University & College Courses

Hundreds of students experience the Mojave Desert each year, often for the first time, as part of university and college courses supported by the DSC. Soda Springs is a popular stopping spot for field survey courses focused on the natural and cultural history of California. Smaller field courses in geology, anthropology, ecology, organismal biology, and environmental science, including some from institutions outside of California and the U.S., spend multiple days or take multiple trips to the region to learn field methods or for more intensive sampling activities, including some that collect long-term data as part of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs). Many undergraduate students participate in research training courses and conduct independent research projects at the DSC. By facilitating coursework and experiences that give hands-on training in real-world skills and methodologies, the DSC is helping build the workforce of the next generation.