CAUSE 2026 (Japan and Oregon): Living with Impending Disaster
About
The 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and tsunami was centered in the vicinity of Sendai, Japan, on the northern coast of Honshu. This devastating event overwhelmed some of the most sophisticated and modern engineering and generated tremendous loss of life and economic damage. Almost 15 years later, the region is still recovering. In the U.S. Pacific Northwest (Cascadia), a similar event is expected to occur within the next 30-50 years.
These settings, on opposite sides of the Pacific Rim, present an opportunity to explore what happened, how Japanese society is responding to a once-in-a-generation disaster, and examine ongoing preparations for such an event in the U.S.
The course will combine classroom lectures and activities during Spring, 2026 with a 2-week trip to Japan and Oregon during Maymester, 2026 to explore these issues in detail.
Course Structure
SPRING 2026: EMSC 470W (3 credits)
MAYMESTER 2026: Travel to Japan and Oregon (0.25 credits)
FALL 2026: Optional follow-on course for deeper study
Travel component
- Maymester Travel Dates: May 10-24, 2026
Eligibility
- All EMS undergraduate students are eligible, regardless of campus
- Preference for students with more than 30 credits at end of the fall 2025 semester
Cost
- Spring semester 2026: Regular semester tuition plus $400 course fee per student covering partial third-party expenses. This amount will be added to your student account.
- Maymester 2026: $200 tuition; airfare (U.S.-Japan-Oregon-U.S.). Students will be responsible for several lunch/dinners (~ 4-5), and other personal expenses (est. ~ $250).
- An EMS grant will cover other course trip expenses, such as hotel, most meals, and ground transportation.
Instructors
- Kevin Furlong (kpf1@psu.edu)
- Eric Kirby (exk26@psu.edu)
Interested?
Please complete and submit the application form>>
Deadline to apply is November 1, 2025.
NOTE: Trip will finish in time for Geoscience students to attend Field Camp.