Programs which combine strong sciences (chem and bio) with opportunities for field study?

momrath
Sat, 26 Nov 2022 06:23:31 +0000

Coming a bit late to this thread, but I would suggest that your son take a look at Williams. It’s very selective for sure, but they like applicants with a combination of academic accomplishment and a passion for outdoorsy activities, and who would consider Williams’ insular mountain village location a big positive.

Williams has a high level of participation in its Outing Club and nearby access to a wide range of activities, e.g.,climbing, hiking, camping, skiing and snowboarding and generally lots of opportunities to enjoy being active in a beautiful mountain environment.

Williams does have a cycling team, but it appears to be more informal than competitive. (Not my area of expertise.)
https://sites.williams.edu/cycling/prospective-athletes/

Williams sciences, notably chemistry, biology and geosciences, are excellent across the board and there is a good deal of synergy between Environmental Studies and other sciences.

The Center For Environmental Studies “manages the Hopkins Memorial Forest, a 2600-acre natural area located 1.5 miles from campus, in which there are field-study sites and a laboratory.”

Hopkins Memorial Forest

Research Facilities

To complement the 2600 acre natural environment, the HMF Field Station offers an office, two labs, a classroom, computer work stations and wireless access for researchers. The wet and dry labs are appropriate for processing field samples and teaching...

I would also note Williams’ generous funding for summer research projects. You can see a list of past projects on the Center for Environmental Studies site:

Center for Environmental Studies

The Center for Environmental Studies

Environmental issues call upon citizens, organizations, and governments to grasp complex scientific concepts, address conflicting human values, and make difficult economic, political and ethical choices. The three curricular options in Environmental...