The Asian Studies Center of Michigan State University plans to offer a two-way summer exchange program for high school students and teachers in cooperation with Japan's Shiga Women's College, Shiga University and high schools in Shiga Prefecture pending receipt of funding for the program. Three teachers and nine students from Japan will travel to Michigan, where they will join three Michigan teachers and nine Michigan high school students for a ten day joint environmental exploration focusing on Great Lakes and other water quality issues in Michigan [July 16-29]. On July 30, the group will travel to Japan together, where they will conduct a ten day joint exploration of the water quality and other environmental issues of Lake Biwa and the Yodo River basin [July 31- August 13]. If funding is granted, this program wil be made possible again this year thanks to the generous support of the U.S.-Japan Foundation. Student participants will need to contribute no more than $200 to the cost of the program and all participants will be responsible for the cost of some transportation and some meals (typically one per day) during the program. Program participants will be given detailed information on expected costs well before the program begins.
- A one-day Pre-Program Orientation for students and their families on a Saturday prior to the start of the program (date to be announced.)
- A ten day study tour in Michigan [July 16-29, dates tentative]
- A ten day study tour of the Kansai region of Japan, including sightseeing in the cities of Kyoto and Osaka [July 31- August 13, dates tentative].
- A possible panel presentation at the Michigan Science Teachers Annual Conference in 2008 (voluntary)
In Michigan, participants will be housed in an MSU residence hall and will host a Japanese student for weekend homestays. In Japan, the students will be hosted in home-stays by Japanese families. Participants will do water quality testing both in in the US and Japan and will write up their results for presentation. (This will be done jointly on the last day in Japan.)
- be entering grade 10, 11, or 12 in Fall, 2011
- have a valid U.S. passport
Note: Prospective participants not holding passports should begin the application process well before the start of the program. - ensure that they have medical insurance that will cover them while in Japan
- transport themselves and their homestay guest to and from the airport where the flights from and to Japan will originate (probably Detroit Metropolitan)
- provide gifts for their host families
- pay a program fee of $200 (or less), and
- provide their own funds for costs they incur that are not covered by the program, including some transportation and meals.
- be a science faculty member of a Michigan high school
- have a valid U.S. passport
Note: Prospective participants not holding passports should begin the application process immediately. - ensure that they have medical insurance that will cover them while in Japan
- transport themselves and their homestay guest teacher to and from the airport where the flights from and to Japan will originate (probably Detroit Metropolitan)
- provide gifts for their host families
- be willing to teach students about the fundamentals of water quality science and lead and assist students in performing water quality testing, collecting data, and preparing their data for presentation, and
- assist with management of student participants
- provide their own funds for some meals and other expenses not covered by the program.
The students will be accompanied, both in Japan and the U.S., by the MSU Program coordinator, William Londo. Sites to be visited in Michigan include the Kellogg Biological Station, The Great Lakes Science Museum, Mackinac Island, and the Soo locks. In Japan, the group will visit Lake Biwa, several sites along the Yodo river, and tour the cities of Kyoto and Osaka.
Click here for MSU-Shiga Environmental Studies Program Brochure (PDF)*
Application Deadline: 11 April 2011
To insure full consideration of your application, follow all instructions below.
Links to the student and teacher applications appear below. Complete an application by typing into it using your web browser or Adobe Reader. Please do not submit a handwritten application. Note that applications also require a typed essay and a letter or letters of support.
Student Application (PDF)* Teacher Application (PDF)*
For more information, contact:
William Londo
MSU-Shiga Summer Environmental Studies Program Coordinator
e-mail: londo@msu.edu
or at the address and phone shown above, left.
