Summer Break in Italy:
Water Resource Engineering in Venice

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Program Overview

Ever more stringent environmental regulations, acute economic crises, aging infrastructure, expectations of climate change, and population growth have all increased the pressure on cities to find new ways to provide services efficiently to growing populations. There is keen interest, globally, in the development of high performance land- and waterscapes that are specially designed and/or reconfigured to provide valuable ecosystem services (benefits that humans derive from the land or water).

Interested in learning more about these important issues and topics? Join an interdisciplinary group of faculty, students, and practitioners for a late summer trip to Venice, Italy focusing on water, sustainability, and resilience in a contemporary and historical context. Our goal is to promote cross-cultural, multidisciplinary dialogue on this important topic.

Complimenting classroom activities will be held at Ca’ Tron, a 15th Century building facing Venice’s Grand Canal. Students will visit innovative natural wastewater treatment systems, Venice’s multi-billion dollar storm surge barrier, ancient fish farms and habitat restoration projects. Participants will learn how those living in this World Heritage City have adapted to life in a dynamic lagoon facing a changing climate.
 

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Academics

Credit/Registration
The course is open to Drexel full-time and part-time students (for 3 course credits), as well as to non-degree seeking professionals, who will receive a Water Resource Sustainability Certificate upon completion the program. Everyone planning to travel to Venice will be asked to participate in 2-3 reading and online discussion activities, as preparation for the trip. 

All students will be registered for CIVE 564: Sustainable Water Resource Engineering 3 credits as part of their summer term course load. Undergraduate students must leave space for the 3 credits in their fall term credit load or will have to pay for exceeding the 20 credit maximum. Graduate students will be billed per credit. The 3 credits for this program are not optional.

Pre-requisite
The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students from across the university with an interest in water, cities, sustainability and related topics. It is also open to non-degree seeking professionals. All applicants will meet with Faculty Director Dr. Franco Montalto for an interview as part of the application process. Interviews will be scheduled with all applicants after the application deadline. Non-degree seeking professionals should contact Faculty Director Dr. Franco Montalto directly to express interest.

Faculty Director:  Dr. Franco Montalto

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Program Calendar

Arrival Date: June 14, 2023
Departure Date: June 25, 2023

Tentative Itinerary:

 

Day	Topic/Theme	Time of Day	Details
Day 1	Arrival	Morning	Arrive in Venice, Check into Gesuiti
		Evening	Dinner together, location TBD
Day 2	Introduction	Morning:	Go to IUAV, review logistics (internet access, building hours, etc)
			Welcome by Prof. Francesco Musco
			Introductory Lecture by Dr. Franco Montalto
			Screening of "Water Rooms"
			Fish Game
		Lunch	Bacaro Quebrado
		Afternoon	Overview of the Venice Lagoon, Prof. Antonio Rusconi
		Dinner	on your own
Day 3	Venice Life & Barroer	Morning	Meet boat at the Zatteri Gesuati
		All day	Exploring Venice with the Venetians (lunch included), includes trip to Moses Barrier
		Dinner	on your own
Day 4	Visit to Biennale	Morning	Optional group Visit to Biennale
Day 5	Introduction to project	Morning	On your own
		Afternoon	Introduction to project by Prof. Montalto
		Dinner	On your own
Day 6	Traditional Water Management	Morning	Train to Mestre
			Bus ride to Po River Delta
			Visit to Consorzio di Bonifica, with Ing. Tosini
		Lunch	lunch: Il Covo (Porto Tolle)
			Boat ride with fisherman Tiziano, leaving from Pontile dei Pescatori (Moceniga)
			Visit to valle di pesca, Cason di Valle Morosina
		Dinner	on your own
Day 7	Sustainable Water Management	Morning	Vapporetto to Mazzorbo
			Visit to LIFE Vimine project with Prof. Alberto Barausse
		Lunch	Lazzareto Nuovo
		Afternoon	Tour of Lazzaretto Nuovo with presentation by Dr. Gerolamo Fazzini
		Dinner	on your own
Day 8	Project Orientation	Morning	Travel back to Ca' Tron
			Introduction to Project by Prof. Musco
		Lunch	Bacaro Quebrado
		Afternoon	work on your own
		Dinner	on your own
Day 9	Work Day	Morning	Travel back to Ca' Tron
			work on your own
		Lunch	Bacaro Quebrado
		Afternoon	work on your own
		Dinner	on your own
Day 10	Final Presentations	Morning	Travel to Ca Tron
			Group presentations
		Lunch	Bacaro Quebrado
		Dinner	Final Group Dinner at Paradiso Perduto
Day 11	Free day		All day on your own, touring
Day 12	Work Day		Airport transfer to return to Philly

 

Program Fee: $2,380

 

Due March 1st: $500 Advance Payment + $25 application fee
Due May 1st:  $1,880 Final Payment
*All payments are non-refundable unless declined admission or program cancels for unforeseen reasons.

Included in Program Fee:

• Accommodations (shared rooms - each room has its own bathroom and kitchen)
• In-country transportation
• Entrance fees, tours, related program activities
• Welcome/ farewell dinners 
• Six lunches
• Cultural excursions

Estimated Costs Not Included in Program Fee:

• Tuition for 3 credits (for GR students)
• Round trip airfare $1,200
• Meals  $400
• Passport  $145
• Spending Money $200
• Course materials: $50
• Non-US citizens may be required to apply for a visa

ICA Financial Aid: Students may request an Adjusted Cost of Attendance by submitting the ICA program fee and estimated out of pocket expenses listed above to Drexel Central (via askdrexel). Doing so could make students’ eligible for additional financial aid.  Matriculated students may also be eligible to apply for Drexel's ICA Scholarships.
 

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More Information

• A recommended flight itinerary will be provided. Students are responsible for booking their own airfare.