Madagascar Study Abroad Program

Students at Stony Brook Southampton will have the opportunity to embark on many exciting and rewarding academic adventures. One such activity is our Madagascar Study Abroad Program, headed by Professor Patricia C. Wright.

Professor Wright, a primatologist, has worked in Madagascar since 1986. Her discovery of a new species of lemur, the golden bamboo lemur (Hapalemur aureusz), led to the establishment of Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar. Dr. Wright has worked to protect and conserve the flora and fauna of the park, as well as to promote rural development, education, and health services for villagers living around the park.

Stony Brook Southampton students participating in the Madagascar Study Abroad Program work alongside Malagasy peoples and international students, scientists, and research station staff, with guidance from field course professors. A full semester of credit can be earned through participation in this program.

Some program highlights include:

* First-hand experience with tropical conservation issues.
* Living and learning near the rainforest close to endangered and endemic species: lemurs, chameleons, tropical birds.
* Field-based laboratory courses taught in the rainforest.
* Access to small villages around Ranomafana National Park for cultural experiences and research.
* Living with Malagasy people and develop friendships that last beyond the program.
* Excursions to other parts of Madagascar, including the capital city Antananarivo, the dry spiny forest, beaches and coral reefs, and Isalo National Park -- the 'Grand Canyon' of Madagascar.