2018-19 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
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GFS 309 Biodesign Atacama
This course is an interdisciplinary investigation and exploration of the extreme environment of the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. During the semester students are introduced to the core concepts of evolution and decent through modification, which lays the groundwork for the final, creative group project. Students will also engage in an in depth study of Chilean culture and history through group presentations, lectures, films, field trips, guest interviews and class discussions on an array of issues pertaining to the Chilean experience, including politics, economics, religion, history, art, astronomy, literature, cuisine, music, film and dance.
During the field portion of the course, students travel to the high altitude Atacama Desert in northern Chile to begin a series of explorations into the surrounding landscape investigating the local flora and fauna and documenting evidence of organism survival. These excursions also lead us in an intense engagement with the extreme and majestic landscape wherein we witness a host of unique and rare, natural phenomena, as well as important archeological sites. During non-class hours, students will experience the singular charm of the small desert town of San Pedro de Atacama. The field portion culminates with a collaborative group project in which students conceive, describe and visualize, through drawings and sketches, a hypothetical organism capable of flourishing in this extreme environment.
The course concludes with a one-day visit to Chile’s capital city of Santiago.
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