2020 FA AMBASSADORS

Hi, my name is Zoe, and I am one of the Frontiers Abroad Ambassadors! I am currently a senior and Earth and Oceanographic Science and Biochemistry double major at Bowdoin College in Maine. I participated in the FA Geology program last spring and am thrilled to still be in New Zealand continuing my independent research project this semester, while taking Bowdoin courses remotely. My favorite aspect of field camp was honestly the sheer volume (and depth) of knowledge that I absorbed! I was new to geology at the beginning and learned more new words in the first three days of field camp than I had learned in the last three years. My favorite course at University of Canterbury was Depositional Environments and Stratigraphy because the professors were very committed to and enthusiastic about the content (which was fascinating to!). Most of my weekends in New Zealand were, and still are, filled with tramping (backpacking), boogie boarding at the local beaches, visiting our favorite pie shop (Sheffield Pies), and taking road trips to experience the various environments of New Zealand. New Zealand gives you space to think, and I have learned more about myself in my time here than I ever would have imagined. 

My name is Maya, and I am studying Earth and Environmental Sciences at Vanderbilt University (class of 2021). In the Spring of 2020, I attended FA’s Earth Systems Field Camp and continued my studies at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. My absolute favorite thing about field camp was experiencing the incredible landforms and nature in New Zealand through the lens of a scientist, not just a tourist. At each stop we made, such as Aoraki Mt. Cook National Park or the geothermal hot pools in Rotorua, we learned about how and why these beautiful places existed, giving them new meaning and significance. My favorite university class has been Sex and Gender in Everyday Life which explored how sex and gender influence every aspect of society. While in New Zealand, my weekends were filled with trips to national parks, beach days and delicious pies from the Famous Sheffield Pie Shop.