WHAT IS GESA?
The Global Environments Summer Academy (GESA) takes place annually under the auspices of the Global Diversity Foundation (GDF) and the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society (RCC). The Academy is designed to broaden and deepen the knowledge, networking, and communication skills of postgraduate students, professionals and activists who are concerned about human dimensions of environmental challenges. Every year the course focuses on different themes within the broad concern of human dimensions of global environmental change. It spans local to global scales, diverse ecosystems and … [Read More...]
ACADEMY HIGHLIGHTS
In promoting a transdisciplinary approach, GESA combines a variety of learning modes that includes creative interactions, ethnobotany breaks, field trips, methods and skills practicals, multidisciplinary seminars, research cafés, round-table discussions, small group discussions and video screenings. Creative interactions ~ We leave unstructured time for participants to present creative representations of environmental issues through art, music, performance, poetry and other forms of expression. Ethnobotany breaks ~ Coffee breaks take on a whole new meaning at GESA; they are an opportunity for cultural exchange and sharing knowledge. Participants bring something to share that is chosen from their culinary traditions or ‘foodways’ and give a short … [Read more...]
GESA 2013
The third Global Environments Summer Academy on Socio-ecological Interactions in a Dynamic World will be held at the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) of the University of Bern, between 27 July and 18 August 2013, lasting just over 3 weeks. Under the leadership of Dr. Gary J. Martin, the Director of GDF, academic and community professionals from diverse backgrounds will be invited to present their current perspectives and practical work. Participants will be able to interact with these resource persons throughout the course. GESA 2013 will be organised around a number of thematic roundtables, facilitated by one of the GESA faculty/resource persons. Each roundtable will begin with a 30-minute introduction (by a resource person or a participant) to ensure that all participants are acquainted with the topics, and related current debates, prior to the roundtable discussion. The following is a list of tentative themes for GESA … [Read More...]
GESA ALUMNI
Forty (twenty one in 2011, and nineteen in 2012) distinguished Masters and PhD students and professionals from a wide variety of academic disciplines were selected from around the world for GESA. Comprising speakers of 42 different languages from 29 countries, they have in common exceptional academic backgrounds and broad practical experiences that provide them with the potential to become future environmental leaders in academic, business, community or governmental institutions. GESA participants are highly motivated, willing to explore new ideas and techniques and eager to interact with other students and scholars. They join an international community of young environmental scholars who will continue to network with each other – and with future GESA participants – as they develop their careers as environmental … [Read More...]
