Moss Point, MS
On-the-roadOutdoorsField sitesNatural Resources & Env.
Spend 8 days conducting community-based research, including a 4-day, 3-night trip to Moss Point, MS, to help the city enhance their nature-based solutions to flooding.
4 days travel at
$1,200 plus tuition
ENVS 3990
3 Credit Hours
Instructed by
Stephanie Otts
Priority Deadline
September 30, 2026
Travel Overview
Go beyond textbooks and lecture halls. Study USA’s travel courses combine academic learning with hands-on, real world experiences. Every class maximizes its unique location with immersive activities.
You’ll earn academic credit, apply what you’re learning directly to your surroundings, and engage in lively class experiences—all guided by Ole Miss faculty.
What You'll Learn
- Recognize the unique geographical challenges in Moss Point that contribute to the city’s elevated risk of flooding and the community’s priorities in flood mitigation strategies.
- Understand what nature-based solutions are and under what circumstances it makes sense to implement them.
- Identify policy options for maintaining nature-based flood mitigation installations in Moss Point and evaluate their feasibility and effectiveness.
What You'll Do
- Meet with Moss Point community leaders to learn about flooding solutions
- Collaborate with partner nonprofit organizations to learn more about nature-based solutions
- Visit and learn about the City of Moss Point
- Tour field sites of recent nature-based project installations
- Conduct research to inform developing policy in Moss Point
- Present research findings to Moss Point community leaders
All activities are tentative and subject to change depending on scheduling, booking availability, and course adjustments.
Meet Your Instructor
All Study USA courses are designed and led by Ole Miss faculty. Your instructor(s) will be your first point of contact during your travels and lead you through all the class experiences.
Stephanie Otts
Director, National Sea Grant Law Center
sshowalt@olemiss.edu
I am the Director of the National Sea Grant Law Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law and an expert in ocean and coastal law. I received a B.A. in History from Penn State University and a joint J.D./Masters of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School. I'm licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and Mississippi. As Director, I oversee a variety of legal education, research, and outreach activities, including providing legal research services to Sea Grant constituents on ocean and coastal law issues. My research on natural resources, marine, and environmental law issues has been published in a variety of publications. She’s conducted extensive research on legal issues related to invasive species management and led an collaborative effort to develop a model legal framework for state watercraft inspection and decontamination programs. I'm always looking for opportunities to expose undergraduate students to the real world challenges of coastal management and building resilience to disasters.
“This course will provide students with the opportunity to make a direct impact to a Mississippi community by providing research that supports development of policies for nature-based solutions to flooding.”
– Stephanie Otts