CHANCE Study Abroad Course Format
Map of Danube Delta
Three Program Components
The short-term study abroad academic experience is divided into three primary components and two international courses, one online and one on-site in Romania. Students will first participate in an online Spring semester pre-field course (4 credits), and in the summer will complete the field practicum and post-field assignment (4 credits).
PRE-FIELD (BIOL 497 - GLOBAL WATER SUSTAINABILITY; online course, mid-spring semester 2023):
March 13 – April 27; 4.0 credits
Before you leave for Romania, we will prepare you to engage in research and scientific inquiry, using a team-based learning approach. Each international team will undertake a mini-research activity using authentic data on a specific issue facing the Danube Delta, then interpret and communicate their findings as they relate to a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG). Both exercises are intended to give you practice with the skills you will need to successfully engage in a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) once you are on-site. Both exercises will occur via ZOOM in break-out rooms by Penn State faculty and top water scientists from the University of Bucharest.
““CHANCE was truly a life-changing experience. It not only provided me with the tools to succeed in the program, but the mentorship as well. The group collaboration between both universities is truly one of a kind and provided a creative and positive learning environment for all. I will never forget this experience abroad, and I know that the skills I acquired will be used in both my future academic and professional careers. “”
FIELD (SC 497 - WATER RESEARCH ON THE DANUBE DELTA; second-summer semester course):
field practicum July 1-16, 2023; 4.0 credits
While students are in Romania, international team members will be assigned to a select CURE related to the specific Danube water issue that they began to address online. Over the course of a two and one-half-week period, each team will develop their scientific research laboratory skills relevant to their CURE, design a unique experiment, then head out to the field and to state-of-the-art research laboratories to carry out their experimental work. Throughout all stages of their research, students will be mentored (face-to face) by leading scientists who are engaged in research in their selected area. When students are not working in the field or analyzing their data, they will have ample opportunities to learn more about the economic, environmental, social, cultural, and political factors that contribute to sustainability challenges facing the Danube River system through a series of professional lectures, guided tours, one-on-one meetings with Romanian government and non-governmental stakeholders and U.S. Embassy of Bucharest officials, and panel discussions with experts.
Undergraduate research presentation in Bucharest, Romania
Undergraduate Research Symposium
At the end of their CURE experience, each research team will present their work to select University of Bucharest and Penn State administrators, scientists, leaders, faculty, and students, as well as Romanian U.S. and EU government and non-government stakeholders via participation in the 2023 CHANCE Romania Undergraduate Research Symposium. This event will to be held at the University of Bucharest on July 14, 2023 before departure to the U.S.
POST-FIELD (online and part of summer course, August 2023):
Following the departure of students back to the United States, each student group will individually submit their assigned field journal reflections plus responses to two-three additional questions.
Romania 2023 Program Partners
