Information Session: Thursday, October 4 th at 12:30pm - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Information Session: Thursday, October 4th at 12:30pm Maxwell-Dworkin G135

2019 J-term Experience in the Peruvian Amazon and Highlands Solving Global Challenges through Innovation

Agriculture, an Alternative to Prevent Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon Rainforest Program Dates: 2019 Sunday January 7 - Saturday January 19 Led by Professor Joost Vlassak / Professor Carlos Ríos

Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial, Chemical, Environmental, Bio, Energy, Civil, CS Founded by Eduardo Hochschild 2011

21st Century Engineering

Global Citizenship – The SEAS-UTEC Ethos

MOTIVATION for COURSE

Solving Global Challenges through Innovation

Agriculture, an Alternative to Prevent Illegal Gold Mining in the Amazon Rainforest

• Resource rich (large

biodiversity)

Madre de Dios is known as the Peruvian Capital of Biodiversity Madre de Dios alone has 2400+ species of plants, hundreds of species of birds, reptiles, mammals, and fish 1

• Major water and food source for

local communities

Madre de Dios Cusco

(1) https://cinciaperu.maps.arcgis.com

Lima

Amazon Basin Amazon Biome

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

The Importance of the Amazon, Its Rivers & Rainforest

Google Maps

After the ‘08 Financial Crisis, Gold Prices skyrocketed, triggering a modern-age Gold Rush in the peruvian Jungle.

Gold Price Chart PERU

Record High: 1800$ /oz Current prices are still highly profitable Illegal Gold Mining Camps Gold counterfeiting across the border

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

The Illegal Gold Mining Route Puno Cusco Madre de Dios Region

“Illegal & Informal Gold Mining is the most lucrative illicit activity in Peru, surpassing cocaine production in recent years” USAID, 2016

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

The Challenge

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Our Approach: SNAP (Soil Nutrient Analysis Project)

Developing agriculture to make it more a more attractive economic activity and to stop miners migrating from Cusco and Puno

• 2019 marks the 6th year for this program
• Harvard students work with counterparts at UTEC, Peru
• January (SA Summer) – Harvard students go to Peru
• in Lima (at UTEC), Cusco, and the Peruvian Amazon
• June - 2 Harvard students from the J-term 2019 group will be selected to go to Peru

for two months.

• August (NA Summer) – UTEC students come to Harvard, SEAS
• Led by faculty at SEAS and UTEC
• 2019: Prof. Joost Vlassak (SEAS) & Prof. Carlos Rios (UTEC)
• Students strongly encouraged to leverage January activities into project with faculty,

including for junior or senior thesis

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

The Course in a Nutshell

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Program Activities in Broad Stroke

Pre-Peru Departure Reading and First Day at UTEC Field Trip in the Amazon and Cusco Back at UTEC Summer at UTEC and Field Trip Summer at SEAS Labs Readings and videos in gold mining in Madre de Dios and agriculture in Madre de Dios and Cusco Background talks on mining, migration, and related social conflicts given by local experts, NGOs and scientist Talks from area researchers and a farmers´and miners’ points of view. Field Work – Identify Problems and Limitations Propose and present Improvements Harvard and UTEC students revisit and implement proposed solutions to improve SNAP UTEC students revisit analysis techniques with state-of-the art equipment in faculty and CNS labs

STEP 1 Developing Context STEP 3 Analysis STEP 4 Analysis STEP 5

• Adv. Techniques

STEP 2 Field Experience

IIAP Facilities Puerto Maldonado Reforestation and Agriculture site (CINCIA)

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Course Location in Peru

Mazuco Cusco Ollantaytambo Urcos Mazuco

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Field Activities: Using the Amazon and Cusco as Laboratory and Classroom

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Field Activities: Review, Discuss, and Reformulate/Optimize

(Re-)Frame problem Optimize solution Feedback from faculty and experts

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Field Activities: It will not be all work

• Required Commitment of Participants:
• Pre-departure information session (via video session)
• Pre-reading and project development with UTEC students
• Full participation in two week activities abroad
• Financial Expectations :
• SEAS/UTEC will fund
• Housing in Peru, certain excursions & cultural events, breakfast and lunch,

and flights from Lima to Amazon

• (Partial) flights cost on a needs basis only
• Students: Cover visas, vaccinations, dinners, incidental spending and optional

cultural events (e.g. Sandoval lake)

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

SNAP Participation Expectation

• Questions can be directed to faculty and staff
• Administrative Questions
• Lila St. Joy: lstjoy@seas.harvard.edu

(email given in application form)

• Technical Questions re: trip
• Joost Vlassak: vlassak@seas.harvard.edu
• Julia Lee: julia@seas.harvard.edu
• Past student alumni who you can also reach for questions
• Bryant Huggins (bryanthuggins@college.harvard.edu)
• Sophia Lee (sophialee@college.harvard.edu)

See also handout

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Contacts

• Application Deadline: 2018 October 29
• Form: https://goo.gl/forms/ZCG7eYt57CwpC3WA2
• Crimson News Article Featuring Previous Trips
• https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2018/09/well-grounded-solution
• Students Explore Cleaner Methods for Mining Gold:

https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2016/09/digging-for-solutions- in-peru

Solving Global Challenges Through Innovation

Useful links

Questions?