Anthropology Vietnam Field School wins $200,000 in New Colombo Plan grants
Dr Ashley Carruthers, giving a lecture in the middle of a river during the 2017 Vietnam Field School. Image: Kathleen Rippon
The ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology has won New Colombo Plan funding to help students take part in the Vietnam Field School.
Each year, the field school takes ANU students studying Anthropology or Environmental Science to Vietnam to spend three weeks learning how to conduct field research. They focus on topics relating to culture, society, environment and development in Vietnam.
The New Colombo Plan mobility program funds will provide students participating in 2018 and 2019 with $3,000 to spend as they wish on travel and study costs directly related to the field school.
Field school convenor Dr Ashley Carruthers, who submitted the application on behalf of the School of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Fenner School of Environment and Society, said he’s delighted by the win.
“I want as many students as possible to have the rich learning experience a field school provides,” Dr Carruthers says.
“This way, applicants won't have to worry so much about the cost!”
Third year Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Visual Arts student, Esther Carlin, was part of the January 2017 field school, which she described as an experience that will stay with her forever.
“As an anthropology major I felt in my element, and able to much more deeply explore this discipline and my interest in researching people and culture,” says Esther.
“I only hope more students get the opportunity to undertake such a course as I think everyone would benefit from a course as thoroughly engaging, profound and thought provoking as this.”
Dr Carruthers confirmed the impact the field school has had on students, saying that quite a few have returned there to study and work after graduation.
“We teaching staff are also all totally in love with Vietnam and Southeast Asia in general and want to switch students on to studying this remarkable part of the world.”
Details on applying for the 2018 Vietnam Field School can be found here.
Dr Ashley Carruthers has kept up a fascinating blog about the 2017 Vietnam Field School. See all the accounts and photos here.