Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL): Alaska

The Brown Environmental Leadership Lab (BELL) combines concepts in environmental studies, ecology and leadership, with a mission of developing socially responsible leaders. At BELL, you’ll embark on a journey of learning and reflection while building community with the fellow student environmentalists in your program. Experience the Land of the Midnight Sun for eleven spectacular days, where you’ll explore Alaska Native history and cultural preservation as well as arctic, marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Lessons in the classroom and in the field will provide introductions to key areas of research in Alaska. You’ll investigate climate change’s impact on culture, economics and the environment while learning about socially responsible leadership. Your Alaskan adventure will be based in Anchorage, where you’ll have the unique opportunity to learn about Alaskan history from an Alaska Native perspective. You will spend time learning about Alaska’s important cultural and ecological history at local site visits to the Anchorage Museum and Alaska Native Heritage Center, as well as day trips to nearby towns for visits to places like the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Matanuska Glacier. Over the course of your BELL experience, you’ll also identify a pressing issue that you’re passionate about. With support from instructors and peers, you’ll develop an Action Plan to apply your new leadership knowledge to this issue when you return home.