We are excited to invite you to apply to a new early fall 2020 study abroad opportunity in Japan, “Health Impacts of the Great East Japan Earthquake.” (flyer attached).
In 2011, a major earthquake struck Northeastern Japan. The subsequent tsunami resulted in over 15,000 deaths and 6,000 injuries. Today, over 2,500 people are still missing, and 5,000 are still living in temporary housing. This exploration seminar will provide students with an understanding of individual, family and community health impacts of disasters, as well as disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery. Through our strong partnership with Tohoku University's renowned International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS), students will gain a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from disaster scientists and community leaders that designed and implemented response and recovery strategies. The lessons learned will help prepare students interested in public health, nursing, and disaster management to build resilience here at home.
We travelled to Japan last summer with two awesome graduate students to plan an exciting and educational itinerary. We’ll begin our journey in Tokyo, where we will learn about Japan’s risks and vulnerabilities to earthquakes, tsunamis, and other hazards; healthcare system; and disaster management system. We’ll then travel north to Sendai, a majority city in the region most impacted by the earthquake. We will have the opportunity to travel directly to affected coastal communities and hear first-hand about their experiences and recovery.
We have also built in many opportunities to decompress, have fun, learn about Japanese culture, and interact with Japanese students. A highlight of our trip will be a trip to Tono, Japan, known for its Japanese folklore.
To learn more, please check out our program website, attend one of our upcoming information sessions, or send us an email. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply.
The information sessions will be held on:
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 5:00-6:00 pm, HS T 404
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 5:00-6:00 pm, HS T 404
We look forward to your application by February 15th, and to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with you!