|
Classrooms Without Walls
The Lake as a Laboratory Buena Vista University understands that it is not enough to learn in the classroom and then look out upon the real world to apply the new-found knowledge. Instead, BVU students gain the tools that only real, hands-on experience can give them. When graduates are competing for jobs or graduate school admission, those with hands-on experience will be the most qualified candidates. The School of Science at BVU believes that the world is our classroom and offers students a wealth of experiences from outdoor field classrooms and student research experiences to on-the-job internships and Interim research trips. These opportunities go beyond the traditional curriculum to keep BVU students on the leading edge of scientific advances. Take a moment to explore BVU's science programs "beyond the classroom." Buena Vista University is located on the shores of Storm Lake, a 3,200-acre natural lake which is second most southerly glacial lake in the United States. The lake contains a small controllable watershed and is located on the State of Iowa watershed divide -- meaning that water to the east runs to the Mississippi River and water to the west drains into the Missouri River. Professors routinely use the lake as a laboratory by studying the animal and plant life that use the lake as their habitat, as well as studying the water quality and composition.
Students are guided in research efforts by BVU professors on field study science trips during the January Interim. The African Interim Trip gives students an opportunity to study tropical ecology and see many of the mammals inhabiting Africa, as well as an opportunity to experience a fascinating culture. Students visit several South African national parks, including the Umfolozi-Hluhluwe National Park to see black and white rhino. The trip occurs in the summer during the African dry season, which is the best time to view game and avoid tropical heat. The Australia Field Science Course travels to the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, a prime research station for diving on coral reefs and studying the taxonomy of marine plants and animals. The course also features exploration of the tropical rain forests and study of the indigenous plants and animals of the continent. The Puerto Rico Field Science Course involves supervised diving and specimen collection excursions to coral reefs, rain forests, caves, dry forests, and salt flats around our field station in Puerto Rico. The Hawaii Interim Trip lets students explore diverse environments including rain forests, mountains, deserts, green- and black-sand beaches, an active volcano, streams, waterfalls, and the Pacific Ocean. The Jamaica Field Science Course is an intensive biology course in which students stay at a field/station at St. Ann's Bay, jamaica while they conduct daily field trips and research projects. We emphasize that this is a field biology experience that involves skin diving and hard work. The Czech Republic Biology Trip involves a rich biological experience in a culturally and historically interesting country in central Europe. Based in the northern village of Zubrince, students are immersed in the field biology of the region. Day long field projects address water quality, biological community diversity and other questions pertaining to organisms of the area. National forests, bogs, cultivated croplands, rivers and streams are visited on daytrips from the field station in Zubrince. The history and culture of Moravia and Bavaria are presented through visits to museums and preserved medieval villages. Several days in Prague culminate the experience.
Internships afford students the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to hands-on job situations. These experiences provide valuable job skills while building networking opportunities. Students are encouraged to choose internships in their chosen career field to maximize their professional preparation. Internships are taken for credit and are usually completed during the January Interim or summer, but may also be completed during the regular semester. Students are encouraged to complete at least one internship during their college careers, but many students graduate with several internship experiences. Partial Listing of Recent Internships
BVU Graduates Have Attended These
Minnie Anderson Outdoor Classroom BVU, in conjunction with the Izaak Walton League, has developed an outdoor classroom for the study of woodland and prairie ecosystems. Students of all ages have the opportunity to examine first-hand the living community of plants and animals that inhabit these ecosystems. The area enhances the educational opportunities of students interested in service careers and lifelong learning.
The Donald and Candace Lambie Natural History Preserve is a 35-acre tract of native prairie and woodland located north of Humboldt. It was established in 1992 as a research station for BVU. Classes regularly visit to study the native prairie grasses, wildflowers, trees, and wildlife that were once the natural habitat of Iowa.
During the course of study as a science major at BVU, students are required to take two research seminars. These seminars are designed to allow students opportunities to apply their skills in researching a topic. The student dictates the curriculum, researches the topic, and presents the findings under the direction of his/her research advisor. In this way, the student research seminars are tailored to match the career goals to the student and may lead to further research on the job or as a graduate school project.
Dean's Fellows & Scholarship Opportunities The School of Science Dean's Fellowship is an experience-based scholarship program designed for a select group of students majoring in science who have shown outstanding achievement in their scholastic endeavors. The Madge White Math/Science Scholarship is a renewable scholarship worth up to $2,000 for each of the student's four years at BVU.
|
| Copyright © BUENA VISTA UNIVERSITY | Accessibilty | Contact Us | A-Z Index |