desert Studies institute

 

The Desert Studies Institute (DSI) was established in 1997 as a cooperative program between the Department of Anthropology at Boise State University and Celebration Park, which is operated by Canyon County Parks, Recreation and Waterways.  Each year, the Desert Studies Institute provides a broad range of academic offerings of interest and value to students, teaching professionals, Idaho's citizens and visitors.

The mission of the Institute is to provide educational programs and scholarly presentations concerning the prehistory, history, ecology and politics of Idaho's desert environments and deserts worldwide.  The programs are presented to enrich the understanding and appreciation of complex desert ecosystems in Idaho and to promote their perpetual preservation as educational resources for the future.

FACULTY

The faculty of the Desert Studies Institute is selected on the basis of their expertise in areas relating to the objectives of the DSI.  Faculty from Boise State University and the region form the core of the instructional faculty.  The institute regularly arranges for the participation of distinguished scholars from other institutions.

COST

All workshops are one credit each (pass/fail), and are available for graduate ($267.00) or undergraduate ($222.00) credit (plus a workshop fee).  All workshops are listed under anthropology; most are cross-listed with other disciplines.  See the summer class schedule for detailed information, or for registration information call 426-1709 (Boise State Summer Program/Extended Studies).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WORKSHOPS:

   DSI: The Paleontology of the Hagerman Fossil Beds - May 30 & 31, 2008.  Taught by Phil Gensler, Paleontologist.  This workshop will cover some of the basic principles of paleontology: fossil identification, geologic processes that preserve fossils, how fossils can be used as time indicators, and how fossils are placed into the geologic time scale.  Geologic conditions that led to the formation of the Glenns Ferry Formation and the Hagerman Fossil Beds will be discussed.  The workshop will include a field trip to the Hagerman Horse Quarry.

   DSI: A Japanese American Camp in the Idaho Desert - June 4 & 5, 2008.  Taught by Robert Sims, Boise State University.  In 1942 the United States government built Camp Minidoka in the Idaho desert northeast of Twin Falls, Idaho.  That camp was home to over 13,000 Japanese aliens and American citizens of Japanese ancestry removed from their homes on the West Coast and imprisoned there during World War II.  The workshop will focus on the interaction of that "community" with their environment.  The second day of the workshop will be a field trip to the site, named a national monument in 2001.

   DSI: Idaho Rock Art Research - June 6 & 7, 2008.  Taught by Carolynne Merrell.  This workshop will provide an overview of pictographs and petroglyphs from Idaho with discussion of how they relate to the Great Basin and the Columbia Plateau.  The workshop will review terms and methodology common to rock art studies emphasizing their relatedness with other archaeological disciplines.  New advances in rock art research will be discussed.  The second day of the workshop will be spent in the field applying recording techniques to help document petroglyphs at Celebration Park new Melba, Idaho.

   DSI: North American Birds of Prey - June 9-12, 2008.  Taught by Marc Bechard, Boise State University.  This workshop will focus on the types of birds of prey found in North America, their identification, and breeding biology with emphasis on the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho.  Included are field trips to the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area and the World's Center for Birds of Prey.

   DSI: Ethnobotany: Introduction to Edible, Medicinal and Useful Plants - June 13 & 14, 2008.  Taught by Ray Vizgirdas, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Learn about plants used by Native Americans and other early regional residents for food, medicine, clothing and building materials.  Join the instructor for a day of classroom activities and field explorations on day two.

   DSI: Owls of the Snake River Plain - June 16-19, 2008.  Taught by Marc Bechard, Boise State University.  This workshop will focus on the identification, natural history, and food habits of owls found in the western U.S. with emphasis on the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho.  Instruction will be given in owl pellet dissection and a field trip will be taken to the Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area.

   DSI: Deserts in World History - June 23 & 24, 2008.  Taught by Lisa Brady, Boise State University.  This workshop examines deserts' roles in shaping human history and humans' influence on shaping deserts, covering all geographical regions and time periods with an emphasis on the international character of desert history.

   DSI: Fish of the Snake & Columbia Rivers - July 11 & 12, 2008.  Taught by Philip Groves, Idaho Power Company.  Anadromous fisheries biologist Philip Groves leads the class in a study of native fish species and the potential impact to the ecosystem of introduced species.  On day two the class goes into the field with a variety of sampling gear for first-hand identification activities.

   DSI: Archaeology of the Snake River Plain - July 14 & 15, 2008.  Chris Willson, Boise State University.  This workshop provides an overview of the archaeology of the Snake River Plain.  Discussion will focus on major prehistoric developments in these areas, with consideration of cultural variations within the region.  Discussions will include assessments of current issues and problems in the archaeology of the area and a field trip to visit archaeological sites in eastern Oregon and western Idaho.

   DSI: Fundamentals of Dendrochronology - July 17 & 18, 2008.  Taught by David Wilkins, Boise State University.  This workshop is an introduction to the use of trees as proxies for climate, fire, and archaeological reconstructions.  The course will consist of a field component including collection of cores, a lab component with core preparation, and an analysis component to assess what the trees are telling us.  Students need sturdy boots and to be able to hike in rugged terrain.

   DSI: The Archaeology of Climate Change - July 26 & 27, 2008.  Taught by Pei-Lin Yu, California State University, Sacramento.  This workshop will examine the archaeological record to investigate ancient climate change and tactics used by human societies to cope, and in some cases, become transformed.