UAM celebrates 25th Summer Field Course

Travelin' Light  -- (From left) Dr. Jim Edson, Dr. Eric Sundell and Dr. William Shea at the Continental Divide on a previous trip for the Summer Field Course program.

   The University of Arkansas - Monticello will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its highly successful Summer Field Course program by offering an 11-day trip to Northern California June 19-30, according to Jim Edson, professor of geology and coordinator of the program.

   The itinerary includes travel through the Sierra Nevada region along the California and Nevada border, where participants will see the world’s oldest trees, the bristlecone pines of White Mountain. Other stops include Mammoth Lake, Devil’s Postpile National Monument, Mono Lake and mining ghost towns.

   The trip will also include three days at Yosemite National Park exploring Yosemite Valley, Bridal Vail Falls, Half Dome and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias.

   The second portion of the trip will take participants across the San Joaquin Valley to the Pacific coast. Major stops include Parkfield, an earthquake research site where students can stand astride the San Andreas Fault. The group will also travel the scenic Pacific Coast Highway through Monterey and the Big Sur region, then on to San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge to the Muir Woods National Monument to view coastal redwoods.

   The tour will conclude with visits to the wineries and hot springs of Sonoma County, the historic Gold Rush sites of Sacramento and Placerville, and a visit to Lake Tahoe and Donner Pass before returning to Reno.

   The Summer Field Course program is designed primarily for in-service teachers seeking graduate credit but is also open to individuals seeking undergraduate and continuing education credit. Students may choose from a variety of graduate and undergraduate course offerings as part of the trip, including biology, geology, geography and history.

   Faculty joining Edson on the trip include William Shea, professor of history, and Eric Sundell, professor of botany.

   Not including airfare to Reno, Nev., the $1,595 price covers ground transportation, lodging, most meals, entry fees and tuition for one three-hour course. Persons wishing to take a second course must pay an additional $300.

   A list of courses is available at www.uamont.edu/FacultyWeb/Edson/sum2005.htm. The courses qualify for “No Child Left Behind” funds and for “The Teacher and Administrator Grant Program” administered by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.

   For more information, contact Edson at (870) 460-1016.

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