Academics

The Wrigley Field Program consists of one Spring 2022 course and three courses and an independent research project (15 total units) during the fall of 2022. The courses are taught through a series of ~10 day modules by Stanford professors who come to Hawaii and live and work with the students. 

Spring 2022

Wrigley Field Program in Hawaii Preparation (EARTH 115)

A 1-unit course for all students accepted into the Hawaii Program. Will introduce students to the people and topics of the program. Additionally, much of the logistic preparation for the course will be covered. Required for participants if they are on campus during the Spring Quarter. Exceptions will be made for students that are on study abroad, though they will be expected to complete readings and submit forms.

Fall 2022

Earth Sciences of the Hawaiian Islands (EARTH 117/EARTHSYS 117)

Through the study of volcanoes, erosion, and soil formation, students will be introduced to the Earth process at work in Hawaii. Focus will be placed on the processes that formed the Hawaiian landscape and the factors and processes that form Hawaii’s life force. Specifically, we will compare the landscapes and soils of a young and active island (Hawaii) with an old, eroding Island (Kauai), and examine how these features influence the local ecosystems. (4 units)

Ecology of the Hawaiian Islands (BIO 116/EARTHSYS 116)

In this course terrestrial and marine ecosystems will be explored and investigated. On land, focus will be placed on the origin, evolution, and ecology of flora and fauna, and the reasons for the concentration of threatened and endangered species in Hawaii. In the water, emphasis will be placed on the ecological processes that maintain biodiversity, community organization, and the impacts on marine ecology due to rising sea surface temperatures. (4 units)

Heritage, Environment and Sovereignty in Hawaii (ANTHRO 118/EARTHSYS 118)

How does culture, both pre- and post-contact, interact with nature? How were Hawaiian resource demands met on a small island? Are these approaches sustainable? These questions and others will be addressed in a course focusing on Hawaiian anthropology and sustainable agriculture. (4 units)

Independent Research (Faculty Dependent Course Number)

The research project is an integral part of the Hawaii Program. Working with faculty, students will engage in a research project to address an area of interest (Life, Earth, or Human Sciences). During the first four weeks of the program students will propose an answerable question and outline project methodology. Field research will be collected during specific times during the program and the project will culminate in a final written report due at the end of the program. (3 units)

NOTE: The course work involved in the program will take up nearly all your time. Students should not sign up for other courses (such as independent study units) or expect to have time to work on other academic responsibilities, such as thesis writing.

The Fall quarter program consists of 4 separate courses, yet the days are broken into modules. Each module is generally ~6 days focused on a particular topic followed by one day off (though this can vary). Modules usually consist of field-based exercises (data collection, surveying, and observation) followed by analyzing the collected data and presenting the results as groups. Each module is taught by a professor and usually a graduate student TA that joins the program for each module.

Though the schedule may change, the planned modules for 2022 are:

1. Succession, Climate, and Plant Communities (Peter Vitousek)
2. Volcanology (Ryan Petterson)
3. Archaeology and Culture (Mike Wilcox)
4. Marine Biology (Steve Palumbi)
5. Soils (Scott Fendorf)
6. Community Management/Resource Governance (Peter Vitousek)
7. Community Ecology (Tadashi Fukami)
8. Modern and Traditional Agriculture (Peter Vitousek)