IFSP-Indonesia 2012
Applications are now being accepted for the 2012 program. The International Field Study Program-Indonesia (IFSP-Indonesia) is an interdisciplinary educational program established in 1995 in collaboration with the Pusat Studi Satwa Primata (Primate Research Center, PSSP) at the Institut Pertanian Bogor (Bogor Agricultural University, IPB) in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia. The program is designed to provide field-based educational, training, and research opportunities for individuals interested in Conservation Biology, Animal Behavior, Primatology, Environmental Science, and Global Health. Through a formal agreement established between the University of Washington’s Center for Global Field Study and the PSSP-IPB, students, staff and professionals from the University of Washington and partnering institutions may participate in the International Field Study Program-Indonesia conducted at PSSP-IPB affiliated field sites and facilities in Indonesia.
The 2012 IFSP-Indonesia program (including
the 17th annual “Field Course in Conservation Biology & Global
Health: At the Human-Environment Interface” and Independent Field
Research) will take place on Tinjil Island which is located off the
south coast of
Banten,
Indonesia. The island is approximately 600 ha in size
and consists of lowland tropical rainforest and coastal/beach
vegetation. It is surrounded by coral reef that provides home to a
variety of aquatic marine animals. Tinjil Island was developed as a
natural habitat breeding facility for free-ranging longtailed
macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys and has a current population
size estimated in excess of 1500 monkeys. Native fauna includes
bats, rats, a number of bird and reptile species, and a wide variety
of insects and crustacea. This island facility offers an excellent
setting in which to gain field study experience and conduct field
research.
During the program, students, staff and professionals from IPB and
affiliated institutions also will participate in the program courses
and/or conduct independent research projects on the island. This
joint participation offers a unique opportunity for cultural
exchange and awareness, and enables further development of foreign
language competency among the participants from both countries.
The IFSP-Indonesia provides an excellent opportunity for
participants to experience first hand the demands and rewards of
living and conducting research in tropical field conditions. This
program is emotionally and physically demanding and requires strong
commitment and motivation on the part of the participants.
Individuals with a sincere interest in research and an appreciation
of foreign cultures should find this program an exciting and
challenging experience. To date, almost 70 participants from the
University of Washington, representing nine different departments,
have participated in this international field study program.
