Led by Dr. Pinliang Dong and Dr. Feifei Pan, this year's geography field school and study abroad program traveled to the wondrous landscape of China. After two weeks of classroom instruction in the UNT Environmental Science Building, seven geography undergraduate students, Drs. Dong and Pan, and Dr. Bruce Hunter got on a plane and spent two weeks traveling across China.

Photo 1: UNT geography students and faculty in Lijiang, China. Front row from left to right: Dr. Feifei Pan, Nicole Chochrek, Angie Holliday, Mackenzie Evans, Alyssa Legband, Brittany Gillen. Back row from left to right: Jeffrey Rivas, Dr. Bruce Hunter, Braxton Renfro, Dr. Pinliang Dong.

On their travels, students learned about China's geography and geology: landforms, active fault zones, karst topography (this type of landscape is formed when water dissolves soluble bedrock, such as limestone, and leaves behind notable features including rock outcrops and sinkholes), wetlands, plateau lakes, international rivers, ecosystems, and more… Together, they examined burgeoning environmental issues, including China's rising carbon dioxide emissions, their impact on global climate, and the unintended side effects--glacier retreat.

Photo 2: UNT geography students ponder the beauty and geography of the Cangshan Mountains.

To complement their knowledge of China's physical environment, the students also learned about China's human landscape, its history and culture. Students and faculty visited the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City (Palace Museum), and the Temple of Heaven (all in Beijing). In Yunnan, the group visited the Ethnic Village in Kunming and experienced the colorful ethnic culture in Dali and Lijiang. They also visited a flower market in Kunming and examined differences between Wal-Mart stores in China and the United States.

Photo 3: UNT geography students have lunch in the old town of Dali.

In addition to seeing the sites, the group met with students and faculty at several research institutes and universities. This provided them with an opportunity to meet Chinese students and faculty face to face.

Photo 4: UNT students and faculty visit Dali University, one of many opportunities the group had to meet and talk with Chinese students, faculty, and researchers.

The grand finale of this year's amazing adventure to China was a class held in Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yunnan Province, China. By this time, the group had traveled no less than 8,000 miles and climbed no fewer than 14,500 feet (4,400 meters).

Photo 5: View of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Yunnan, China, where the final class of the China Field School was held in summer 2013.

Prepared for anything? Interested in the China Field School? For more information about this