2/1/2013
An earthquake engineering study tour of New Zealand is open to CEE students as part of a new program on international outreach for CEE students.
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UPDATED--An earthquake engineering study tour of New Zealand is open to CEE students as part of a new program on international outreach for CEE students. The 23-day trip will take place June 7-July 2.
The trip will be presented by CEE’s Structural Engineering and Mechanics area, in collaboration with the CEE multidisciplinary programs on Societal Risk Management and Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure Systems. Students will learn about the damage and reconstruction efforts following the recent swarm of Christchurch earthquakes. Visits will be planned to Auckland and Wellington in advance of Christchurch, where the majority of time will be spent. Students will interact with both academics from the universities of Auckland and Canterbury and practitioners to learn of their experiences with the recent earthquakes.
Graduate students will earn two credit hours for participating in the tour and can earn two additional hours if they complete an independent study project before or after their return. There will be homework assignments on a daily basis as well as a final exam. Professor Dan Abrams will join the tour as the chaperon and will assign grades for CEE 597 credit.
Travel scholarships for CEE students will be given to help defray costs of the tour by as much as 40 percent, depending on student demand. To be considered for a scholarship, a student must submit an application by April 1 through the study abroad website.
There are no obligations or commitments associated with submitting an application, other than a $25 non-refundable application fee. Awardees of travel scholarships will be notified by April 5 and will have until April 12 to confirm their participation.
The tour should be highly educational in regard to earthquake engineering research and practice in New Zealand following their recent swarm of seismic activity, Abrams said. The potential for interships or employment upon graduation shall also be good through networking with New Zealand practitioners who currently see a large demand for engineering talent as Christchurch is being reconstructed, he said.
A general description of the tour with key dates, a list of FAQs and a tour itinerary can be found at the tour's Dropbox site. Any further questions should be directed to Professor Dan Abrams, d-abrams@illinois.edu.