University Research Expeditions: Vacations with a Purpose
AgeVenture News Service
Take an adventure and make a discovery! The University of California Research Expeditions Program seeks adventurous people of all ages interested in becoming short-term archaeologists, botanists, ecologists or geologists.
Instead of sunning on a beach or playing golf, UREP volunteers use their vacation time traveling to exotic locales and partnering up with University of California scientists in order to actively learn more about the earth and its inhabitants.
“Our UREP expedition was a wonderful experience -- an assisted adventure we could never have done on our own,” said past participant Candy Simonen.
This year, UREP offers more than 20 different projects in various locations around the globe. Interested volunteers can sift through the dust of 10,000 years and find the remnants of an ancient civilization along the Danube River in Hungary. Bird lovers will enjoy the sights and sounds of a Costa Rican rain forest while studying avian behavior. Others can get up close and personal with owls and foxes in Chile, in order to learn how unique animal communities react to the presence and absence of natural predators.
Even with no previous research experience, volunteers become full-fledged members of the research team, with opportunities for hands-on experience in fields like archaeology, animal studies, geology, arts and culture, conservation studies, and more. Any necessary training is given on-site, where participants can learn more about the research while soaking in the sights of Costa Rican rain forests, busy Laotian marketplaces or the towering peaks of the Himalayas.
For a set contribution, volunteers can experience a true vacation with a purpose: UREP teams expand scientific knowledge of the planet’s past and present while encountering the sights, sounds and cultures of distant lands. And because contributions support University of California research, costs are tax-deductible.
Projects run from April to October and include expeditions to Australia, North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Central America. Expeditions generally last two weeks, and costs range from $900 to $1700.
For additional information
Jean Colvin, Program Director, University Research Expeditions Program
One Shields Avenue, University of California, Davis, California 95616
Voice-mail: (530) 752-0629, E-mail: urep@ucdavis.edu
Graphic Credit: University of California Research Expeditions Program (UREP),
UC-Davis
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