Gaia University - View Application

Associate Information:
First Name:			Last Name:
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Country:	If your country is not listed, please add it to the comments at the bottom of this form.
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Gender:	male	female	Birthdate:	(YYYY)

Language:
What is your native Language?
Competency in English:
Written:	Spoken:	Understanding:

Program selection You need to make a selection from all three fields before options are displayed!:

Choose a start date from the available options: (Make sure you select a date, if available, even if it is only one!)
June 4th - 11th, 2006 September 26th - October 3rd, 2006 September 18th - 25th, 2007 August 28th - September 3rd, 2006 July 16th - 23rd, 2007 July 16th - 29th, 2007 September 26th - October 9th, 2006 September 18th - October 2nd, 2007 At this time there are no programs scheduled for what you selected. May 11th - 20th, 2006 October 13th - 22nd, 2006 August 18th - 27th, 2006 June 4th - 11th, 2006 September 26th - October 3rd, 2006 September 18th - 25th, 2007 April 26th - May 3rd, 2007 April 26th - May 8th, 2007 April 26th - May 12th, 2007 April 13th - 19th, 2007 April 13th - 19th, 2007 April 13th - 21st, 2007

International Advisory Board Meeting Please check the one(s) you want to attend::
August 25th - 27th, 2006 in Germany:		(included in the program you selected)
October 6th - 8th, 2006 in the USA:		(included in the program you selected)

Tell us what is going well in your life, personally and as a world changer:

Please max. 200-250 words, currently

Since
about 3 years I am spending most of my time doing things I believe in
and that have meaning to me and at the same time have the potential to
be benificial and supportive to fellow humans, nature and the planet.
It took quite a while to get there and it is such blessing to be able
to follow what is calling from my heart. The companionship between my
life partner, Berta and me is quite amazing and has been since we met.
We both work on personal and planetary transformation, we share our
lives in many ways and support each other fully. Traveling on the
journey of self-discovery has been probably the most important thing
since my teenage time. It seems I am finally growing up and still
cherrish childlike joy at times.
My life has brought me into many corners of this planet, mostly as a
traveller, witnessing so many amazing things the human culture has
brought forth.
We live in a very beautiful corner of the world in a lovely little
house, can both work from home at this time, grow some of our own food,
can walk and bike to many places and have a great community with a
diverse spectrum of interests.
I have been actively starting permaculture related classes since about
three years, ran an eco-center for 2 years and now want to bring my
ecological and social design skills to a level where I can
professionally apply it in this bioregion to help create a truely
sustainable culture.

Also let us know what is difficult in your life, personally and as a world changer:

Please max. 200-250 words, currently

What are your long term goals and visions?

Please max. 400-500 words, currently

My
vision for living is to live a grounded, spiritual and fulfilling life
of fun, joy, arts, vitality and exciting projects deeply connected to
myself, others, mother earth, the seen and unseen universes and be part
of creating a culture for all of us that supports that. To Live in a
world that honors and respects every child, living being, plant, stone,
flower, drop of water, seed, every single element, as equally important
and intrinsically precious.
One of my main goals is to move my own lifestyle in a direction that
ends abuse and destruction of the planet and everything on, in and
around it and actually helps restoring and healing it by modifying our
shelter, type and style of work, transportation, food and
fiber-production, water usage, energy consumption, health and healing,
learning and teaching, relations and increasing self- and local
reliance accordinlgy, use resources sustainable, work on ecological
projects and be part of a community that values these aims.
A list of selected other goals:
Re-learn true self-governance. Reduce the laws, rules and regulations
by 99%. Make sure a persona has more rights then any organisational
structure. Develope our home into an urban eco-site. Lead a lifestyle
according to my values. Grow things.
Work part time for sustainable and ecological oriented organisations,
businesses and professionals for the next 5 - 10 years. Live in an
eco-cummunity. Being outragouse from time to time. Follow my interests
in research and community by seeking out more education, teaching and
projects in these areas that benefit the community, clients and myself.
Smiling and laughing a lot. Teach, co-teach full PDC adn ecovillage
design courses. Learn drawing, study physics and mathematics,
experiment. Engage in creative activities, like playing theater,
clownerie or music. Learn a craft, like anything with wood.
Travel once in a while, learn about plants and animals, get a good
scientific grounding, learn to speed read, type and learn, learn
martial arts, continue with shamanism and healing arts. Start farming.
Personally I want to fulfill my potential, fully experience this human
existence and join the circle of love, compassion, light, serenity,
hope, joy, humility, integrity and wisdom.

What are your next achievable steps?

Please max. 200-250 words, currently

Please tell us about your plan for funding your Gaia University fees.

For MSc and Diploma in Integrative EcoSocial Design only:
Have you completed a certified Permaculture Design Course?	Yes	No
When have you done this?
Where have you fulfilled this requirement?
Who were the principal instructors/teachers?
Have you completed a certified Ecovillage Design Course?	Yes	No
When have you done this?
Where have you fulfilled this requirement?
Who were the principal instructors/teachers?
Have you completed any equivalent design study?	Yes	No
When have you done this??
Where have you fulfilled this requirement?
Who were the principal instructors/teachers?
Please provide details if you plan to complete this before entering the degree program: See comment. Coming soon......
Tell us about the details and your role in any project in the field of designing sustainability/regeneration: Please max. 200-250 words, currently Inland Northwest Eco-Center - project and building renovation In 2003 I started the Inland Nortwest Eco-Center with the vision to become a focal point in the bio-region for the different groups and activities in the area of sustainability. First we purchased half of a property with a house in a very central location in town. The other owners were investors and supported our start up with asking no rent for the first year. With the help of friends we started renovating three rooms downstairs including complete replacement of the electrical system and adding networking capability. We recycled and reclaimed everything we could - old carpet was given away, carpet padding was used for a music studio as sound proofing, old staples and nails were brought to the metal recycler, furniture was given away, wall paneling was reused, etc. We produced amazingly little waste and used locally available low VOC paints and finishes. Many fixtures and furniture for the center were either donated or bought second hand. We started a bookstore and started having classes, workshops and meetings. The grand opening was a smashing success with around 150 people passing through and a full day of program, from how to make your own paints from kitchen ingredients, to how to build an underground house, music in between and a slow food lunch buffet with lots of locally grown food in March - which is the end of winter here! We started a seed exchange, had a permament display of green building materials, provided a research library, Internet access and a meeting room for free, an eco-action kids group was started by a local woman and her daughter, a compost system was started and landscaping with Permaculture in mind was started in the front yard and free consulting in all kinds of ecological matters was provided. We also started renting out additional rooms as offices for professionals and organisations that fit into our vision. I was managing the renovation, the programs, running the bookstore, coordinating the volunteers, being a landlord, groundskeeper and handyman. In September I had an accident that slowed everything down for 3 - 4 months and the eco-center never recovered even once I was able to do more again. After several meetings with the community supporting the eco-center we decided to close it - at least for now. The Eco-Center still offers books at two area bookstores on a consignment basis. I think that the eco-center was not viable in the long term as it was all based around my sole efforts - it did not attract longer term committed involvement.
Describe the Masters (or Diploma) level strategic qualities of your degree project? Please max. 200-250 words, currently There are different projects I have in mind and hope for support to select the appropriate one: Designing and implementing our own home as an Urban Permaculture demonstration site. Design and oversee implementation of a small acreage Permaculture site in the area. Bring together a local group and develop a Sustainable Sandpoint 2020 vision and presenting it to the public. Start a local currency. Develop an online database for local/regional sustainable businesses, professionals and resources including a rating system, green map and sustainable marketing approaches. Develop IT team and systems for GU Host a natural building conference in the area. Starting a local organic chicken broiler business. I have thought the most about the first one in the list - to develope our home (50 feet x 142 feet, house ca. 1600 sft) into a functioning urban permaculture model and demonstration site. It generates its own energy, grows its own food and fiber to the maximum extend possible, deals with its own waste and is designed to reduce the ecological footprint in all areas of life, like energy, water, transportation, work, health, learning, entertainment, household item consumption, cleaning, also gives to the community by sharing the succeses and failures along the way through presentations, tours, open houses, workshops, presentations and consultations. An important part would be also the local partnerships formed to provide for needs that cannot be produced from the property, like certain food items, fuels for heating, cooking, transporation solutions, tools, healthcare, etc. A set of parameters could be developed to monitor the phases of development for the level of consumption of electricity, water, sewage, food, etc. and how much is exernally provided and how much from the site. The goal could be specified in terms of consumption levels to be achieved, how many from the community have been introduced to the project and the level of well being and comfort of the inhabitants, us and friends, how the decision making process has been working, etc. The planning could include steps how to extend to the neighbours and the whole block, how to do all this with low maintenacne requirements, how to create additional income sources and prepare for older age. This would be a project with potentially great visibility in the community and could provide inspiration for others to do something similar.
What are your major areas of interest? Please max. 200-250 words, currently That is hard to say as I find so many areas interesting and fascinating, but recently I have been focusing my energy and interest on ecological design in the widest sense and try to learn and understand what that is, what role it plays and work on gaining skills and practice. Have a great interest in science (often on the fringe or non-traditional) and math/physics/engeneering and inventing but have a lack of training, experience and skills in these areas. Personal growth and engaging in life's journey. Sustainable systems, inlcuding businesses. Books, reading and movie watching. Some hiking. Country living. Reports on personal journeys of great insights. The Heart of everything. Intuition. Abundance. Figuring out things in terms of making them work, I call it puzzling, regardles of the area.

International Bursary Fund for students with lower resources:
Through a generous donation to the International Bursary Fund we have a limited number of partial scholarships available. We are reserving these for the most promising candidates who are also in need of economic assistance. Please check this box if you will be applying for this financial aid.
Would you be interested to make a donation to this fund:	Yes	No
How much would you be able/willing to contribute:
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Please list two people who know your work and their contact email addresses and websites where applicable:

Please include a Curriculum Vitae of your prior education and life/work experience:

Please max. 500-1000 words, currently

I
grew up in Germany and Austria. I did undergraduate studies in
psychology and clinical psychology in Salzburg, Austria. For over 25
years I have been a professional software developer and a systems
analyst, usually self-employed or with my own company.
During a ten year period I gathered lots of experience in organizing
events from small to very large, specifically the registration side of
things.
Since my teenage time I have been on a journey of personal growth and
development . At this time I am exploring aspects of shamanism. I am
interested in healing/health and non-conventional science. I am an
Austrian citizen, a resident US alien and fluent in German as well as
English. Since the mid eighties I have been interested in
sustainability. I took my first Permaculture Design course in 1985 in
Germany, maintained an experimental permaculture gardening bed for a
couple of years at an Eco-Center in Berlin, Germany. I assisted in the
development of an apartment sized composting toilet and helped build
several prototypes. I interned at an organic farm, worked on a few
straw bale projects, visited some Permaculture projects and
eco-villages around the world and developed educational material. Two
adn a half years ago I founded the Inland Northwest Eco-Center in
Sandpoint, which operated for 2 years. We had a small bookstore, a
resource library with books, magazines, videos and Internet access for
research, all free to the public. It also provided meeting space for
sustainable oriented groups, classes and workshops. We started a small
seed exchange, had a display for green building material samples and
had started working to convert the yard into a demonstration site for
small scale permaculture oriented systems. We rented office space to
professionals and organizations that fit our vision. We renovated the
rooms as green as possible, recycling anything we could, had a kids
eco-action group, worked on concepts of green information technology,
etc. I was member of the PFOS (Public Forum on Sustainability) working
group, a local organization that brought experts to the town on
specific sustainability related issues to do presentations for the
interested public, for example on biodiesel, Take Back your Time, City
Repair, Sustainable Agriculture, Permaculture, indigineous knowledge,
etc. Together with a friend we started teaching classes, including a
yearly Permaculture introductory class for the last two years.
I am member of the Northwest Ecobuilding Guild and also their
webmaster, see www.ecobuidling.org. I do web and software projects for
sustainable oriented professionals, organizations and businesses, see
for example www.bemarchitect.com, www.yaakvalley.org. I am also part of
the local farmers market selling micro greens, fruits, gourds and other
products from our garden during the growing season.
Details:
Education
1974-1977 University Salzburg, Austria, Psychology and Clinical
Psychology
1967-1974 Gymnasium Saalfelden, Austria
1965-1967 Gymnasium Erlangen, Germany
1961-1965 Public school Erlangen, Germany
Professional – Information Technology
Since 2002 IT consultant (Sandpoint, Idaho)
2003-2005 Founder and director of the Inland Northwest Eco-Center
2000-2002 Manager of Application Development (Dakotah Direct, L.L.C.,
Spokane, Washington)
1998-2000 Senior Programmer/Analyst (Dakotah Direct, L.L.C., Spokane,
Washington)
1997-1998 Software Development Engineer (Cornerstone, Inc., Priest
River, Idaho)
1993-1997 Systems Analyst, Programmer, Consultant (Balanced Horizons,
Boulder, Colorado and Sandpoint, Idaho)
1992-1993 CEO ( Compass Informatik und Consulting GmbH, Frankfurt,
Germany)
1987-1991 Systems analyst & programmer (Kuhnel Consulting,
Frankfurt, Germany)
1981-1986 Manager IS, Senior Programmer (Jaconskoetter, Frankfurt,
Germany)
1980 Civil Service
1979 Computer Operator (Lausenhammer, Salzburg, Austria)
1976-1978 Junior Programmer (IBM, Salzburg, Austria)
Sustainability related
2003-2005 Founded and ran the Inland Northwest Eco-Center
2003 Visit of Krameterhof, Permaculture site in Ramingstein, Austria
Visit of the Federation of Damanhur, Italy Developing concept for a
Sustainable Resource Center, Sandpoint Implementing website for
sustainable architect, Sandpoint Website maintenance for the
Ecobuilding Guild, Seattle Work Group Member of the Public Forum on
Sustainability, Sandpoint
2002 Work on strawbale project (stuccoing), Sandpoint, Idaho
2001 Member of Ecobuilding Guild, Inland NW chapter, Spokane 1996 Visit
of Bill Mollisons’ site, Australia
1996 Article published in Last Straw
1995 Forming a Strawbale Resource Group in Sandpoint, Idaho
1995 Work on two strawbale projects (bale stacking), Sandpoint, Idaho
1995 Visit of eco-village Crystal Waters, Australia
1994 Work on two straw bale projects (plastering, bale stacking),
Boulder, Colorado
1993 Internship at an Organic Farm, Germany
1992 Volunteer in the Ecovillage “Lebensgarten”, Steyerberg, Germany
Member of Permaculture Institute Germany, Styerberg, Germany
1991 Completed Permaculture Design Certificate Course (instructor: Max
Lindegger), Portugal
1990 Development of a curriculum “Composting Toilets”, Frankfurt,
Germany Co-Instructor for a course on “Composting Toilets”, Berlin,
Germany
1989 Development of a curriculum “Future workshop”, Frankfurt, Germany
Instructor for “Future workshop” on water for environmental
consultants, Berlin, Germany
1987 Co-founder of “Selbsthilfe Umwelt” to recycle discarded household
articles, Erlangen, Germany Co-developer of a composting toilet,
Berlin, Germany
1986 Continuing education for instructors of “Future workshops” (Robert
Jungk), Berlin, Germany
1985 Experimental Permaculture beds at the ecology center “Teufelsee”
in Berlin, Germany Permaculture Design Course (Instructor: Declan
Kennedy), Prinzhöfte, Germany
1984 Self directed studying of organic farming, recycling and waste
management, “Baubiologie”, Berlin, Germany
IT skills:
Consulting, designing, management, budgeting, planning and researching
for business software projects, developing recommendations for future
direction, purpose and strategy of IT systems within organisations.
Create specifications, program user interface, business rules, database
interfacing and functionality, implementation, testing, deployment and
database design. Facilitate and coordinate a group of people working on
a project.
Maintenace and troubleshooting.
Training.
Currently used tools:
PHP, Javascript, HTML, MySql, Windows XP, open source software
Other:
1980-1993 Volunteering in setting up events for up to 10,000 people for
a human potential organisation

Please add any further comments to be taken into account in considering your application:

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