Venice, Italy B 09

At A Glance

Term – B 2009

Project opportunities – IQP

Housing – Shared student apartments

Director – Professor Carrera

Preparation – 1/2 unit preparation activity

Application deadline – September 25, 2008 (before 1:00 pm)

LOCATION

Called the most beautiful city in the world, Venice features a haunting atmosphere which exudes the splendor of its past. A city without cars, yet with an outstanding historical, artistic, and architectural heritage, much of its uniqueness comes from its symbiotic relationship with the sea and the lagoon. Yet, despite its millenary history, the historic city of Venice is so trying to adapt to our 21st century lifestyles, while preserving its environmental, artistic and cultural heritage. The rising cost of living in Venice has led to a dramatic exodus of its population which decreased since WWII from about 200,000 to around 60,000, while tourism has ballooned to 12 million visitors per year. Venice is a microcosm that reflects and magnifies many of the issues confronting the rest of the world, and at the same time it is a place that will allow you to experience a unique – more relaxed – pace of living.

PROJECTS

Since its founding in 1988, the IQPs at the Venice Project Center provide an opportunity for students to see the implementation of their projects for the benefit of an entire city. Projects are conducted for Venetian, American and international organizations and include environmental, socioeconomic, artistic, cultural, and technical concerns important to the revitalization of this historic city. The over 120 projects completed in Venice include: studies on aspects of the Canals of Venice that resulted in the publication of a book under the auspices of UNESCO; a number of projects on the preservation of Venetian art; several environmental studies on the lagoon ecosystem that are contributing to the creation of a Lagoon Park; a variety of projects for the improvement of the urban quality of life in the city and the lagoon islands which have resulted among other things, in the re-engineering of the Venetian cargo delivery system and the design of a vacuum sewer system to prevent discharges into the city’s canals.

For more information about the Venice project center and to read Fabio Carrera’s blog, visit http://www.venice2point0.org/

ESTIMATED EXPENSES:

Estimated Out-of-Pocket Expenses	$ 925 $ 425 $ 425 $1,025 $2,800	Round trip travel to site Groceries Dining out (7 x term) Weekend tourist activities & incidentals Estimated total out-of-pocket expenses
Expenses Included on your WPI Bill	$2,825	Housing, necessary boat pass and program expenses
Estimated Total Expenses	$5,625	Tuition and WPI On-Campus Housing NOT INCLUDED

Subject to change due to fluctuations in exchange rate

Note:

In calculating the extra expense to participate in an off-campus project experience, compare this figure to expenses incurred while living on campus (groceries or meal plan, entertainment expenses, transportation, etc.)

Travel Dates

B-Term 2009

Arrive: Sunday, October 25, 2009
Depart: Saturday, December 19, 2009

You are guaranteed housing within those dates - if you arrive earlier or plan to stay longer, you will need to find your own accommodations.