This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) project, funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), invites students to participate in a research, education and conservation program that incorporates a novel integration of ecological sciences and environmental ethics. Coordinated by US and Chilean partners, including the University of the North Texas (UNT), the Chilean Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity (IEB) and the University of Magallanes (UMAG), this project introduces three key innovations: 1) a focus on a unique high latitude area, comparatively less studied than tropical and other lower latitude regions of the Americas; 2) the integration of science and philosophy through field work; and 3) multicultural scientific perspectives by working in small US-Chilean research teams. The specific foci of field experiences will be at the watershed/ecosystem level, allowing diverse studies of i) hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, ii) biodiversity assessments, iii) indigenous ecological knowledge and socio-cultural perspectives on biodiversity, and iv) conservation linked to education and ecotourism programs of biocultural diversity in southern Chile. This research-conservation experience will take place mainly at the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve (CHBR), one of the world?s most pristine eco-regions, and will introduce students to the links between social and ecological systems and conservation at local, regional, and global scales. Students will participate in the implementation of biocultural education and ecotourism in the biosphere reserve and other Chilean long-term research sites. In addition, by developing international experiences with the Ecological Society of America's Strategies for Ecology Education, Development and Sustainability (SEEDS) program at the southern end of the Americas, this project will help diversify the cadre of students who will be prepared to address eco-social problems and conservation challenges effectively.
