Spend 11 Days in beautiful Hawaii studying microbes and exploring where lava meets land and life.
11 days travel at
$3,650 plus tuition
BISC 380 / ENVS 399
3 Credit Hours
Instructed by
Dr. Erik Hom
& Dr. Becks Prescott
Apply by
October 4, 2024
Travel Overview
Go beyond textbooks and lecture halls. Study USA’s travel courses combine academic learning with hands-on, real world experiences. Every class maximizes its unique location with immersive activities.
You’ll earn academic credit, apply what you’re learning directly to your surroundings, and engage in lively class experiences—all guided by Ole Miss faculty.
What You'll Learn
- Deeper understanding of microbes, scientific research, and scientific advancement.
- Hands on experience processing samples for the cultivation and analysis of microbial communities.
- Conduct sampling for microbes from lichens, plants, and seaweeds in this exotic environment.
What You'll Do
- Stay within Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park at Kilauea Military Camp (KMC).
- Discover tea forest ecology and collect samples at Big Island Tea.
- Process samples using lab space at the University of Hawaii Hilo.
- Sample volcanic soils for microbes across several differently aged flows.
- Plus, visit the southernmost point in the U.S., home to one of only four green sand beaches in the world.
All activities are tentative and subject to change depending on scheduling, booking availability, and course adjustments.
Meet Your Instructors
All Study USA courses are designed and led by Ole Miss faculty. Your instructor(s) will be your first point of contact during your travels and lead you through all the class experiences.
Dr. Erik Hom
Associate Professor of Biology
Biology, College of Liberal Arts
erik@olemiss.edu
Dr. Hom has been a dedicated instructor with Study USA since 2017. As a returning instructor, he brings extensive knowledge and experience to the classroom and in the field. Dr. Hom is also well-known for his local research collaboration studying ecologically diverse forests.
“Study USA gives me a chance to teach collaboratively and creatively on non-traditional topics, in a non-traditional setting.”
- Dr. Eric Hom
Dr. Becks Prescott
Assistant Professor of Biology
Biology, College of Liberal Arts
becks@olemiss.edu
Dr. Prescott earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
“Not only did I learn about the biology and geology of Hawaii, but I learned a lot about myself... I realized I had more valuable strengths than I originally thought. I was able to be nicer to myself when I realized that most of the weaknesses that I see in myself, do not in fact inhibit my strengths.”
- Nellani S., Winter 2024 student
From the Field
