based Centers
SFS operates permanent field stations, located in areas especially suited for academic study and community engagement, to provide a context for students seeking to understand complex environmental issues on a global scale. SFS centers are fixtures in communities; home to faculty, staff, and students; and anchor the long-term research upon which our mission is based. Students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful community outreach that strengthens both SFS’ ties to the community and the student’s own sense of place and belonging while abroad.
Program Time
In addition to regular coursework, students participate in outreach activities such as tree plantings, stream clean ups, and youth swim classes, and present research findings to interested stakeholders and members of the community at the end of the term. These opportunities create meaningful connections between coursework and the surrounding environment, and enable students to contribute to host communities. Students in Australia live with host families for a weekend, and in Cambodia they stay with a family in a floating village for a night, while other programs offer daystays, all of which deepen students’ understanding of local cultures and ways of life.
Non-Program Time
On their own time, students are encouraged to attend cultural events, travel to and explore nearby towns, try local cuisines, and develop community ties outside of SFS. Many of our centers are well-known in their host communities and these opportunities can enhance the student’s sense of belonging beyond that of a conventional tourist.
Interdisciplinary Curriculum
Environmental issues are complex. To effectively address these issues, our faculty must possess multidisciplinary knowledge and skills, and teach courses that expand in scope beyond traditional subjects. The SFS curriculum encourages students to observe, discuss, question, reflect, and experience the implications of the issues around them.
In addition to natural and environmental science courses, all SFS programs include a social science course, tackling topics such as environmental ethics and justice, policy, and economics. Classroom lectures and field excursions incorporate multiple perspectives and emphasize indigenous voices. Woven throughout all SFS courses are themes of anthropogenic environmental change and the sociocultural context behind current issues. This challenges students to consider their own roles in environmental change and encourages more personal discussions about individual action.
Focus on Field Work
The experiential nature of our programs balances coursework with field work, allowing students to actively engage with the ecosystems they study and gain a deeper understanding of regional and global environmental issues. Students take part in hands-on field exercises in each of the disciplinary courses to reinforce the academic material presented. These exercises also help students practice field techniques, data analysis, and gain other practical skills. Research plans at each center enable students to contribute to research that is long-term, impactful, and meaningful to their host communities.
Student Cohort Structure
On SFS programs, students spend much of their time together – living, working, and studying as a group. Academic and social learning opportunities are facilitated throughout the program by the Center Director, faculty, and trained Student Affairs Managers (SAMs) and by motivated student leaders. SAMs maintain safe and supportive environments in all student activities through extensive risk management planning. Recently facilitated initiatives include:
- Intercultural Leadership Workshop Series: Developed by the SAM in Costa Rica, this series challenges students to engage in topics of personal identity, host family day/cross-cultural adaptation, power and privilege, microaggressions, and leadership styles. These activities create inclusive spaces for open dialog and reflection.
- Environmental Sustainability Agreement and Social Sustainability Agreement: These agreements, drafted and signed by students, outline the students’ commitment to both reducing their ecological footprint and to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all. Costa Rica Center Director Dr. Gerardo Avalos notes, “This process has been one of the highlights of my time in SFS, since I have seen the new student generations constantly improving the contract, struggling and learning from it to live more sustainably.”
- Appreciation mailbox and shout-outs: In Panama, students developed a system in which they leave each other notes of affirmation. This is coupled with daily morning shout-outs during which students publicly recognize their peers for doing positive things. These are informal but powerful ways in which SFS students show their support and care for one another while on program.
A Diverse Team
Our interdisciplinary structure is complemented by our diverse faculty members, representing both natural and social science perspectives as well as a wide array of identities and backgrounds. Most of our faculty hold terminal degrees, and about half are women – almost double the nationwide representation of women in STEM jobs. Many SFS faculty and staff are host country nationals. We strive to cultivate an increasingly diverse student body, too:
We recognize that solving today’s greatest environmental challenges requires that all people have a seat at the table, and SFS strives to cultivate inclusive communities; encouraging student cohorts that represent human diversity across the globe. We believe diversity in all forms fosters greater open-mindedness, expands learning opportunities, and contributes to a positive environment in which to live and learn.
To read our statement on diversity and inclusion, click here.
Commitment to the Environment
SFS programs exist to address environmental issues. Our research agenda emphasizes the interests of local stakeholders and directly addresses regional environmental issues. SFS students are passionate about and committed to the environment, and are often drawn to SFS because of our research and environmental focus. Many students bond over similar academic interests, career-related goals, and core values, and can feel supported and appreciated by their peers as they explore their passions. Although students come from very different backgrounds, they are brought together on SFS programs by a strong desire to learn about the environment and contribute to its protection.
Building a Legacy
Students may enter the program feeling like an outsider in a foreign place, but leave as part of the global SFS family, having formed lifelong friendships and lasting connections to their host community. Students take with them a deeper understanding of environmental issues and the ability to critically analyze their own biases and assumptions about the world. Each cohort leaves behind meaningful research for future students to build upon, contributing to the SFS legacy of scientific knowledge and impactful change.