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I look forward to leading a group of UO students in the exploration of the astonishing natural history and geological wonders of the Dolomites, and the discovery of the traces of human history in these sublime mountains. This will be a transformative voyage of discovery where the individual “self” learns to relate to the pervasive and embracing dimensions of time and space written in the landscape.

This unique travel/study-field seminar features a wide-ranging exploration of the Dolomites, recently designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO  for the distinctive variety of their morphology, geology, and landscape. These spectacular and monumental mountains retain traces of extraordinary interest for disciplines such as Geology, Paleogeography, Geomorphology, and Paleontology. As the theater of some of the most extreme battles of WWI, they preserve a vivid and painful memory of the Great War that changed world history forever and altered the borders of many countries, including Italy and Austria.

During the 2-week journey, we will experience the best of the Dolomites, practice conscious excursions, and an experiential environmental and historical education. Hiking from hut to hut and through tunnels created during WWI, we will become aware of the magnificent natural landscape, becoming appreciative of the contrast of the  gentle curves of flowery meadows with the extraordinarily varied sculptural shapes of bare, pale-colored towering peaks. And we will see the traces of history and appreciate the different cultures and the various cuisines of the Dolomites. Students can focus on one of the following two areas of study: 1) Landscape, History, and Literature; 2) Geology, ecology, and photography.

GEO site for this program. My Blog page on Exploring the Dolomites.