During spring break 2024, the School of Public Policy and the College of Science, in partnership with the University of Aruba and facilitated by OSU Global Opportunities, gave nineteen students across disciplines the opportunity to research the cultural, historical, and ecological aspects of Aruba by traveling to the island for a week-long journey, as covered in the OSU CLA Article, "Undergraduate students examine Aruban environment, culture, and society":
"Led by sociologist Dwaine Plaza and marine scientist Itchung Cheung, students explored the implementation of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals framework with local stakeholders, including environmental experts, biologists, artists, small business owners, and more.
'Our goal was that at the end of seven days,” Plaza explained, “students will have a better understanding of Aruba’s ecological systems, as well as the island's place in the global economy. As we progress into the 21st Century, micro-states in the Caribbean will be constantly juggling the needs of tourism with sustainability of the environment.' ...
'I loved how busy our days were, including meeting all of the various governmental officials, business owners, and ecologists,” said [Sociology major Lucy Boretto]. “My goal was to learn more about how the island balances environmental sustainability with tourism. I was able to speak with leaders in the field and gather perspectives that I wouldn’t necessarily have been able to while in Corvallis. It was also great to make connections with other students in sociology and at the College of Science.'"