This USF study abroad course was done in partnership with Mrs. Ayanna Young Marshall & Dr. Paul Pounder, Student Entrepreneurial Empowerment Development (SEED) Project, Department of Management Studies, University of the West Indies, Cavehill, Barbados.
Sustainably managing the nitrogen cycle is a grand engineering challenge and this field trip focuses on doing so in an urban island setting. This requires an understanding of how nitrogen is produced, transformed, & used, either in engineered or natural systems. This weeklong visit to Barbados will provide USF engineering and marine science students opportunities to work with local partners from entrepreneurship and management, marine science, policy and business. They will learn about sustainable nitrogen management and identify potential opportunities for education, research, innovation, and entrepreneurship with this theme. The targeted area is the Carlisle Bay area, a marine park, designated so by citizens, that borders the island’s capital of Bridgetown. An active group of local businesses and government agencies have teamed up to increase the viability and health of this area. This area includes centralized wastewater treatment close to the coast road and on site systems further inland. Stormwater either drains directly to the sea or is directed into a well/fracture. Students will have opportunities to tour/meet/work with local stakeholders on understanding the challenges and framing the opportunities to improve the area’s functioning, and improve how nitrogen from stormwater/wastewater is managed/used.
A student engaged with this course will be able to:
- Describe the Carlisle Bay area in relation to the human/energy/water/materials/nutrient/entrepreneurship nexus
- Work in interdisciplinary teams to identify challenges and opportunities for nutrient management in the Carlisle Bay area, Barbados
- Conduct basic water quality analyses, including tests for nutrient levels in water samples
- Develop a business plan that contributes to the sustainable management of nutrients in Carlisle Bay
- Create multimedia that effectively captures the challenges and opportunities for improved management of nutrients like nitrogen in Carlisle Bay, Barbados and/or supports the business plan idea
Course Deliverables include a Group Business Plan, a Group Video, and a Group Presentation.