Landslides and geology education in Honduras, as activities of Japan International Cooperation Agency senior volunteer

摘要

This paper describes the activities of the author a Japan International Cooperation Agency senior volunteer (hereinafter abbreviated as JICA SV) at two universities in Honduras. The author taught geology and landslide mechanisms as a JICA SV from September 26 of 2011 till December 25 of 2013 at two universities, Universidad Politécnica de Ingeniería (Polytechnic Engineering University: UPI) in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and Escuela Agrícola Panamericana more commonly known as Zamorano. Zamorano is a private coeducation Pan-American Agricultural University in the Yeguare river valley, and located about 30 kilometers east of Tegucigalpa. The paper also describes general characteristics of landslides in and around Tegucigalpa and problems on geology education in Honduras. The activities of the JICA SV in Tegucigalpa were unexpectedly stopped, due to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a travel warning for the area on January 31,2013. As a result, the author was transferred from UPI to Zamorano to continue performing the JICA mission following the instructions of the JICA Honduras Office.